Studio Ghibli Theme Park Releases First Images Ahead Of Opening This Year

Studio Ghibli fans can now get a look inside the highly-anticipated upcoming theme park as images have been released ahead of its opening.

Inspired by the worlds of Studio Ghibli's animated films, Ghibli Park is located in Japan's Aichi Earth Expo Memorial Park and is set to open to the public in November, and it promises to 'represent the world of Studio Ghibli'.

It comes after films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle gained further attention with their addition to the Netflix catalogue years after their initial releases, allowing fans who had otherwise never heard of Studio Ghibli a chance to delve into its world.

Hill of Youth concept art (Ghibli Park)

From November 1, fans will be able to experience sights such as Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, based on Spirited Away, Hill of Youth, partly based on Howl's Moving Castle and Whisper of the Heart, and Dondoko Forest, based on My Neighbor Totoro, as the park opens its doors and welcomes visitors.

Studio Ghibli got fans excited for the theme park with the launch of a website, through which it offered a glimpse of can be expected with a photo and concept art of the attractions. The site explains there are 'no big attractions or rides in Ghibli Park', but says fans will be free to 'take a stroll, feel the wind, and discover the wonders'.

Dondoko Forest (Ghibli Park)

Inside the Grand Warehouse fans will be able to explore exhibits such as Robot Soldier and Cat Bus, while the Hill of Youth will be home to Whisper of the Heart's antique shop, the World Emporium.

The release of the concept art and images comes after Studio Ghibli revealed aspects of Dondoko Forest, which is located behind a recreation of Satsuki and Mei's house from My Neighbor Totoro.

Studio Ghibli will continue to expand following its initial opening with the additions of Valley of Witches and Mononoke Village, which are inspired by Kiki's Delivery Service and Howl's Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke, respectively.

Valley of Witches concept art (Ghibli Park)

Fans will be able to get a look at Howl's castle, which Comicbook reports will be nearly 53-feet tall and made up of multiple floors, and will be open for guests to go inside and see how Howl lived.

Mononoke Village (Ghibli Park)

The dates of the additional attractions are yet to be confirmed, according to the site, though with so many films being brought to life there will no doubt be plenty to keep fans entertained until then.

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]  

Topics: Film and TV, Life

Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.