Ghibli Museum Tokyo — How to Get Tickets, Prices and What's Inside

The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, in western Tokyo, is a pilgrimage for anyone who grew up on Totoro, Spirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service. The museum is small and intimate, built like a house out of a film, with rooms on how animation is made, a short film screened only here, and a giant Catbus children can climb on.

The hard part is getting a ticket: there is no ticket office, and tickets open once a month and sell out fast. This guide explains exactly how and when to buy. For everything else in the city, see the Tokyo guide.

How to buy tickets

Tickets are sold only in advance, on Lawson Ticket’s English site. Tickets for the following month open on the 10th of each month at 10:00 Japan time, which is 3:00 a.m. in Israel in winter and 4:00 a.m. in summer. For example, December tickets open on 10 November.

To succeed: open an account a few days before, log in a few minutes before 10:00, and pick a backup date and entry time in advance. The ticket is for a set date and entry time (there is no exit time) and is personal, so bring your passport.

Prices

Adult (19+) ¥1,000 (≈ $7). Ages 13–18 ¥700 (≈ $5). Ages 7–12 ¥400 (≈ $3). Ages 4–6 ¥100. Under 4 free. At this price it is one of the cheapest attractions in Tokyo, which is why demand is so high. Buying through an organised tour costs more but guarantees a ticket.

Tours that include a Ghibli Museum ticket

What’s inside

The museum is a maze of rooms, bridges and staircases with no fixed route. It has a permanent exhibition on how an animated film is made, a changing exhibition, and the Saturn Theater, which screens an original Ghibli short you can only see here. Children up to 12 can climb the soft Catbus, and on the roof stands the robot soldier from Castle in the Sky. There is a gift shop upstairs and a small café in the courtyard.

Photography is not allowed inside, and that is part of the idea: be inside the film, not behind the camera.

Getting there

Take the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku to Mitaka, about 20 minutes. From there, either walk about 15 minutes along the Tamagawa canal or take the yellow community bus from the station (¥230 for adults). A prettier option is to get off at Kichijoji and walk through Inokashira Park, with its lake and boats, in about 15–20 minutes.

When the museum is closed

The museum is usually closed on Tuesdays, with additional maintenance and year-end closures. Check the opening calendar on the official site before you buy, especially if your date is near a holiday.

With kids

The museum is perfect for children aged 4–12 who know the films. The Catbus is for children up to 12, with a short queue. Bear in mind there are many stairs and tight spaces, so a stroller is awkward inside. A typical visit takes about two hours. More tips in the Japan with kids guide.

Ghibli Park in Nagoya — the big alternative

Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture, near Nagoya, opened in 2022 and is much bigger than the museum: five areas, including Satsuki and Mei’s house from My Neighbor Totoro. Its tickets are also sold only in advance, through Lawson Ticket or Klook, opening on the 10th of each month at 14:00 Japan time for about two months ahead. Nagoya is on the shinkansen line between Tokyo and Kyoto, so you can stop on the way.

Where to stay

There is no need to stay in Mitaka: from any hotel on the JR Chuo Line, especially in Shinjuku, you reach the museum in under half an hour. Shinjuku is also handy for the rest of the trip, with trains across the city and buses to Mount Fuji. See also where to stay in Tokyo.

Shinjuku hotels on the line to the museum

Final tips

Combine the visit with a morning or lunch in Kichijoji, a young neighbourhood with cafés and small shops. Arrive right at your entry time, since early entry isn’t allowed. And if you didn’t get a ticket, Ghibli’s “Donguri Kyowakoku” shops around Tokyo carry a wide range of official merchandise.

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