Ghibli Park to Open in Fall 2022, Opening Ceremony to Happen This Month

There is probably more things to look forward for Studio Ghibli fans as the highly-anticipated Ghibli Park in Japan will officially be open to the public on Fall 2022.  

The groundbreaking ceremony for the park will be happening on July 28. Reports have also confirmed that Studio Ghibli chairman Kiyofumi Nakajima will be present in the mentioned event.

While a lot of fans are worried that the park’s opening might still push back due to current COVID-19 pandemic, Aichi Prefecture governor Hideaki Omura stated “We are still on track and are planning to open the park in Fall 2022.”

The construction of the park was recently suspended for two weeks due to COVID-19.

For those who are planning to visit this soon, the Ghibli Park will be built in the Aichi Expo Commemorative Park, will have five different zones. Some zones will be inspired by specific Ghibli anime, and others will feature themes that have influenced this ever popular anime studio.

The park’s three zones are as follows: Hill of Youth, which is inspired by Whisper of the Heart, will have a large elevator which will give you a view of the entire park. The Ghibli’s Giant Warehouse is the next zone that will begin construction this month, which the zone will take inspiration from the popular Spirited Away. This zone will have theater and food court as well as other things that you might see from the 2001 film.

The third and last zone, which is the Dondoko Forest, will be greatly and accurately based from My Neighbor Totoro. This is also the zone where you can see replicas of Mei and Satsuki’s house. You are sure to really get the rural feel, same as the movie!

We are definitely looking forward to this awesome park. Hope you will finally be able to get that Japan itinerary plan very soon.

While the park is still a long way from the completion, the Studio Ghibli Museum will be reopening this month. Previously, Ghibli Museum Director Kazuki Anzai stated that the Ghibli Museum is now in the process of slowly reopening to the general public in September. The museum is dedicated to the animated productions made by the powerhouse animation studio, Studio Ghibli.

It was mentioned that they will start the gradual reopening in July. The expansion of ticket sales will depend on the result of the initial reopen phase of the museum.

The Ghibli Museum closed its door last February 25 as a safety procedure against the COVID-19 pandemic. This is also in compliance with Mitaka City’s implemented health and safety protocols. Although the museum will finally be reopened to public in September, the are plans of closing around November and December for facility maintenance. They are hoping to have everything in full operation by early 2021.

Anzai stated that the Japan had did so well in combating the first wave of COVID-19 infections. However, the general public is still urged to avoid the “three C’s” which are closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact setting. He also urged the public to embrace the “new normal” for the sake of everyone’s safety.

It was announced previously that the Ghibli Museum will remain closed until April 27 due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. The museum has announced its closure since February 25 and refunds were on the way following the announcement. Tickets for visits until April 30 were being refunded.

Tickets for April 29 until May 31 visits were on sale on April 10.

The museum management announced that they were delaying all ticket sales for April when the museum reopens and the coronavirus outbreak situation is contained. Originally, it was supposed to be closed on May 19 to May 29 for its regular semiannual maintenance. It has then decided that they will stay open in May.

The World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus as a pandemic and it has urged the public to remain calm and follow the necessary protocols implemented by health authorities worldwide to contain the virus.

Recently, the American distributor GKIDS has announced that they have acquired the license for the North American release of Studio Ghibli’s first 3DCG movie, Earwig and the Witch (Aya to Majo). According to GKIDS’ website, they will be releasing the film in North American cinemas in early 2021.

The movie project will premiere as a TV movie on the NHK General channel this winter.

The movie will be directed by Goro Miyazaki, son of Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. The latter will be credited as part of the movie’s planning and development. The film will be produced by Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki.

Earwig and the Witch is written by Diana Wynne Jones and was published in 2011 by Harper Collins, which describes the novel’s story as such:

“Not every orphan would love living at St. Morwald’s Home for Children, but Earwig does. She gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants it, and it’s been that way since she was dropped on the orphanage doorstep as a baby. But all that changes the day Bella Yaga and the Mandrake come to St. Morwald’s, disguised as foster parents. Earwig is whisked off to their mysterious house full of invisible rooms, potions, and spell books, with magic around every corner. Most children would run in terror from a house like that . . . but not Earwig. Using her own cleverness—with a lot of help from a talking cat—she decides to show the witch who’s boss.”

Diana Wynne Jones is also the author of the 1986 novel Howl’s Moving Castle, which served as inspiration for the 2004 Hayao Miyazaki film of the same name. The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards.

Goro Miyazaki directed the Ghibli films Tales from the Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill. He also directed the CG anime series Ronja the Robber’s Daughter for Polygon Pictures, with assistance by Studio Ghibli.

Source: SoraNews24