We recently visited Ghibli Park!
Ghibli Park lets you walk right into the beautiful world created by Studio Ghibli, the legendary Japanese animation studio behind films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro (theme park based on Studio Ghibli’s animated films). Set in a lush, green park, it’s a place you can experience with your own two feet.
We went with two other families this time, and even though I thought I’d researched everything in advance, buying tickets turned out to be trickier than expected (lol).
Tickets sold in Japan and tickets sold overseas work differently, with more (and more confusing) options for the Japan-based tickets. Based on our own trial and error, here’s everything you need to know before you go!
- How to get to Ghibli Park, plus parking information
- Ticket comparison and what to watch out for, whether you’re buying from Japan or from overseas
- Highlights and suggested visit times for each area
- Family-friendly info by area (strollers and nursing rooms)
- Heat tips, what to wear, and a few lessons we learned the hard way
- Getting to Ghibli Park
- Choosing Your Ghibli Park Ticket
- Things to Know Before You Go
- [Area We Visited ①] Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
- Choosing your entry time
- Watch for entrance-only and exit-only doors
- Cat Bus Room & Higashi-Koganei (no photos allowed)
- The World of Arrietty (feel tiny for a moment!)
- Lunch at the Grand Warehouse cafe
- Souvenir shopping: no re-entry, so plan ahead
- How much time to plan for the Grand Warehouse
- 👶 Family Info: Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
- Nursing room
- And there’s still more we barely got to see!
- [Area We Visited ②] Valley of Witches
- [Area We Visited ③] Mononoke Village
- [The 2 Areas We Didn’t Visit This Time]
- Distances Between Areas
- Challenges We Ran Into (and How to Handle Them)
- Final Thoughts
Getting to Ghibli Park
By train (Linimo)
The nearest station to Ghibli Park is Aichikyuhaku-kinen-koen Station (“Expo Memorial Park” Station). The easiest way to get there is on the Linimo Line.
The Linimo is a driverless, three-car maglev train that runs every 10 minutes.
Once you exit the ticket gates, turn right for Ghibli Park.
By car
There are several parking lots (marked in blue) inside Aichi Expo Memorial Park, with a combined capacity of around 3,000 cars. It’s a huge space, so you’re very unlikely to be turned away.
The blue North Parking area of Morikoro Park (Aichi Expo Memorial Park’s official name) is divided into three sections. It’s one-way, so you can move from ① to ② to ③, but you can’t go back from ② to ①.
The park slopes downhill from the north, where the parking lots are, to Ghibli Park in the south, and there’s an elevator like this one for anyone parked in the upper lot.
*The whole path is also a gentle ramp, so walking is no problem either.
Lot ① is closest, but ② isn’t much farther.
Lot ③ is a 10–15 minute walk from Ghibli Park, but there’s also a shuttle bus that circles the park!
From Morikoro Park’s West Parking lot, it’s a straight walk in.
The parking lots near the entrance get very congested. If you’re traveling light, choosing a farther lot and walking in can sometimes get you there faster!
The parking coupon book never expires
Parking costs ¥500 (about $3.20) on weekdays and ¥1,000 (about $6.50) on weekends and holidays, per day.
Morikoro Park and its parking lots share a coupon system, and the 11-ticket booklet for ¥5,000 (about $32) is a great deal. Parking fees are paid on your way out, so you can buy the coupon booklet after you’ve already parked.
We were told there’s no expiration date on the coupon booklet, so it’s a great option if you live nearby or plan on visiting again. It’s sold at the park’s management office, tucked just behind the Lawson convenience store.
You can also split the cost and share the booklet with a group.
Choosing Your Ghibli Park Ticket
Ghibli Park is fully reservation-based. In general, you cannot enter without booking in advance, even if you show up on the day (some dates occasionally have leftover same-day tickets, but every date we checked was sold out, so booking ahead is essential).
There are six ticket types sold within Japan, each granting access to a different combination of areas.
Only two ticket types are sold to visitors booking from overseas: the Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium, which covers all five areas, and the Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass Standard, which covers three areas.
If you’re visiting from overseas, I’d recommend going straight for the Premium Pass (more on why below). The breakdown of Japan-only ticket types below might not apply to you directly, but feel free to skip ahead if it’s not relevant!
Comparing all 6 ticket types
Ghibli Park is made up of five areas, and different tickets grant access to different combinations of them.
Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse: The indoor, all-in-one heart of the park, packed with exhibits, the Catbus, cafes, and shops. Timed-entry reservation required.
Hill of Youth: The world of Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns. You can also go inside “The Earth Shop” (World Emporium). A calm, quieter atmosphere.
Dondoko Forest: The world of My Neighbor Totoro, where you can walk inside “Satsuki and Mei’s House.” Lush and green.
Mononoke Village: The world of Princess Mononoke, with a hands-on activity for making warabimochi (Japanese bracken-starch mochi).
Valley of Witches: The world of Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Earwig and the Witch. Going inside the buildings here requires an extra fee.
As of July 2026, a new “Satoyama O-Sanpo Pass” (countryside walking pass) was added, bringing the total to seven ticket types.
| Ticket | Areas Included |
|---|---|
| O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium | All 5 areas + all building interiors |
| O-Sanpo Day Pass Standard | Grand Warehouse, Mononoke Village, Valley of Witches |
| Area Pass (Valley of Witches & Mononoke Village) | 2 areas |
| Area Pass (Grand Warehouse) | Grand Warehouse only |
| Area Pass (Hill of Youth) *incl. Earth Shop interior | Hill of Youth |
| Area Pass (Dondoko Forest) *incl. Satsuki and Mei’s House | Dondoko Forest |
| Satoyama O-Sanpo Pass | Dondoko Forest, Mononoke Village, Valley of Witches |
The two ticket types sold to overseas visitors are the bolded ones above.
Beyond area access, the Standard Pass also comes with restrictions, like not being able to go inside the buildings in the Valley of Witches.
Same-day tickets for “Howl’s Moving Castle” are usually sold out. If you want to see every building’s interior, it’s much safer to buy the Premium Pass from the start!
Notes if you’re buying one of the six Japan-only ticket types
Prices vary depending on the ticket type and whether it’s a weekday or a weekend/holiday.
Children ages 4 through elementary school get a half-price discount, and kids age 3 and under are free.
A ¥110 (about $0.70) per-ticket system fee applies for Boo-Woo Ticket purchases.
Ticket release dates (2:00 PM on the 10th, two months ahead)
Ghibli Park tickets go on sale at 2:00 PM on the 10th of the month, two months before your visit. For example, tickets for a March visit go on sale on January 10th at 2:00 PM.
In Japan, tickets are sold online through “Boo-Woo Ticket,” and in person at “Loppi” kiosks (the touch-screen ticketing terminals found inside Lawson and Ministop convenience stores nationwide). Popular dates sell out almost instantly, so if you’re buying this way, it’s best to set up your Boo-Woo Ticket account in advance and be ready right at the release time.
Both “Boo-Woo Ticket” and “Loppi” sell all six Japan-market ticket types, and “Loppi” does have a translation feature for overseas visitors — but reviews mention getting hit with error messages up to 20 times in a row when trying to book right at 2:00 PM on release day, since traffic spikes so hard.
We also found tickets sold through Klook and KKday, which tend to be a much smoother way to book.
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Things to Know Before You Go
Last entry is 4:30 PM
Ghibli Park closes at 5:00 PM, but last entry to each area is 4:30 PM.
You won’t be able to enter any area after 4:30 PM, so plan accordingly.
No refunds through “Boo-Woo Ticket” or “Loppi” — double-check before you buy!
⚠️ Tickets bought through “Boo-Woo Ticket” or “Loppi” cannot be refunded or changed to a different date, for any reason.
Double- and triple-check your date, number of guests, and ticket type before you complete the purchase!
With Klook or KKday package tours, the terms of the travel agency apply instead, so you may find more flexible cancellation policies, such as free cancellation up to three days before your visit, or a partial refund a few days out.
“Boo-Woo Ticket” is tied to a phone number
With “Boo-Woo Ticket,” entry is managed based on the purchaser’s phone number, meaning the buyer and everyone in their group must enter together, at the same time.
If you’re buying through “Boo-Woo Ticket” and your group might split up during the day, it’s safer to have each adult buy their own ticket separately, on their own phone.
With Klook or KKday, we heard an email address alone is enough — no shared phone-number restriction.
What to do if tickets are sold out
Tickets are extremely popular, so booking ahead is essential.
- Watch for cancellations: Even dates marked “sold out” can open back up if someone cancels.
- Aim for weekdays or the off-season: Weekdays are far easier to book than weekends and holidays.
If you have flexibility, I’d definitely recommend aiming for a weekday!
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[Area We Visited ①] Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse is the park’s flagship area, and it requires a timed-entry reservation.
It’s a massive indoor space packed with the Ghibli universe — there’s so much to see!
Choosing your entry time
The Grand Warehouse uses a timed-entry system — you need to enter within one hour of your assigned time slot.
There’s no time limit on how long you can stay once you’re inside, so you’re free to linger.
The earliest time slot tends to be the least crowded, but I noticed a fair number of people leaving fairly quickly, too — probably to make sure they had time for the other areas.
Watch for entrance-only and exit-only doors
Inside the Grand Warehouse, there are doors marked entrance-only and exit-only.
Because so much care went into the atmosphere, the “exit only” signage is easy to miss, and it’s easy to get swept up in the Ghibli world and walk right past it. Once someone points it out, you realize — oh, it really was written there the whole time! (lol)
It’s especially easy to get confused when you see other people walking in through what’s actually the exit-only door. Keep an eye out when you’re heading in!
Cat Bus Room & Higashi-Koganei (no photos allowed)
The kids’ area called “Higashi-Koganei” has the Catbus and a play space for children.
The Catbus play area runs on a 3-minute rotation, supervised by staff. Kids play inside while the adults wait just outside.
It’s an absolutely adorable area — if you’ve seen the movies, you’ll be pointing things out the whole time: “Oh, that’s from that scene!” “That’s the one!”
You can even climb aboard the bus bound for Shichikokuyama, or the moving truck from the film.
It was such a shame that photos weren’t allowed here.
Just like the entrance/exit signs, the “no photos” signs are easy to overlook when you’re busy taking in all the artwork and objects up above.
Staff were keeping a close watch the whole time, and gently reminded quite a few people (lol).
The World of Arrietty (feel tiny for a moment!)
Photos ARE allowed in the World of Arrietty area!
There’s a photo spot where you can pose inside a giant acorn or jar and feel like you’ve shrunk down to Arrietty’s size.
Ordinary weeds are blown up to giant scale, creating a really fun, strange-in-the-best-way world.
There are giant ants and crickets, too.
The line for this photo spot was pretty long. By the way, the upper row here is
the Garden of Laputa’s Sky, where you can take a photo with the robot soldier from Castle in the Sky. The wait was around 30 minutes, so we zoomed in from a distance instead. Even the details on its feet are beautifully recreated!
Exactly where you’re allowed to climb in the Arrietty area is pretty strictly defined, so be careful.
Most people don’t realize this at first and get a gentle reminder from staff. In general, touching the objects on display isn’t allowed.
Lunch at the Grand Warehouse cafe
Inside the Grand Warehouse, you’ll find the cafe “Transcontinental Flight.”
Seating is unassigned, with both indoor tables and an outdoor terrace.
There’s a great variety of sandwiches to choose from!
They keep restocking throughout the day, so running out doesn’t seem to be an issue.
The interior has airplane-themed decor, giving it a bit of a Porco Rosso-era feel.
Above the counter is a beautiful wooden map tracing transcontinental flight routes — the cafe’s namesake motif.
*Every bread item we ordered was warmed up before serving. Around lunchtime, the line stretches outside the cafe.
Each table is also printed with flight-log details from that era.
Since the Grand Warehouse is timed-entry and doesn’t allow re-entry once you leave, it’s worth timing your meal accordingly.
The bread looks like it might be tough, but it was surprisingly easy to bite through!
Souvenir shopping: no re-entry, so plan ahead
In general, you cannot re-enter Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse once you’ve left.
Starting July 2026, Premium Pass holders can re-enter Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse after 3:00 PM. Still, since seeing everything takes a fair amount of time, it’s safest to plan your visit as if re-entry isn’t an option!
You can’t go back to the gift shop either, so buy anything you want before you head out.
Anything labeled “Original” on the price tag is only sold in that specific area. Don’t forget to grab it before you move on!
The gift shop was so crowded it was hard to move around. If you look up what you want ahead of time, splitting into a “line” person and a “grab the items” person can save a lot of time!
While shopping, we also checked out a display explaining what “Siberia” cake is (the sweet treat from the film)
and stopped by to see Yubaba.
How much time to plan for the Grand Warehouse
The general estimate is 2–3 hours, but honestly, this varies a lot from person to person.
We spent about two and a half hours there and still didn’t manage to see everything.
If you’re just walking through quickly, an hour is enough. If you want to take your time and look closely at everything, I’d budget half a day or more.
👶 Family Info: Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse
No strollers allowed inside
There’s a stroller parking area right before the entrance.
I’d recommend packing valuables, diapers, and anything else you’ll need into a bag you can carry with you.
Nursing room
There’s a nursing room and diaper-changing area near the “Cat Bus Room” and “Children’s Town.”
There are also two accessible restrooms elsewhere in the building.
If you’re not sure where to go, there’s an information desk right after the entrance elevator, straight ahead on your right. The staff there are very helpful and will point you in the right direction!
And there’s still more we barely got to see!
Past the Ghibli film history zone, there’s a spot where you can take photos aboard the Catbus.
The inside is actually shaped like a real bus interior! (lol)
There’s even a “Cultural Latin Quarter” nod to From Up on Poppy Hill, and countless other objects throughout that recreate scenes from the films.
There’s also a (usually long-lined) photo spot with No-Face, an original short-film screening room, and a room full of film production materials!
[Area We Visited ②] Valley of Witches
This area recreates the world of witch-featured films like Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Earwig and the Witch.
Just behind this entrance is a slide play area (still part of the free zone, before the ticketed section!)
The bakery from Kiki’s Delivery Service,
Howl’s Moving Castle (interior requires an extra fee),
Kiki’s family home (interior requires an extra fee), and more.
With all the colorful buildings, it feels like you’ve wandered into a European town!
Howl’s Castle, the Okino Residence, and the Witch’s House cost extra
Going inside the “Howl’s Castle,” “Okino Residence,” and “Witch’s House” in the Valley of Witches costs extra.
If you don’t have a Premium Pass, you’ll need to buy a same-day interior ticket, and these tend to sell out quickly.
On the day we visited, Howl’s Castle interior tickets were already sold out (apparently they sold out almost as soon as the park opened). We saw a lot of overseas visitors asking staff whether more tickets were available.
If seeing every interior is a must for you, I’d strongly recommend booking the O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium.
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Rides
There’s a carousel and a “Flaptor” flying ride here.
Both cost extra to ride.
*The music playing during both rides is absolutely wonderful.
Different lines for goods vs. food
In the Valley of Witches, the line for merchandise and the line for food are separate.
Entry into shops here is also capacity-limited, so you can’t freely walk in and out.
Check ahead of time which line you actually need, and confirm you’re in the right one before you commit!
My husband got in the wrong line and only realized right before it was his turn (lol).
A Ghibli-loving friend had asked us to pick up a wind-up model of Howl’s Moving Castle, and we found it at a shop called “13 Witches.”
*Even the “13 Witches” shop had a line to get in — we waited around 15 minutes.
How much time to plan for the Valley of Witches
If you’re just strolling through without going inside anything, about an hour should be enough.
If you plan to go inside Howl’s Castle, shop for souvenirs, or wait in line for food, budget around 3 hours. Weekends and holidays tend to be especially crowded, so give yourself plenty of buffer.
There’s also a splash play area like this one.
If your kids want to play in the water, bring a change of clothes and pad your schedule a bit!
👶 Family Info: Valley of Witches
Stroller info
Since it’s an outdoor area, strollers are allowed!
There are some slopes and stairs you’ll need to route around, so it’s a bit inconvenient, but manageable overall.
Nursing room and diaper-changing area
Located behind the red and green buildings. There are two nursing rooms.
There is a door, but the area right beside it is accessible to men as well, so keep that in mind.
[Area We Visited ③] Mononoke Village
This area is modeled after the world of Princess Mononoke.
You’ll find statues of the Tatarigami (curse god) and Lord Okkoto, along with buildings modeled after Tatara-ba, the iron-working settlement from the film.
Make your own warabimochi
In Mononoke Village, you can try a hands-on experience shaving kinako (roasted soybean flour) to make warabimochi.
Step through what’s unmistakably a recreation of Tatara-ba, and
inside the walled area is the warabimochi-making experience (extra fee).
We could already picture our kids flinging kinako powder everywhere, so we skipped it, but it looked like a fun, unusual experience.
A slide for ages 4 through 6th grade
The statue of “Lord Okkoto” doubles as a slide.
It’s open to kids ages 4 through 6th grade (roughly up to age 12). Kids line up alongside the slide and go down one at a time, following staff instructions.
There’s an air-conditioned rest area
Right after leaving the Mononoke Village zone, there’s an indoor rest area.
We visited in May, and it was already close to 86°F (30°C), so the air conditioning was a lifesaver (lol).
How much time to plan for Mononoke Village
Since it was so hot and there wasn’t a ton to do, we ended up leaving in under 20 minutes.
There isn’t that much to see, so a quick walkthrough takes about 30 minutes.
If you want to try the slide or the warabimochi-making experience, budget an extra hour.
👶 Family Info: Mononoke Village
Strollers are allowed!
There’s no dedicated nursing room, but the accessible restroom does have a diaper-changing table.
You likely won’t spend much time here, but since there’s no nursing room, if you’ll need one, it’s safer to nurse before you arrive.
[The 2 Areas We Didn’t Visit This Time]
The O-Sanpo Day Pass Standard only covers the three areas described above — it does not include the remaining two areas.
To visit them, you’ll need the Premium Pass or an individual Area Pass!
Hill of Youth (Whisper of the Heart / The Earth Shop)
This area recreates the world of Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns.
You can also go inside “The Earth Shop” (World Emporium), the antique shop from the film, and experience what feels like stepping right into the movie.
Accessible with the O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium or the “Hill of Youth” Area Pass.
Dondoko Forest (Satsuki and Mei’s House)
This area lets you walk inside “Satsuki and Mei’s House” from My Neighbor Totoro.
It’s a peaceful, nature-filled area, and it also has “Dondoko-do,” a wooden Totoro-themed play structure.
Accessible with the O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium or the Dondoko Forest Area Pass.
We heard that Hill of Youth and Dondoko Forest get especially crowded after 4:00 PM, close to closing time. Mornings or early afternoon are your best bet.
Distances Between Areas
Ghibli Park sits inside Aichi Expo Memorial Park (also called Morikoro Park), and recreates the Studio Ghibli world across a large stretch of land — it’s genuinely big.
Here’s the view from the Ferris wheel in the free zone.
*The building with the yellow roof is Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse.
- Grand Warehouse ⇨ Hill of Youth, Valley of Witches
- Valley of Witches ⇨ Mononoke Village
Grand Warehouse in the morning ⇨ Valley of Witches ⇨ Mononoke Village worked out to a really smooth route for us.
Hill of Youth and Valley of Witches are a bit of a walk apart.
- Dondoko Forest sits a bit apart from the other four areas.
- Dondoko Forest is especially far from Hill of Youth and Valley of Witches.
I’d recommend choosing your ticket based on how much walking and stamina you’re up for!
Challenges We Ran Into (and How to Handle Them)
Prepare for heat in summer!
Even in May, temperatures can climb close to 86°F (30°C), and summer gets even hotter.
The Grand Warehouse is indoors, but you should plan for everything else as if it’s fully outdoors.
There’s no roof or overhang along most of the walking paths between areas.
In summer, I’d recommend bringing a parasol and sunscreen.
The Lawson convenience store by the entrance sells frozen bottled water! Bring an insulated bag and it doubles as a cooling pack.
We went first thing in the morning, and they had a good stock on hand.
A frozen bottle melts fast if you’re just carrying it around, so we used an AO 5.7L soft cooler bag that fits right under the stroller!
Prepare for cold in winter!
Winter calls for the opposite prep. Bring a warm coat and disposable heat packs (kairo).
Kairo are small, single-use heat packs that warm up through a chemical reaction when exposed to air — you just stick them onto clothing or hold them in your hand. They’re thin, lightweight, and cheap, and I always recommend them for winter outings!
Watch for no-photo zones
Ghibli Park has several photo-restricted areas.
It’s easy to get lost in the scenery and forget photos are off-limits — keep an eye out for the signage!
What to wear
You’ll be walking a lot between areas, and there are plenty of slopes along the way.
Comfortable shoes and clothes you can walk in for hours are a must!
Bento lunches are fine outside the ticketed park
You can’t bring outside food or drinks into the ticketed Ghibli Park areas, but eating a packed lunch is fine on the surrounding lawns of Aichi Expo Memorial Park (outside the ticketed zone).
Food is sold inside the ticketed areas too, but expect a line everywhere you go.
In case the lines end up longer than expected, I’d recommend bringing some snacks or food along, just in case.
Final Thoughts
Ghibli Park has several ticket types and quite a few rules to keep track of, so I really felt how much a little advance planning helps.
I hope this guide helps you have a wonderful trip to Ghibli Park!
Thanks so much for reading all the way to the end!
Ghibli Park Ticket & Bullet Train Package from Tokyo or Osaka
