The Exclusive Theme Park That Transports Guests Into An Interactive Studio Ghibli Film

If you've been a fan of the unique and imaginative animated Studio Ghibli films of the past 30 years, you probably still remember the first time you saw "Howl's Moving Castle" or the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away." The spellbinding brilliance of directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata in their worlds of fantasy thrills us because it appears they could never be recreated in our material universe. But Ghibli Park busts all of those assumptions to shreds. The park, 143 miles from Tokyo (about 3 hours taking high speed rail connections), is a monumental complex of interactive exhibits that give adventurous visitors the opportunity to try the food, learn the techniques, recreate the scenes, and really inhabit the feelings and imaginations of the artists behind Studio Ghibli's moving work.

The massive world of Ghibli Park is a 7.1-hectare (17.5-acre), culture-rich Japanese city unto itself. Embedded in the 2005 World Expo's Aichi Commemorative Park (1533-1 Ibaragabasama) in Nagakute, near the capital of the Aichi Prefecture of Japan, it's designed to model the Japanese Shinto concept of harmony between the natural and the built environment. By using their wild artistic imagination, and deploying limited advanced ticket sales that help visitors avoid the masses, Ghibli Park assures the "natural habitat" of their films is never too crowded or unruly to truly immerse yourself in the experience. What could be more magical?

The park experience is divided into five areas that correspond to different motifs in the Studio Ghibli universe, all of which are worlds unto themselves. There are no rides here, only magical experiences. In Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, the only section of the park that requires a timed entrance (see next slide for more ticket details), you can visit exhibitions and recreations of the studio and enter 14 human-scale recreations of scenes from the films. There is also a screening room, Cinema Orion, which shows 10 short films that were previously exclusive to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo.

The Hill of Youth section takes you to recreations of iconic Ghibli architecture landmarks. Most notably, you can visit the steampunk-inspired Elevator Tower from "Howl's Moving Castle." Fans of "My Neighbor Totoro" will love the circuitous paths of the Dondoko Forest. One building here (Satsuki and Mei's House) is only accessible to "premium" pass holders. For "Princess Mononoke" enthusiasts, the characters and village landscape in Mononoke Village will be a special treat. For an extra fee (no advance reservations required), you can grill flattened gohei-mochi rice on a skewer with sauce for a hands-on local treat. The final area of the park, Valley of Witches, is inspired by a European-style town where you can feel the magic inspired by the animation. It incorporates buildings and various creations from Ghibli films with witches, including the bizarre architectural fantasy of Howl's castle from "Howl's Moving Castle." Entrance to some of the interiors in the Valley of Witches are restricted to "premium" pass-holders.

Park passes can be purchased online. There are no in-person ticket sales at Ghibli Park. The five areas of the park, as well as restaurants, shops, play equipment, and rides, are accessible for all ticket holders. However, building interiors listed above are restricted to "premium" passholders. The general pass, Ghibli Park O-Sanpo day pass, costs 3,500 yen ($23.60) for adults on weekdays, and 4,000 yen ($27) on weekends; it's half-price for kids up to 12, and free for tots under 3. These pass-holders will also have to choose an assigned entry time (on the hour, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.) for Ghibli's Grand Warehouse. For unfettered access to all areas of the park, choose the Ghibli Park O-Sanpo day pass premium. The entrance fee is more than double the general pass, but it's described as the "pass of gluttony" for the insatiable fan.

The park is open weekdays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and during weekends and holidays starting at 9 a.m. Check the park's calendar for sporadic planned closure days throughout the year. Areas of the park might also be closed unexpectedly due to inclement weather. And, as most of the park is outside, you may run into wild critters that you are advised to avoid.

Re-entry to different areas of the park is not allowed once you've moved on, except for the Valley of Witches. Even if you haven't purchased a ticket to the park in advance, you can still wander Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, the larger park surrounding Ghibli Park, for free to quell your FOMO.