Out in the ‘burbs of western Tokyo in a quiet neighbourhood park is a museum set up by Hayao Miyazaki dedicated to all things Ghibli. There are various permanent and special exhibition spaces with an array of original prints and figurines, recreations and interactive or educational works as well as a cinema continually screening short Ghibli films, a reading room and a spiral staircase leading to a lush rooftop garden with the towering and tragic Robot Soldier from Laputa Castle in the Sky.
There’s no separate prize just for getting there, which seems an injustice considering how much dedication it takes. Tickets are only available in advance from electronic machines in certain convenience stores, which have no English information and require you to apply for a date and one of four time slots as well as answer a series of questions which baffled even the native Japanese speaker who assisted me. If it’s all a ploy to keep out fat loud tourists it seems to have worked as the museum is refreshingly free of them. It is swarming with children though so if you don’t like them you’ll have a hard time.
The building is as noteworthy as its contents, serving up just the right measures of steam-punk futurism and harmony with nature – like in Miyazaki’s films. With mini doorways you have to bend over to get through and disorienting staircases that take you all over the place, it’s designed for you to “loose your way” and there is no designated rout to take. There’s also a hotdog stand, so you can munch on frankfurt as you ponder man’s relationship with machines.
Speaking of Ghibli, their latest film Mr Bug Goes to Town is due for release in Japan this December and looks rather wonderful.