Why Ghibli Park is different from any other theme park
Ghibli Park opened in November 2022 inside the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, known locally as Moricoro Park, in the city of Nagakute. Rather than build a new closed site, the park's five areas were placed among the existing woods, ponds and lawns, so that you walk between them along ordinary park paths. There are very few rides. The point is to step into places from the films, look closely, and find details, which suits a slow, curious visit.
The five areas each draw on different films. Ghibli's Grand Warehouse is a huge indoor space of exhibitions, play areas and a café. The Hill of Youth has the World Emporium antique shop from Whisper of the Heart and the Cat Bureau from The Cat Returns. Dondoko Forest holds Satsuki and Mei's House from My Neighbor Totoro. Mononoke Village is inspired by the mountain villages of Princess Mononoke, and the Valley of Witches draws on Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle and Earwig and the Witch.
For a Japanese learner, Ghibli Park is a treat. Many visitors already know the films in Japanese, the area names are poetic and easy to read, and the staff speak in the soft, polite style of Japanese customer service. Watching one of the films again in Japanese before you go is some of the most enjoyable listening practice there is.
Getting there: the Linimo from Fujigaoka or the bus from Nagoya
The main route is the Linimo, the Tōbu Kyūryō Line, a magnetic levitation train that glides almost silently above the road on an elevated track. From Nagoya Station, take the Higashiyama subway line to the end of the line at Fujigaoka and change to the Linimo for Ai-Chikyūhaku-Kinen-Kōen Station, the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park station. The park is just outside Exit 2. The Linimo also connects at Yakusa with the Aichi Loop Line.
On days the park is open, Meitetsu runs a limited number of buses from the Meitetsu Bus Center at Nagoya Station to the park, and the official site notes that some of these routes are cashless only. There is also a bus from Chūbu Centrair International Airport. There is no car park dedicated to Ghibli Park, so public transport is by far the easiest way in.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 藤が丘でリニモに乗り換えですか。 | Fujigaoka de Rinimo ni norikae desu ka. | Do I change to the Linimo at Fujigaoka? |
| 愛・地球博記念公園駅まで一枚お願いします。 | Ai Chikyūhaku Kinen Kōen-eki made ichimai onegai shimasu. | One ticket to Ai-Chikyūhaku-Kinen-Kōen Station, please. |
| ジブリパークは何番出口ですか。 | Jiburi Pāku wa nanban deguchi desu ka. | Which exit is Ghibli Park? |
| ジブリパーク行きのバス乗り場はどこですか。 | Jiburi Pāku yuki no basu noriba wa doko desu ka. | Where is the bus stop for Ghibli Park? |
| このバスは現金で払えますか。 | Kono basu wa genkin de haraemasu ka. | Can I pay cash on this bus? |
The five areas and what you will see
The areas are spread across the park, and walking from one to another can take a while, so plan a route. The official site recommends visiting the Hill of Youth and Dondoko Forest in the morning or early afternoon, as they are expected to be very crowded late in the day. Ghibli's Grand Warehouse is the only area with an assigned entry time on the day passes, and you must enter within one hour of the time on your ticket.
- Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, Jiburi no Dai-sōko: a vast indoor space with exhibitions, recreated film scenes, production materials, a children's play area, a café and the largest shop.
- Hill of Youth, Seishun no Oka: the World Emporium and the Rotary from Whisper of the Heart, the Cat Bureau from The Cat Returns, and an elevator tower at the entrance.
- Dondoko Forest, Dondoko Mori: Satsuki and Mei's House from My Neighbor Totoro, and a wooden climbing structure for children on the hill behind it.
- Mononoke Village, Mononoke no Sato: a mountain village inspired by Princess Mononoke, with the Tatara-ba hands-on centre, where some workshops cost extra.
- Valley of Witches, Majo no Tani: a European-style town with Howl's Castle, the Okino Residence from Kiki's Delivery Service and the House of Witches, plus shops, a restaurant and a carousel and flying machine that cost extra.
- Ghibli in the Park: a few Ghibli-themed spots in the wider Moricoro Park that you can see without a ticket.
Words on the Ghibli Park signs
The area names are some of the easiest signs in Japan to read, because they use simple, everyday words. 丘, oka, is a hill; 森, mori, a forest; 里, sato, a village or home in the countryside; and 谷, tani, a valley. Dondoko is a playful sound word, the kind of drumming, thumping noise that fits the dance in the garden in My Neighbor Totoro.
The practical words matter too. Photography is prohibited in much of the park, so learn to spot 撮影禁止 at a glance. 当日券 is a same-day ticket, and 整理券, seiriken, is a numbered ticket or voucher that gives you a time to come back, which is how the park handles the same-day tickets for the Valley of Witches buildings.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 青春の丘 | Seishun no Oka | Hill of Youth |
| どんどこ森 | Dondoko Mori | Dondoko Forest |
| もののけの里 | Mononoke no Sato | Mononoke Village |
| 魔女の谷 | Majo no Tani | Valley of Witches |
| 大倉庫 | dai-sōko | Grand Warehouse |
| 当日券 | tōjitsuken | Same-day ticket |
| 整理券 | seiriken | Numbered voucher with a return time |
| 撮影禁止 | satsuei kinshi | No photography |
| 入場口 | nyūjōguchi | Entrance |
Japanese for tickets, wristbands and same-day tickets
Tickets are e-tickets with a QR code, issued in the name of the person who booked. When the Premium pass is checked at the first area you visit, you receive a wristband that you show at the other areas; the whole party must enter together with the ticket holder, and the official site says that person may be asked for ID such as a passport. Tickets cannot be changed or cancelled after purchase, and they are not transferable.
For Standard pass holders, the Okino Residence, Howl's Castle and the House of Witches need same-day tickets. The official site explains that exchange vouchers showing a sales time are handed out in the morning near the Ticket Truck in the Valley of Witches, first come, first served, and you then buy the same-day ticket at that time. Numbers are limited, so go early.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 予約したチケットのQRコードです。 | Yoyaku shita chiketto no QR kōdo desu. | Here is the QR code for my booked ticket. |
| パスポートを見せればいいですか。 | Pasupōto o misereba ii desu ka. | Should I show my passport? |
| リストバンドはどこでもらえますか。 | Risutobando wa doko de moraemasu ka. | Where can I get the wristband? |
| 大倉庫の入場時間は十一時です。 | Dai-sōko no nyūjō jikan wa jūichiji desu. | My entry time for the Grand Warehouse is eleven o'clock. |
| 整理券はまだありますか。 | Seiriken wa mada arimasu ka. | Are there still vouchers left? |
| ここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。 | Koko de shashin o totte mo ii desu ka. | May I take photos here? |
| 荷物を預けるロッカーはありますか。 | Nimotsu o azukeru rokkā wa arimasu ka. | Are there lockers for luggage? |
Park rules, timing and practical tips
Ghibli Park's rules are stricter than most theme parks', and they are designed to keep the small buildings calm and uncrowded. The official FAQ lists them clearly; these are the ones that affect most visitors.
- Photography and video are prohibited inside Ghibli Park except in certain places, and even there, no flash indoors, no tripods and no extending selfie sticks.
- Only food bought inside Ghibli Park may be eaten in the park areas. You can eat your own food on the lawns and benches of the wider Moricoro Park.
- Large bags and suitcases are not allowed, and Ghibli Park has no luggage storage. There are a limited number of lockers in the wider park, so leave big bags at your hotel.
- Payment inside the park is by card, IC card or QR code apps as well as other methods; the official list covers the major international cards.
- Areas stop admitting visitors in the late afternoon, and the most popular ones are busiest near closing, so start early.
- Summers are very hot with little shade in some areas, and winters can drop below freezing. Dress for a long day outdoors and bring water.
Practise the visit before you go
The two questions visitors ask most are about tickets. The staff answer below uses the polite business form ni narimasu, a softer way of saying desu, and the word nomi, only, which you will also see on signs. Practise the four lines until you can say them without reading.
Then practise with someone who answers back. In Unihongo, choose the Sightseeing topic and ask your AI Sensei to play a Ghibli Park staff member, or choose Train Tickets to rehearse the Linimo and the subway. Saying the lines aloud once before you go makes the real exchange much easier.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ここで入場券は買えますか。 | Koko de nyūjōken wa kaemasu ka. | Can I buy an admission ticket here? |
| いいえ、事前予約のみになります。 | Iie, jizen yoyaku nomi ni narimasu. | No, it is by advance reservation only. |
| ハウルの城の当日券はどこですか。 | Hauru no Shiro no tōjitsuken wa doko desu ka. | Where are the same-day tickets for Howl's Castle? |
| 魔女の谷のチケットトラックで買えますよ。 | Majo no Tani no chiketto torakku de kaemasu yo. | You can buy them at the Ticket Truck in the Valley of Witches. |
Official information
Ticket sales dates, pass types, the park calendar, directions and the full rules are published on the official Ghibli Park site, which also lists the authorised sales partners for overseas visitors. Check it before you plan your dates, and again just before you travel for any weather or transport notices.