Tickets For Studio Ghibli Theme Park Go On Sale... But There’s A Catch

Earlier this year, the Studio Ghibli theme park in Aichi, Japan released a sneak peek of the forthcoming “world of Hayao Miyazaki,” which will open its doors to the public come November 1, 2022.

Now, tickets for the location’s imminent grand opening have gone on sale, though it won’t be as easy to get your hands on the much sought-after entry as you’d think. 

Instead of the usual book-and-pay system most sites employ, the tickets are only being sold online via a lottery system, so there’s no guarantee you’ll get the tickets even if you’re willing to fork out the cash. 

According to Japan Times, a second phase of ticket sales will commence on September 10, where fans can line up to get tickets on a first-come, first-served basis, though competition is expected to be stiff. 

Furthermore, if you were thinking of planning a trip down to the theme park as part of a vacation, here’s some bad news: tickets will not be sold to people living outside of Japan. 

As per Sora News 24, all of these measures are to ensure visitors experience the best atmosphere, with attendance capped at a mere 4,000 guests on weekends, and staggered entry times implemented to prevent over-crowding. 

At the opening, fans will be able to tour the first three sections of the park, including Ghibli no Daisoko (Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse), featuring the garden seen in Castle In the Sky; Seishun no Oka (Hill of Youth) from Howl’s Moving Castle; and Dondoko More (Dondoko Forest)—a café inside a life-sized model of the house from My Neighbor Totoro. 

The entire project is estimated to have cost ¥34 billion (US$249 million) and was sponsored by the Aichi Prefectural Government. 

[via Japan Times and Sora News 24, cover image via Aichi Tourism Bureau]