Now even you will be able to recreate that iconic scene from My Neighbor Totoro! Maybe!
Earlier today, Japan’s Aichi Prefecture and Studio Ghibli announced that they’re pushing the opening date for Ghibli Park back. The location, which was originally slated for a 2020 launch, will now tentatively open in 2020.
Aichi showed off a concept art for the park, which shows a 19th century house, and next to it, a building that would be at home in Howl’s Moving Castle.
Other planned attractions include a recreation of Whisper of the Heart‘s antique shop.
Ghibli Park will be built in Nagakute City’s Moricoro Park on a 200-hectare (2 square kilometer) space. The installation will not disturb local greenery, and forest will not be cleared. Rather, through careful maintenance, it will highlight the natural beauty of local plantlife year-round.
The attraction was originally announced in 2017. At the time, it was announced that Ghibli Park would recreate the environments of Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro.
Moricoro Park, also known as “Love Earth Expo Memorial Park,” currently hosts a replica of Satsuki and Mei’s house from My Neighbor Totoro. The house was shown off during the 2005 World’s Fair. The exhibit has since served host to Studio Ghibli exhibitions in 2008 and 2015.
Sources: Asahi Shimbun, Hachima Kiko (Thanks to L.B. Bryant for the tip!)
“Ghibli Park” Tentatively Opens in 2022; First Concept Art Revealed – Samantha Ferreira
