My Neighbour Totoro theme park announced

Ghibli Park scheduled to open in Nagoya in 2020.

by Jennie Kermode

Happy times for Totoro
Happy times for Totoro

A Studio Ghibli theme park centred on fan favourite Totoro has been given the go-ahead in Nagoya prefecture. Announced on Thursday by the studio's Toshio Suzuki, it is expected to open in 2020 on the former World Fair site in Aichi, where versions of the houses from the film My Neighbour Totoro, which were made for the Fair, have been preserved ever since.

Although many fans will be holding out hope for a Catbus ride, Suzuki made clear that rides will not be a big feature of the park, which will instead focus on nature, in keeping with the ecological themes of the film. Visitors will also be able to explore locations from films like Spirited Away and Priincess Mononoke. Everything in the locations will offer full hands-on access, so children can investigate like the characters in the films. Parents will doubtless be relieved if they can avoid soot sprites.

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