Finding Totoro

If you're a Japanese anime fan, then it's almost certain that you've heard of My Neighbour Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki (created by Studio Ghibli). Personally, I like his Spirited Away produced years later more but My Neighbour Totoro was the first anime that introduce me to Miyazaki. I still remember when the Totoro anime was first shown in Malaysia, my friends were all crazy over the cute friendly (and chubby) Totoro. Here's how he looks like (the grey one) with the 2 main characters and other wood spirits in the anime.

Ghibli Museum, designed by Miyazaki himself in Mitaka (a suburb of Tokyo) exhibits everything that relates to anime created by Studio Ghibli from animation history to their latest products. Entrance to the museum is by controlled tickets only. As an overseas visitor, I have to book the ticket via their Europe sales office and bring the appointment letter for entry, of course a small entrance fee of 1000Yen is incurred.

20+ minutes train ride from Shinjuku, the first impression I have of Mitaka is that it's a peaceful, tranquil yet classy small town (maybe because of the museum?). Walking from train station towards the museum, it's not hard to notice some 'road signs' along the way, discretely embedded as part of the city. I found some foot prints (with dog's paw prints as well) and some really cute lamp post (if you can read kanji, of course)

I think the museum is not designed for tourists but more for the local, or better yet, Ghibli / Miyazaki fans who dream of becoming a child again. The fact that they implement control ticket limits the number of people visiting the museum and keep the crowd at an optimum level. The real entrance ticket is a film cutout framed with hard cardboard which is so adorable. I was so glad that I get to keep the entrance ticket (worried at some point that they might collect it back).

Picture taking inside the museum is not permitted but outside of the museum (even though still within its compound) is not an issue. Young or old; local or foreign; everyone in the museum (as far as I can see), including myself have just turn more cheerful, excitingly discovering one secret room after another; finding staircase at weird corners and climbing rotating steel 'caged' spiral staircase.

I can't recall where this iron robot on the roof top originates from but he is definitely popular. Everybody takes a photo with him, I have to wait at the side and quickly take a picture during the 'human model exchange window.

Pic: Part of Ghibli musuem exterior

Pic: Totoro & the dust balls guarding the entrance

It's amazing to realize how much work it is to produce an anime, the conventional way. Stacks and stacks of drawings just to produce one scene or capture a movement. Seeing the very place where great animes like My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Poko Rosso... are produced really opened up views from different perspective. Think I have to watch the Ghibli animes all over again to further appreciate all the hard work behind.

My visit ends with a 10 - 15 minutes short anime in a small 'cinema'. All explanation / narration is in Japanese only but the anime is so nicely done in a way that you don't need the language to understand the message. Of course, no visit would be complete without some souvenir from the gift shop, one of the few places that sells original Studio Ghibli related products. Personally, I think the entrance ticket is already the best souvenir I can keep but seeing all those lovely products, it's hard not to buy some (and they're not cheap).

Pic: Big & small totorosss...

Pic: More...

Ghibli museum tour can easily take up half day (or more). If you're a Ghibli fan and happen to visit Tokyo, then I'd highly recommend the museum. If you haven't heard of any of the anime that I mentioned, I suggest you to start seeing some of them, starting with Totoro & Spirited Away, trust me, you don't want to live the regret of missing them out.