Look! Totoro is waiting for us at the entrance!

When you walk along Kichijoji Avenue, in the shade of the tall green trees of Mitaka's Inokashira Park, you come upon a colorful building. Standing in front of a sign that says "Ghibli Museum, Mitaka", a very large Totoro welcomes you at the entrance. When you look through the portholes, soot-black Dust Bunnies are there as well. But this is not the real entrance. Totoro shows you where the real entrance is. Open the door and welcome to wonderland! Every window and lamp is lovingly hand-crafted with beautiful and colorful stained glass using Ghibli characters, pretty plants and flowers, and forest animals. When the sun is shining, the vivid colors of the glass are reflected in splashes of colored light on the stone floors.

The Space of Wonder

The ceiling is covered in fresco painting with a blue sky in the center, featuring a shining sun and trees filled with grapes, melons, fruits, and blossoms. You may even spot characters like Kiki or Nausicaä flying through the sky. Tickets are exchanged for reservation coupons, made from actual 35mm film pieces used in theaters. Hold your ticket up to the light to see which scene from a Ghibli film it's from.

The Central Hall

In the glass dome at its center, a yellow whale swims in the ocean and the blades of a giant fan rotate overhead. Shining marbles of colored glass are fitted into the ironwork of the stairs and handrails. Taking in the whole room from bottom to top, you will discover a maze of spiral stairways, bridged passages, and overhanging terraces. This marvelous space transports you into the world of Hayao Miyazaki and the strange buildings which often appear in his films.

A Boy's Room

This is one of the five rooms on the first floor called "Where a Film is Born". The room is filled with books and toys. The walls are all covered with illustrations and sketches. Hanging from the ceiling are a model of an airplane and a model of a Pteranodon. It's a place where the owner of the room has stored his favorite things. This room provides lots of inspiration for what will go on to the blank piece of paper on the desk to become the origin of an actual film.

Tri Hawks

Our reading room inside the Ghibli Museum is named after a pun on the name of the city "Mi-taka" — literally 3-hawks — where the museum is located. It was created to communicate the Museum's wish to have children see, touch, and feel strange and mysterious things through books. Books which are specially recommended by Hayao Miyazaki and the Museum can be found here for children to browse through freely.

Straw Hat Café

The deck of the Straw Hat Café provides you with an open outdoors atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy the natural setting of Inokashira Park. The Café offers breaded pork cutlets, hot dogs, sweet desserts and beverages which are all handmade in its kitchen and perfect for relaxing after a day of exploring the museum. Experience the changing seasons and enjoy the slow passing of time at the Café.

Giornale Del Mamma Aiuto

Here at the shop, you will find your favorite Studio Ghibli character products along with original Museum gift items. The window displays are filled with things that are pretty, unexpected, and completely out of the ordinary. Spend some time to look around... you might discover something special for yourself.

Current Exhibition

"Future Boy Conan" Special Exhibition ~ Exploring the charm of manga films

Started on May 28, 2022 - Ends in November 2023

One of the characteristics of the works of film director Hayao Miyazaki is that "when you finish watching them, you find yourself a little more energized than before". Drawn into a vivid world of the protagonist, the film evokes the wishes and longings that are hidden within the viewer. The exhilaration brought about by the boldness of a story set in an unrealistic fictional world, which makes it all the more relaxing and enjoyable, is exactly the source of that rejuvenating energy. Manga films, in which the viewer becomes the protagonist of the story and feels like he or she is fully moving around in an absurd world created by imagination, are the origin and basis of Hayao Miyazaki's work.

This aspect is most strongly expressed in Hayao Miyazaki's first directorial debut, the animated television series "Future Boy Conan" (1978). This exhibition explores the charm of manga films in the 26 episodes in two galleries, presenting the story, machinery, design materials and imageboards drawn during the creative process to unravel the fascination. The 13-hour-long program is a "fun and entertaining animation" made to look like a single movie. We would be delighted if you could experience in the exhibition room the moment when the source of energy turns into a step towards the future.

The Saturn Theater

Current Film

Upcoming Films

Koro's Big Day Out

May 1 - 15, 2023

The puppy Koro rushes out of the house chasing Sawako leaving for school, but Koro gets lost. In unfamiliar places, Koro is nearly run over by a car, threatened by an alley cat... For little Koro, everything he encounters outside is new and a big adventure. Meanwhile, Sawako comes home to learn that Koro is gone. She frantically tries to find him. The suburban Tokyo backgrounds for this work were drawn using an innovative style incorporating color pencils as the medium.