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Ghibli Museum: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Common questions
Where is the Ghibli Museum located and when did it open?
The Ghibli Museum is located in Inokashira Park in Mitaka, a western city within the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, and it opened on the 1st of October 2001 after planning began in 1998 and construction started in March 2000.
Who designed the Ghibli Museum and what architectural style does it feature?
Director Hayao Miyazaki designed the Ghibli Museum himself using storyboards similar to those he creates for his films, drawing heavy influence from European architecture such as the hilltop village of Calcata in Italy.
What exclusive films does the Saturn Theater at the Ghibli Museum show?
The Saturn Theater at the Ghibli Museum shows one of several exclusive Ghibli short films that are not available elsewhere, including works that are also screened at the Cinema Orion in the Grand Warehouse section of Ghibli Park in Nagakute.
When did the Tri Hawks bookstore at the Ghibli Museum open and what is its name origin?
Tri Hawks is a reading room and bookstore in the Ghibli Museum that opened on the 6th of February 2002, and the name comes from a translation of Mitaka, the city where the museum is located, which means three hawks.
How much do tickets to the Ghibli Museum cost and when were they sold?
Tickets to the Ghibli Museum are only accepted if bought in advance, with prices ranging from ¥1,000 for adults to ¥700 for 13, 18-year-olds, ¥400 for 7, 12-year-olds, and ¥100 for 4, 6-year-olds, with younger children entering the museum for free.
Ghibli Museum
The Ghibli Museum does not allow photography or video recording inside its walls, a strict rule that transforms the space from a typical tourist attraction into a portal to a storybook world. This prohibition was not an afterthought but a core design principle established by director Hayao Miyazaki, who envisioned the building as an immersive environment where visitors could lose themselves in imagination rather than document their experience. Located in Inokashira Park in Mitaka, a western city within the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, the museum opened on the 1st of October 2001 after planning began in 1998 and construction started in March 2000. Miyazaki designed the museum himself using storyboards similar to those he creates for his films, drawing heavy influence from European architecture such as the hilltop village of Calcata in Italy. The resulting structure features internal and external spiral staircases built from iron, interior bridges, and balconies stretching throughout the building's height, creating a labyrinthine experience that reflects the architectural styles found in his movies. The museum's slogan, Let's get lost together, captures Miyazaki's vision for visitors to immerse themselves in his imagination and film work, ensuring that the building itself becomes part of the exhibit and an uplifting and relaxing experience that makes you feel more enriched when you leave than when you entered.
Architecture As A Living Character
The physical structure of the museum was designed to function as a living character within the narrative of the visitor's journey, featuring dead ends and bridges that lead to unexpected exhibits. Miyazaki's aim was to make the building itself part of the exhibit, creating a space that feels alive and responsive to the people moving through it. The design includes a three-dimensional zoetrope named Bouncing Totoro on the bottom floor, which displays models of characters from My Neighbor Totoro, a film released in 1988. On the first floor, a mock-up of an animation studio called Where a Film is Born showcases the creative process of an animation filmmaker, including illustration techniques. This five-room exhibit is packed with books and toys, with drawings and illustrations covering the walls to demonstrate the process of creating an animated film through sketches, storyboarding, keyframing, cleanup, coloring, and background painting. The museum combines features of a children's museum, technology museum, and a fine arts museum, all dedicated to the art and technique of animation. A life-size, five-meter-tall statue of a robot from the final episode of Lupin III Part II and from the film Castle in the Sky stands on the rooftop garden, formed from a hammered copper plate and taking two years to complete by the artist Kunio Shachimaru.
What special exhibitions did the Ghibli Museum host between 2003 and 2008?
The Ghibli Museum hosted special exhibitions that showcased work from other studios, including a 2003, 2004 exhibition of works by the Russian animator Yuri Norstein and a 2004, 2005 exhibition featuring Pixar Animation Studios, followed by a 2006, 2007 focus on Aardman Studios and a 2007, 2008 presentation of a version of War and Peace based on a picture book by Leo Tolstoy.
Located in the basement is the Saturn Theater, which has windows where automated shades lower and open before and after each showing, a design choice Miyazaki made with small children in mind who could possibly be scared of the closed-in space. The museum shows one of several exclusive Ghibli short films in this theater, including works that are not available elsewhere. These films are also screened at the Cinema Orion in the Grand Warehouse section of Ghibli Park in Nagakute, extending the reach of the museum's cinematic offerings. The Saturn Theater serves as a unique venue where the audience experiences animation in a way that is impossible to replicate at home or in standard cinemas. The museum hosts special exhibitions that showcase work from other studios, including a 2003, 2004 exhibition of works by the Russian animator Yuri Norstein and a 2004, 2005 exhibition featuring Pixar Animation Studios. In 2006, 2007, the museum focused on Aardman Studios, primarily their work on Wallace and Gromit, and in 2007, 2008, it presented a version of War and Peace based on a picture book by Leo Tolstoy. These rotating exhibitions ensure that the museum remains a dynamic space that evolves with the animation industry.
Tri Hawks And The Bookstore
Tri Hawks is a reading room and bookstore in the Ghibli Museum that opened on the 6th of February 2002, filled with books recommended by Hayao Miyazaki. The name Tri Hawks comes from a translation of Mitaka, the city where the museum is located, which means three hawks. This space serves as a sanctuary for readers and fans, offering a curated selection of literature that complements the visual art of the museum. The bookstore is part of a larger network of amenities that include Mamma Aiuto, a souvenir shop on the top of the museum named after the band of sky pirates in the movie Porco Rosso. The film is set in Italy, and the name Mamma Aiuto translates to mama, help me in Italian. Among other items, it sells classic and non-Japanese animated movies under the Ghibli Museum Library label. The museum also features a rooftop garden with a keystone from Castle in the Sky, bearing an inscription in Old Persian cuneiform, which can also be found in the rooftop garden as a replica of the control room stone found in the floating castle, Laputa, in the movie.
The Straw Hat Cafe And Home Cooking
The Straw Hat Café is the Ghibli Museum's only sit-down restaurant, created with the help of a housewife and mother of four to ensure the food feels like home cooking. Miyazaki wanted the café's food to be a kind of home cooking, reflecting his desire to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for visitors. The café serves hot and cold food, snacks, and desserts, providing a space for guests to rest and refuel during their visit. Sold at the takeout section is an original alcoholic beverage, Valley of the Wind beer, which was created in a collaboration with Dairy Kingdom Oratche, a microbrewery in Tanna Basin. The beverage's label was hand-drawn by Gorō Miyazaki, Miyazaki's son, who is an animation director at Studio Ghibli. This attention to detail extends to the museum's other features, such as the Catbus room, a playroom for children aged 12 and under with a stuffed Catbus toy to play in. The size of the Catbus is slightly reduced from the original scale in My Neighbor Totoro to fit into the museum, ensuring that the play area remains safe and accessible for young visitors.
Tickets And The Visitor Experience
Tickets to the Ghibli Museum are only accepted if bought in advance, a policy that has been in place since the museum opened to ensure a controlled and intimate visitor experience. The tickets range in price from ¥1,000 for adults to ¥700 for 13, 18-year-olds, ¥400 for 7, 12-year-olds, and ¥100 for 4, 6-year-olds, with younger children entering the museum for free. This pricing structure reflects Miyazaki's commitment to making the museum accessible to families while maintaining the quality of the experience. The museum closed temporarily in February 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, reopening to Mitaka residents only in July and fully in September. This closure highlighted the museum's role as a community asset and its importance to the local population. The museum's entrance features a fresco painting on the ceiling that covers the area with characters from Studio Ghibli films, such as Kiki on her broomstick from Kiki's Delivery Service, which was released in 1989. This artwork serves as a visual introduction to the world that awaits visitors inside, setting the tone for their journey through the museum.