The Ghibli Museum, located in Mitaka city, Tokyo, operated by Studio Ghibli themselves, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Tokyo for foreign visitors.
The museum is known for recreating classics like Castle in the Sky in a museum setting, and is frequently listed in bucket lists for many Ghibli fans & weebs in general.
However, the place is also notoriously known for its difficulty in acquiring its tickets.
In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide for you to get tickets for the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka.
Location of the museum
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka is located in the Kichijoji/Mitaka area in western Tokyo, and is accessible by train from Shinjuku or Shibuya.
The museum is located within Inokashira Park, known as one of the most lush, green parks in Tokyo. The park itself attracts a lot of visitors all days of the week.
On weekdays, it is estimated that 60-70% of the park visitors are tourists from overseas. The access to the park makes it an ideal stop for all kinds of tourists in Tokyo.
General notes on acquiring the ticket
There are a couple of important points you have to know before buying tickets for the Ghibli Museum.
1. You can't purchase tickets at the door
All tickets for the Ghibli Museum are stictly reservations only.
No tickets are sold at the door, so visitors are required to purchase tickets beforehand.
Whatever you do, please do not go to the Ghibli Museum expecting to buy a ticket from the counter.
2. Tickets can only be bought from Lawson Ticket
Tickets for the Ghibli Museum can only be bought through an online ticketing service called Lawson Ticket.
Visit the website below to access the Lawson Ticket website, and book a ticket from there.
＞ Lawson Ticket website (Japanese)
＞ Lawson Ticket website (English)
There are two types of tickets available: one is an e-ticket you can get through an app; the other is a physical ticket you can print & receive from any of the Lawson convenience stores in Japan.
Obviously, you can book your tickets online, but you can also purchase tickets in any of the Lawson stores as well. You you happen to be staying in Japan for a while, this may be a viable option.
Ticket prices are: 1,000 yen for adults & college students; 700 yen for high school & junior high students; 400 yen for elementary school children; and 100 yen for children above 4 years old.
"*Children under 4 can enter for free without a ticket
*No refunds or rescheduling allowed after purchase
*Maximum of 6 tickets per order
*No group tickets or other types of discounts available
*Tour packagess including museum tickets may be available through the JTB tour agencies, with limited availability"
3. You have to reserve a date & time for visit
Tickets for the Ghibli Museum are provided with specific dates as well as time frames within that date.
Rules go like this: during all hours of operation (10AM-6PM), you will have to choose an entry time from either 10AM, 11AM, noon, 1PM, 2PM, 3PM, or 4PM. Visitors have to enter within 1 hour from the specified entry time.
Booking a ticket here doesn't mean that you can enter the museum at any given time.
Also note that a long queue is pretty much unavoidable when the entry time approaches.
It is best for you to plan on a safe, early arrival, so that you can get in without trouble.
*On average, it takes about two hours for a complete walkthrough of the museum. However, although the entry time is specified, there is no specified exit time so you can stay however long you'd like. Note that reentry is not allowed.
4. Ticket sales begin on 10AM JST for every 10th of the month
Tickets for the Ghibli Museum are sold monthly. The next month's tickets go on sale on 10AM JST, on the 10th of every month.
e.g. You can buy tickets for January 1st-31st, from 10AM JST, December 10th.
Popular dates like weekends sell out very quick, so make sure to make your reservations as early as possible.
(source:LOTIKE)
Get your tickets in advance and dive into the Ghibli world!
As explained in this article, in order to experience the Ghibli Musem, you have to make your reservations beforehand.
You can book your tickets from the website below, so make sure to reserve your tickets accordingly.
＞ Lawson Ticket website (Japanese)
＞ Lawson Ticket website (English)
If you have difficulty getting a ticket, it might be a good idea to cunsult travel agents or Japanese friends you may have.
Enjoy the world of Ghibli in Tokyo!
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