The charm of central Japan has long been awaited by enthusiasts of Studio Ghibli’s beloved animations, from “Howl’s Moving Castle” to Oscar-winning “Spirited Away. “
Now, a fluffy cat bus, a life-size faceless and reconstructions of buildings from the videos are in position for visitors less than a month after the country fully reopened its borders to foreign tourists.
Tickets are by reservation and are already sold out until the end of the year.
One middle-aged visitor, who described himself as “a fan,” told Asahi TV that he had been queuing to enter the park since the day before.
“Congratulations!” said a hand-drawn note posted on Twitter by Studio Ghibli, illustrated with a row of characters resembling the spiritual creature Totoro and signed by corporate co-founder Hayao Miyazaki.
Ghibli manufacturer Toshio Suzuki also expressed his excitement at a rite on Monday before the opening.
“I didn’t sleep very well last night. It’s a little more than a movie premiere,” he said.
Spread over 7. 1 hectares (17. 5 acres) of a 194-hectare (480-acre) park in the Aichi region, where the 2005 International Expo was held, the site features gigantic outdoor spaces in keeping with the importance of nature in Ghibli films.
Among the 3 sections now open is the “Hill of Youth”, the gateway to the park that features an elevator tower through Ghibli films that adds “The Castle in the Sky”.
Elsewhere, “Dondoko Forest” evokes the old-fashioned peace of the 1988 vintage “My Neighbor Totoro,” with bucolic trails and a huge Totoro figure.
A main draw will be the Ghibli Grand Store, an interior component of the park’s hangar-like with attractions, which will add 14 sets from thirteen of the studio’s cinema classics.
Visitors can walk down an alley designed to look like the opening scene from “Spirited Away,” or perch on the red velvet-covered exercise seat in a car next to the film’s recognizable “Faceless” character.
The Aichi region expects an influx of 1. 8 million visitors per year once the park’s five spaces open starting next year, with an estimated annual economic impact of 48 billion yen ($324 million).
Studio Ghibli, founded in 1985 by Miyazaki and fellow animator Isao Takahata, has captivated enthusiasts around the world with works that combine nostalgia, courage, greed and interaction with the herbal world.
The studio already operates the hugely popular Ghibli Museum on the outskirts of Tokyo, which offers tickets only at the beginning of each month and sells out within hours.