Studio Ghibli and its co-founder Hayao Miyazaki have become household names in the West thanks to their impressive body of work, which includes over 10 feature films, 2 Oscars, and more than 100 awards worldwide. Films such as Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle showcase their mastery of world-building, storytelling, and captivating imagery that have earned them worldwide recognition. This has developed a loyal fan base that previously only had the Studio Ghibli Museum in Tokyo to experience the films in real life. With the studio’s growing popularity and film portfolio, it became inevitable for them to expand into larger premises. Therefore, November 2022 marked the beginning of a new phase when Ghibli Park opened its doors in Nagoya, Japan.
The opening generated excitement around the world, attracting fans eager to explore the park’s carefully recreated environments. But rather than create a Disney-like theme park with adrenaline-pumping rides and character meet-and-greets, Studio Ghibli decided to go a different route. True to its principles of respect and harmony with nature, central to its films, it repurposed several areas and existing buildings of the 2005 Aichi World Expo Park (now known as Moricoro Park).
The new Ghibli Park, which will be fully completed in March 2024, will offer people the opportunity to experience the environments inspired by their films in a much more subtle way than we are used to in other theme parks. The whole concept for it is a symbiosis with the surrounding nature, starting with the choice of the location itself, since the main theme of the 2005 World Expo was “The Wisdom of Nature”.
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This goes hand in hand with the studio’s views on nature. These are in line with the concept of peace and a harmonious relationship between humans and the environment, a tradition deeply rooted in the Japanese Shinto religion, which believes that we share our world with a multitude of gods and spirits called Kami. For Shintoism, there is a divine essence that connects all things. For example, Shintoism views a forest not just as a place, but rather as a living whole that houses a spirit that protects it.
As with most World Expo sites, many country pavilions were dismantled after the event ended. However, the park retained a replica of the Kusakabe family home, seen in the film My Neighbor Totoro, originally built in 2005, as well as the Expo’s symbol pavilion in the central area, which later became a heated pool. For the park’s remodeling, the Kusakabe house was retained and incorporated into one of the 5 main themed areas, while the symbol pavilion was adapted and converted into the park’s main exhibition space: Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse.
With adaptability as a central focus, Ghibli Park does not impose itself on the existing Moricoro site, but rather helps the site to transform in response to changing needs, creating spaces that anticipate and accommodate different requirements over time. Firstly, this has been achieved by maintaining the public character of the park, intervening only in punctual areas that are cordoned off and require tickets to access. Secondly, by creating attractions, restaurants and rides that do not compete with the natural environment, but blend in with it. This ensures that the space remains accessible and free to the local public, who can continue to enjoy most of the woodland areas, the various sports fields and the Japanese gardens, and allows visitors to connect with the thematic elements offered by the Ghibli-inspired areas.
Ghibli Park is also an example of how creativity and environmental responsibility can work together harmoniously. Their approach not only minimized environmental impact, but also showcased the studio’s creativity in seamlessly blending fantasy and reality, demonstrating that expansion need not come at the expense of nature. Every aspect of the park displays a conscious integration with the existing natural landscape, allowing visitors to experience Studio Ghibli’s worlds without disturbing the tranquility of the surroundings. This unique combination of fantasy and ecological awareness highlights this project as an example of flexibility, adaptability, and sustainable design, in a world where rapid development often comes at the expense of the environment.
It serves as a case study in how creativity can drive responsible development, and offers a model for how future attractions can respect and even enhance their surroundings. When visitors walk through the park, they not only enter the world of Studio Ghibli, but also a vision of what our shared spaces could look like when creativity and environmental awareness go hand in hand.
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