Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo

Before I went to Kyoto, I had the opportunity to visit the Ghibli Museum which was located in the Tokyo suburb of Mitaka. This was easily reached from Shinjuku by express trains.

Once you arrive at the Mitaka station, the Ghibli magic starts to unfold. I could see the signs for the Ghibli bus, but I believe the "catbus" was not working that day, so I hiked the 2000 meters to the museum.

It was very easy to figure out how to get there, there are signs from the beginning that told you how many meters away you are from the museum, all done in the same Miyazaki style. In front of each sign, in the concrete-bricked sidewalks, were some with footprints of Ghibli characters. Every 250 meters were these sign posts and footprints.

The walk was very nice as it followed a little creek and the homes and businesses here were rather large (by Japanese standards) homes or two story buildings. The Ghibli Museum is located in a park and has a very woodsy feel.

When you reach the museum by foot, you will be greeted by Totoro at the corner of the museum. Part of the museum is underground so it is not taller than the buildings surrounding it. Everything seems to be part of the environment. In fact the theme of the museum is "let's lose our way together." Therefore, there is no set map to explore the museum, and every visitor has his or her own to explore.

One of the rooms has dioramas and simple mirror maquettes to demonstrate the elementary elements of animation. (No picture taking was allowed inside the museum.) Everyone is given a ticket to see the exclusive short inside the theatre. The movie theatre upon entering is lit and airy. Wait a minute, how could they show a film inside this room, which was decorated with vines and greenery. Before the short started, the windows closed up! The short had no conversation, we just watched a girl walk along a path and sounds are all we heard. The sounds were emphasized by katakana. As in most Miyazaki films, the gifls ends up befriending a spirit, who in turn gives her a gift on her way home.

Another room in the museum recreates the messy studio of Miyazaki with a lot of details. There was another room that was only open for children but had the worlds largest stuffed cat bus where kids could climb in and out of like the girls in the "Totoro."

Of course, there were things to buy in the store and bookstore. Outside there was a concession stand and a small restaurant called the Straw Hat. I think most of the girls in Miyazaki films wears a kind of hat. Even the beer that they sold had on it a label done in the Ghibli style, and of course, I brought one home (empty) as a souvenir.

It was museum that made sense in the world of Ghibli.

"Lets lose our way together."