Japan's Ghibli Park: When animation movies become reality

Ghibli Park is located some three hours by train from Tokyo in the heart of Nagakute's Memorial Park, which hosted the 2005 Word Exhibition. It is composed of areas inspired by the Japanese studio's famous films. Three spaces are open as of November 1, two more in 2023 and 2024. They are accessible to visitors through a walk in the park in keeping with the importance of nature in Ghibli's works.

At Ghibli Park, visitors find 14 sets from 13 Ghibli film classics. Above is a scene from "Pom Poko" (1994), by Isao Takahata, the director of the famous "Grave of the Fireflies." A tanuki community — tanukis are raccoon-like creatures — that has always shared its territory with humans seeks to thwart the project of a new urban development, which threatens the living space of the small animals.

With the same attention to detail that can be found in Ghibli films, the life-size replica of the house of Mei and Satsuki, heroines of the anime film "My Neighbor Totoro" (1988), reflects the typical Japanese habitat in the 1950s. With the help of real antique objects, the place looks like it came straight out of the animated film.

Another attraction at Ghibli Park depicts the little fish-girl who dreamed of becoming human running on the waves of a gigantic tsunami. She is "Ponyo," of the eponymous 2008 film. Film critics described this scene as a form of poetry to embody the forces of nature.

The Grand Warehouse rises out of a former building that used to be a swimming pool. The imaginary "town" echoes the landscapes of Studio Ghibli's films, allowing visitors to experience them in person. Three-dimensional scenes are inspired by iconic moments of the movies.

In the Grand Warehouse, an exhibition area focuses on food scenes, which play a central role in Ghibli movies. The image here shows the typical Japanese art of sampuru, or replicas of food that are often found in restaurant or shop windows. Visitors can learn the tricks of the trade that make fake food look so realistic in Ghibli movies, such as in the film "My Neighbor Totoro" (1988).

The landscape of the Grand Warehouse is inspired by the settings of Studio Ghibli's films, which mix Japanese folklore and architecture, as well as elements from cities around the world.

There are no rides and no roller-coasters, but Ghibli Park does offer visitors a journey into the fantastic world of Studio Ghibli's films. Yet sometimes the references to the films are subtle, like these little "spirits" hanging from the trees of the Grand Warehouse.

The giant Totoro figure dominates the heights of Dondoko Forest at the park. The character, like in the film, is elevated to the rank of local spirit who lives in a tree.

Strikingly realistic 3D-recreations of key moments from Ghibli Studio's films bring figures to life. The above scene immerses the visitors in the office of Yubaba, the witch figure in the Oscar-winning film "Spirited Away" (2001).