Studio Ghibli Theme Park Shares Promo Video & First Peek Ahead Of Nov 1 Opening

After a long wait, fans will finally be able to hop on a real-life Catbus as completion for the new Ghibli Park nears. Studio Ghibli has announced that the theme park dedicated to the world of Hayao Miyazaki will open on November 1 this year, and it has shared a first real glimpse of the site.

The animation studio has released a video teasing the launch of the 2.4-acre theme park, which is situated in Aichi, Japan. The clip—depicting a girl exploring a forested area in the Japanese prefecture—is pretty cryptic, but it at least unveils one highlight: Ghibli Park’s life-sized version of Satsuki and Mei’s house in My Neighbor Totoro.

「ジブリパーク」の開園日が発表されました。 pic.twitter.com/weMpQjsyEV

— スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) January 27, 2022

A few shots of the construction process have also been shared by the studio’s Twitter account.

『ジブリの大倉庫』の目玉です。 pic.twitter.com/w6GsIgaGdc

— スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) January 27, 2022

As reported by Animation News Network, Ghibli Park will be about quadruple the size of the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo.

The theme park will comprise five zones: Ghibli’s Giant Warehouse; Hill of Youth; Mononoke Village; Dondoko Forest; and Witch’s Valley. Attractions include a 20.7-foot-long recreation of an airship from Laputa: Castle in the Sky, a Whisper of the Heart rotary plaza, Princess Mononoke iron forge bellows, the cat’s office in The Cat Returns, and dwellings from Kiki’s Delivery Service. You can preview some of these areas in stunning concept drawings here.

The five sections will open in two phases. Come November 1, guests will first be able to navigate Ghibli’s Giant Warehouse, Hill of Youth, and Dondoko Forest. A full opening in the second half of 2023 will present the Mononoke Village and Witch Valley too.

[via Anime News Network and CBR, images via Studio Ghibli / Aichi Tourism Bureau]