What to know Before Visiting the Ghibli Museum
How to Get to the Ghibli Museum: Bus or Walk?
What can you see and do inside? Here are some useful tips to know before your visit!
Since you’re reading this article, I assume you’re interested in visiting the museum — or perhaps you’ve already made plans to go.
So, as a local guide, I’d like to share a few things you should know before you visit.
Buy Your Tickets in Advance
Most importantly, tickets are not sold at the museum.
You need to purchase a timed-entry ticket in advance.
Also, once you purchase your ticket, you cannot change the date or time.
In addition, each account can only purchase tickets once a month.So, please make sure to check your travel plans carefully before purchasing your ticket!
However, if you wait too long to buy your ticket, there’s a chance that tickets for your preferred date will sell out.
For reference, here is the ticket availability for this month as of September 5. As you can see, quite a few dates are already sold out.
Tickets for the following month go on sale on the 10th of each month.
Another thing to keep in mind is that visitors are not asked to leave after a certain amount of time.
In other words, the number of people inside the museum generally increases as the day goes on, so it can get more crowded later in the day.
For this reason, I recommend choosing the 10:00 a.m. entry time, when the museum opens.
I also recommend arriving about 15 minutes before your designated entry time so that you can line up and enter smoothly.
Photography is Not Allowed Inside the Museum building
Photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum building.
However, you are allowed to take photos outside the building, in the patio area, and on the rooftop.
There is also a life-size God Warrior on the rooftop, which seems to be a popular photo spot. When I visited, about five groups were waiting in line to take photos with it.
How to Get There
The Ghibli Museum is located in Mitaka, a little outside central Tokyo. So, if you’re visiting the museum, you’ll most likely be taking a train and then a bus.
The most common way to get there is to get off at Mitaka Station and take a local bus from there.
You can also take a bus from Kichijoji Station, and buses from Kichijoji seem to run more frequently. However, the name of the bus stop you need to get off at may be slightly different depending on the route, so I recommend checking the route name and bus stop carefully on Google Maps or another navigation app before you go.
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There is another option that I personally recommend: getting off at Kichijoji Station and walking through the beautiful, green Inokashira Park to the museum.
Nature is one of the important elements in many Ghibli films. Inokashira Park is full of greenery and has a peaceful atmosphere, making the walk a lovely way to get into the Ghibli spirit before your visit.
If you have enough time, I highly recommend this route!
Tips for Making the Most of Your Visit
This is the official guidebook to the Ghibli Museum, which I have read many times.
Every time I read it, I feel that I can better understand what Hayao Miyazaki had in mind when he made the museum.
It also reminds me to cherish the time I spend there.
This is just my interpretation, but I feel that he wants visitors to experience the museum with the same sense of wonder and curiosity they had as children.
The museum is filled with a playful spirit.
It seems to invite us not just to look at exhibits, but to explore and experience the space for ourselves. At the same time, it gives us a glimpse into the minds and feelings of the people who create animation.
For me, the museum is full of these kinds of messages, and that is one of the reasons I believe it is worth taking your time to truly enjoy the experience.
◆Take Your Time to Observe the Details
The intentionally uneven exterior walls, the frescoes painted throughout the interior, the stained-glass windows… Every little detail reflects the thoughts and creativity of Hayao Miyazaki and artists who made them, with a touch of playfulness hidden here and there.
Don’t just focus on the exhibits. Take a closer look at the small details around you. You might discover something that only you notice.
◆Have Lunch a Little Early, Around 11 a.m.
There is a restaurant in the museum, and it opens at 11 a.m.
Expecting it to get crowded, I arrived around 11:15 a.m., but there were already quite a few people there, and I was just able to find a seat.
If you want to have lunch without waiting too long, I recommend going to the restaurant around 11 a.m., right when it opens.
Alternatively, you could try the food stand next to the restaurant. It tends to be less crowded, so it can be a good option if you want to grab something to eat without a long wait.
The Ghibli Museum is a place where you can truly feel the spirit of Ghibli — the values and ideas that Hayao Miyazaki has cherished and poured into his work.
I hope you have a wonderful time there, and that you discover something special of your own.
