Popular attraction Ghibli Park is scheduled to open its Valley of Witches area on March 16. Themed around three films, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Earwig and the Witch, this area is said to be the largest facility in the park at more than three times the size of the Ghibli Grand Warehouse. Facilities in the area include Howl’s Castle, Hatter’s Millinery, Kiki and Gigi’s Guchoki Bakery and more.
New Attractions for Ghibli Park’s Valley of Witches
As for attractions, Ghibli fans can expect to ride the carousel decorated with images from various Ghibli films, the Flying Machine featuring vehicles from the company’s cinematic output and the Tower of Aviators, a play area for kids.
In anticipation of this very exciting opening, Studio Ghibli has released a short piece produced by Hayao Miyazaki and his Howl’s Moving Castle team. At just 15 seconds long, the video also features a moving castle bearing a banner that reads “Ghibli Park is by reservation only” and an ending message announcing that new tickets are released on the 10th of every month.
About Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli is Japan’s most acclaimed animation production company. It is most known for its hand-drawn technique and use of rich watercolors and acrylics that capture a whimsical and joyful aesthetic. Some of its most popular films are My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away.
Ghibli Park, a physical attraction located in Aichi Prefecture opened on November 1, 2022. The park sits over the existing Aichi Expo Memorial Park and includes themed areas from films such as Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, Hill of Youth and Dondoko Forest. In Tokyo, there is also the Ghibli Museum located in Mitaka. It houses permanent and temporary exhibitions that show the process of creating a Ghibli film, including actual sketches, storyboards and background paintings.