The Valley of Witches (and the real-life Catbus) are about to open at the world’s first and only Ghibli Park in Japan. 
(Pictured above: Valley of Witches carousel, full copyright of Studio Ghibli)Intro
Go inside Howl’s Moving Castle! Ride a real-life Catbus! Enter a land of witches, wizards, talking cats, and more. Let your imagination take you to another world. Fans of Japanese animators, Studio Ghibli, will be in heaven this month with the official opening of the Valley of Witches attraction at Ghibli Park and the launch of Catbus journeys. Already one of Japan’s most in-demand attractions, Ghibli Park, will open fully for the first time from March 16, 2024, and we have everything you need to know right here. Ready to journey somewhere magical? Let’s go! 
(Pictured above: Promotional poster, full copyright of Studio Ghibli)What Is The Valley of Witches?
The Valley of Witches is the fifth and final area of Ghibli Park to open to the public. It was inspired by the witches, wizards, and magical worlds and characters from the films of Studio Ghibli - in particular Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), and Earwig and the Witch (2020). There’s a huge amount to see and do in this new area, but arguably the highlight for fans is a 20-metre tall recreation of Howl’s Moving Castle itself. It has a working chimney puffing smoke and you can even go inside and explore scenes from the film, including Howl’s bedroom and Calcifer’s furnace. For fans of Kiki’s Delivery service, a visit to the Guchokipanya Bakery is essential (and you can even buy real baked goods!) and there’s also the Flying Oven restaurant nearby, offering a range of supernatural dishes and the special Valley of Witches beer. Finally, there’s a unique carousel ride featuring Studio Ghibli characters instead of horses. 
The Catbus is here!
Alongside the opening of the Valley of Witches, March 16 will also see the launch of a real-life Catbus - five in fact! These special shuttle buses - designed to look just like the famous Catbus from My Neighbour Totoro - one of Studio Ghibli’s most beloved films - will start operating on the same day that the Valley of Witches opens. These adorable vehicles - based on Toyota’s APM (Accessible People Mover) - will help transport visitors around the 7.1 hectare commemorative park site where Ghibli Park is based. They can fit six passengers inside and they’re packed with fun design details, from furry seats to light-up cat eyes. You need to purchase a separate ticket to ride the bus, which takes guests from Mononoke Village to Dondoko Forest and back again. A single journey ticket costs ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children. 
(Pictured above: Ghibli Park artist impression, full copyright of Studio Ghibli)Ghibli Park: An Overview
From March 16, all five areas of Ghibli Park will be officially open following its initial launch (and partial opening) at the end of 2022. But what is Ghibli Park? Unique to Japan and arguably unique to the world, Ghibli Park is an immersive and interactive experience that allows visitors to step inside the magical worlds created by the films of Studio Ghibli. At Ghibli Park, there are no roller-coasters or traditional funfair rides. Located in Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, Ghibli Park is designed much more as a magical experience - a unique, interactive adventure - like finding a portal into your favourite animated films. From visiting the life-size home of Satsuki and Mei from My Neighbour Totoro to sitting in a real-life and very soft-looking Catbus, to eating food inspired by scenes from the films, such as dining in the yatai from Spirited Away, or sitting on the train next to the iconic No Face from the same film, the list of incredible experiences goes on and on. Ghibli Park brings these magical animated films to life, as only Studio Ghibli could, for you to explore and enjoy.
Ghibli Park: Key Facts
- Opens on 1 November 2022.
- Located in Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture.
- Covers 7.1 hectares of land.
- There are five main areas - Hill of Youth, Dondoko Forest, Ghibli Grand Warehouse, Mononoke Village, and Valley of Witches.
- Photographs are permitted at Ghibli Park - unlike the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo.
- You can find the park’s official website here: https://ghibli-park.jp/en/
A Short History of Studio Ghibli
The Studio Ghibli story began almost 40 years ago. The legendary animation studio was founded in Tokyo on 15 June 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki. The company was launched after the success of the 1984 animated film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, which was written and directed by Miyazaki. It is often thought of as a Studio Ghibli film, but in reality it was produced and distributed by a different company. There are several stories around the name of the studio and the world ‘Ghibli’. One explanation is that it comes from the Libyan-Arabic word for hot desert wind because the studio was determined to ‘blow a new wind through the film industry’. Another is that it refers to an aircraft – the Caproni Ca.308 Ghibli. The studio’s mascot is a ‘Totoro’ – a large furry deity from one of its most famous films. 
Since the studio’s formation, it has created some of the highest grossing and most award-winning anime films of all time, including Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and Ponyo on the Cliff By The Sea. Despite announcing his retirement several years ago, Hayao Miyazaki has returned to filmmaking with a new film, The Boy and the Heron, which was released to critical and commercial acclaim last year - including a nomination for the 2024 Academy Awards. 
How To Get There
Ghibli Park is located within the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park (also known as Moricoro Park) in Nagakute City near Nagoya. Travel to Nagoya - a major city which famously has the world’s biggest train station - is easy from other major Japanese cities (such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka) using the Japan Rail Pass and the JR Tokaido Shinkansen, specifically the Hikari Shinkansen, which stops at Nagoya. Once in Nagoya, you can use the subway, specifically the Higashiyama Line and the Linimo followed by the Tobu Kyuryo Line to get to Nagakute City. It takes one hour to get from Nagoya to Nagakute and you should get off at the Aichikyuhaku-Kinen-Koen Station for the Expo 2005 Park. As a bonus, read our guide to Activating Your JR Pass at Nagoya Station. You may also want to invest in a prepaid travel card such as an ICOCA, PASMO or Suica card, for subways, as well as a JR Pass for getting around the rest of the country. Check out our Top 30 Tips for Using Japan’s Metros for advice and guidance on using the city’s subway network. 
How To Book Tickets for Ghibli Park
Bonus Recommendations
- Ghibli Park isn’t the only attraction in Japan from the animation studio. There’s also Ghibli Museum, a must-see destination for animation fans ever since its opening in 2001. For more, read our guide to Studio Ghibli Museum Tour, Tickets, and Travel Information.
- Looking beyond the park and museum, there are even more adventures to be had in Japan for those enchanted by the magical films of this legendary studio. For example, you can visit the island of Yakushima in southern Japan, which is home to a fairy-tale forest so magical that it inspired Hayao Miyazaki, the genius behind Studio Ghibli, to include it in one of his animated masterpieces, Princess Mononoke. Find out how to visit it in our guide to Visit Yakushima: the Real-Life Forest from Princess Mononoke.
- You can also Visit Tomonoura - Japan’s real-life ‘Ponyo’ town. If you’re a fan of Studio Ghibli and Ponyo in particular, a visit to this scenic seaside town is unmissable.
- Of course, if you enjoy all things anime and cosplay too then Japan is the place for you. You can find out lots more about everything related to this in our guide to Japan for Games, Otaku and J-Culture and you can even get started from home with our guide to The Top 10 Manga and Anime to Read.
*All images where indicated full copyright of Studio Ghibli
