The Studio Ghibli theme park will include a life-size replica of Howl’s Moving Castle for fans to visit. The theme park is currently being built in central Japan near Nagoya. It’s expected to open in Fall 2022 after some delays due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hayao Miyazaki, arguably the central figurehead of Studio Ghibli as one of its main founders and directors, has been overseeing the development. His involvement in the project will reassure fans that Ghibli Park is sure to effectively bring the gorgeous and endlessly fantastical animated worlds of films like Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, and many other beloved Ghibli movies to life.
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The latest photos from Studio Ghibli, posted by Twitter account Otakujp, reveal a sneak peek at two of Ghibli Park’s most exciting attractions. There’s concept art detailing a replica of Howl’s Moving Castle (from the movie of the same name) as well as a first look at Princess Mononoke village, which is expected to be just one of five themed areas in the park. See the full tweet with the images below:
Howl’s Moving Castle is one of Miyazaki’s most charming and memorable films, and Ghibli fans will no doubt travel from all over the world to visit the large replica, even if it won’t actually be moving. Artist’s renditions like these promise that the theme park will be full of the same whimsy and charm that make Ghibli films so universally appealing. Though there’s still a while to wait until the park officially opens, in the meantime US fans can easily get their Ghibli fix as the majority of the Japanese studio’s impressive back catalog is currently available on HBO Max.
