Trust Studio Ghibli, the genius Japanese animation house that brought us Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, and other dream-like classics, to make a visit to their museum in Mikata, Tokyo into a magical experience even before you step through the door.
These gorgeous items are replete with actual frames from some of the studios celebrated animation films. Reputedly they are actual frames from cinema projection prints. This is hard to verify but makes sense as celluloid has been largely replaced by digital projection so there are probably a lot of redundant reels lying about.
The museum itself is a small, play-and-discover type affair, aimed at kids and adults with an intact sense of wonder. It’s fantastically designed, with intrigue around every corner, as though Antoni Gaudí had mucked in with the build, but it might disappoint those hoping for a more technical behind-the-scenes dive into the workings of a major animation production facility.
We’d show you pictures, but there’s a strict no photography rule inside the building. Frustrating – but we kind of admire it – it keeps the visit magical and experiential. Plus, people are not pulling out their phones and selfie sticks every two seconds – old school!
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka – website
Feature image – Bougvla
