Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo
Hello everybody and welcome to another MyAnimeSamurai video,
Today we will review Ghibli's museum in Mitaka. Probably one of the most interesting anime and animation related locations in Tokyo, if not the most.
But first things first. This is what you should know before you plan visiting it:
You should buy the entrance tickets in advance, yes, in advance because you cannot buy them at the museum. And due to the limited number of visitors allowed each day, tickets get sold out vequickly. Tickets are only valid for the exact day of your visit, keep that in mind.
So where and how do you buy them? Good question, because the answer depends on what country you are in at the time of buying.
Lets visit the official webpage of the Museum so that we can understand better.
Www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/
Lets click on “Tickets”. The explanation on the site is very clear. Basically if you are not in Japan you should by the entrance ticket through one of the official and authorized travel agencies that work with the Museum. So click on your region, on the next page click on your country and then on the agency website link. Look for Ghibli Museum tickets and buy them online. Once your purchase is done the agency should send you the entrance tickets through currier to your home.
I bought my tickets when I was at my home country so I made sure tickets were not sold out during my visit. If you decide to buy the tickets while you are in Japan, you can do it at Lawson shops. But as I said, it would be sad they are sold out during your visiting days, so better buy them in advance.
It is imperative that you bring your passport and all the documents the agency gives you, including the entrance ticket, when you visit the Museum. Otherwise, they will not let you in.
Now, how do you get there? The Museum is around 30 minutes far from the center, so I recommend you take the JR Chuo Line from Shinjiku station to Mitaka station. Notice that you might have to change trains at some point, so make sure you double check your route in advance to prevent getting lost.
Once at Mitaka station take South Exit and walk along the Tamagawa Josui approximately 15 minutes to the Museum. But I think it is more fun to take the Community Bus that will take you directly to the Museum. Make sure you buy the bus ticket at the vending machine by the bus stop. There is one bus almost every 10 minutes.
At the Museum website you can download a friendly map with indications on how to get there in case you need extra directions.
The Museum is located in a very nice park sorronded by nature. But we will talk about that later on.
After you present your documentation at the entrance you will by given 3 frames from a Ghibli movie. These are mine. Arent they cool?
It is not allowed to take photos or make videos inside the Museum, because it would break the magic of the place if everybody would know in advance what they would see. That is the policy of the Museum. After visiting the place I have to admit I completely understand and agree. The interior of the building consists of 3 levels and is pure magic, very cozy, you really feel like being inside a Ghibli's movie universe. It is not a very big place, but is full of details. With several rooms where you will learn about principles of animation and how its magic brings still images to life. Other locations will reproduce some of the most iconic interiors of Ghibli films. There is also a souvenir store full of nice items and a cinema where you can watch exclusive animated shortfilms. There is also a small coffee shop and a restaurant, but they can be full very easily, so keep that in mind if you plan to have a meal there.
Oh, dont forget to stop by the bathrooms. They are genuine and a must vist, trust me on that.
What you see in the exterior are only little glances of what you will find inside.
In 3 or 4 hours you can be done with the place. So in order to enjoy the trip you can also stop by the two small zoos that are in the area. Just 10 minutes by foot away and kids will love it.
Well, that is all for today. I hope you enjoyed the video, if you did, do not forget to like, share and subscribe for there are many more to come!
Sayonara!