Ghibli Museum (Mitaka/Kichijōji)

My last visit to Ghibli Museum was more than 10 years ago, when I was a student and doing study aboard in Japan. I can still remember how amazed I was when I first saw the 5-meter-tall Robot Soldier (from Laputa: Castle in the Sky 天空の城ラピュタ) on the rooftop of Ghibli Museum. (Laputa: Castle in the Sky is by far one of my favorite movies of all Miyazaki’s films I’ve seen.)

Ghibli Museum (三鷹の森ジブリ美術館), located in Mitaka’s Inokashira Park, is a museum of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli. This animation museum features a café, bookstore, rooftop garden, The Cat Bus playroom (from My Neighbor Totoro), and a small theater plays short films by Studio Ghibli that are exclusive for the museum.

There are different ways to get to Ghibli Museum from either Mitaka Station or Kichijōji Station. It was a cold January morning in Japan, so we decided to take a quick and easy route by catching the Ghibli decorated shuttle bus from Mitaka Station.

The bus dropped us off in front of the museum. We walked down a short path that led to the main entrance. We were the last group in line, but gladded that there weren’t too many people in front of us.

After entering the museum, I had to put my camera away because photography and video recording were not allowed inside the building.

Walking into the Ghibli Museum made me feel like entering into another world: ceilings and walls that covered in fresco painting, colorful stained glass windows feature Ghibli characters, narrow spiral staircases, bridged walkways, and the overhanging terraces. It was the magical world of wonder.

Stephanie really enjoyed the magical fairytale atmosphere of this wonderful place. One of her favorite was The Cat Bus playroom, where she got to “ride” on the fluffy Cat Bus. She was one of the youngest and smallest children in the playroom. The staffs were very nice and kind that they paid extra attention to ensure her safety (only children aged 12 years and below were allowed to enter and play).

We left the museum in the afternoon when the weather had warmed up nicely. We took a walk through the woods of Inokashira Park (井の頭恩賜公園) to enjoy the natural surroundings. It was a lovely Sunday, so many locals were out to enjoy the park.

We had a relax walk across the pond, through the park, then walk up to the narrow shopping alley and back into the crowds near the Kichijōji station.

P.S. Tickets to Ghibli Museum are not sold at the museum and must be purchased in advance: How to buy tickets outside of Japan.