One year before the planned partial opening of the long-awaited Ghibli Park in autumn 2022, the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art will be hosting an extensive retrospective dedicated to Studio Ghibli. At the Ghibli Expo, visitors will be able to view previously unreleased concept drawings from the studio as well as rare Studio Ghibli models and memorabilia. This massive event offers an insider look into the anime powerhouse's rise to international fame since its founding 35 years ago, and will run from July 17 to September 23 2021.
This isn’t the first incarnation of the Ghibli Expo – the event was first held in Aichi in 2015 before making its way to other areas of Japan, but this edition of the exhibition will be five times larger than the original.
Iconic displays to keep an eye out for include the Cat Bus (pictured top) from ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ as well as an impressive display of airships and gliders as seen in films like ‘Castle in the Sky’ and ‘Porco Rosso’.
Another unmissable highlight is the fanciful Totoro Bar, a space modelled after a room at the Ghibli Museum where the forest spirit himself greets guests from behind a rustic wooden countertop. There’s no word on whether Totoro (or his helpers) will actually sling drinks for you, but the display is so enchanting, it’s worth a visit either way.
Admission is ¥1,000 for elementary and junior high school students, ¥1,500 for high school students and ¥1,900 for adults. Discounts are available for those with disabilities. Tickets cannot be purchased at the venue and must be reserved online in advance. Tickets for July will go on sale at 10am on June 1, so mark your calendar.
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