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Studio Ghibli theme park opening date announced

The park will open its doors in November.

A new theme park centred around the works of Studio Ghibli will open in Japan on 1 November. The celebrated animation studio confirmed the park’s debut on social media, having previously teased “Fall 2022” as an opening period.

The park is situated within the Aichi Expo Memorial Park in Japan’s Aichi prefecture. The theme park will be divided into five Ghibli-themed areas: Ghibli’s Large Warehouse, Dondoko Forest, Mononoke’s Village, Hill of Youth and Valley of Witches. The project is a joint venture between between the studio, the government of Aichi Prefecture and the Chunichi Shimbun newspaper.

At launch, visitors will have access to the Dondoko Forest area – which is based on My Neighbor Totoro. The Hill of Youth and Ghibli’s Large Warehouse areas are also reported to be opening in November, with Mononoke’s Village and Valley of Witches expected to be completed by autumn 2023.

As Variety reports, Hayao Miyazaki is said to have insisted that no trees be cut down during the construction process. Nature trails, smaller rides and immersive experiences will be the focus of the park, as opposed to large rollercoasters.

Check out a new trailer – released by the Aichi Tourism Bureau and produced by Studio Ghibli – in the player above, and listen back to Ciel’s Studio Ghibli specialist mix below.

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