Travel

Japan's long-awaited Ghibli Park is now open

Aichi, Nov 02 (CNN) - Fans of Studio Ghibli have yet another reason to travel to Japan. A new theme park dedicated to the popular animation company's productions is finally open in Aichi prefecture, less than an hour from Kyoto by train.

For those who aren't familiar with Studio Ghibli's works, "My Neighbor Totoro" is a 1988 animation about two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei, who befriend the whimsical creatures around their new countryside home while waiting for their mother to recover from a long-term illness.

"Spirited Away" is an Academy Award-winning animation about a brave girl named Chihiro and her magical adventure to save her parents and friends.

Ghibli Park is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays (except for major school holidays) and from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on public holidays and weekends. It is closed on Tuesdays (unless Tuesday is a holiday).

There is no general admission ticket for the park. Instead, tickets must be booked in advance for each individual area, with costs ranging from JPY1,000, or $6.70 (for Hill of Youth and Dondoko Forest) to JPY2,500, or $16.90 (for Ghibli's Grand Warehouse on weekends and holidays).

Bookings cannot yet be made through the park's official website. For now, visitors need to reserve tickets and select entry times for the different areas on this ticket booking website (in Japanese only). ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

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