Monday 21 April 2008

"Let's lose our way, together"

Ghibli Museum! Ghibli Museum! Best museum in the Tokyo Metropolitan District! Probably - we haven't been to the Parasitological Museum yet...

What is it? A really cool place full of the drawing, models, storyboards and more from the animation workshop of Miyazaki Hayao (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, etc.) Debs was dead against going here - she thought it was all manga porn or crazy kung-fu nonsense, but I insisted, and we're both glad I did.

The Lonely Planet wasn't much help here. It vaguely mentioned that you had to buy tickets "long before you arrive" but didn't say how or where. The answer is - go to Lawson and get the assistant to sort it out for you on their in-store kiosk thingy. Do not go via a tour operator! They charge 6x the entrance price for no apparent reason.

The real entrance price is ¥1000, for which you get an original frame from one of Miyazaki's films. This also functions as your ticket to the on-site Saturno cinema, where we watched a cute little film about a naughty dog who went missing. Very touching!

Favourite bits: obviously the 5m robot on the rof was AWESOME. Debs also loved the Goldilocks and the 3 bears room (Russian style - did Tolstoy really write the original?) complete with giant bears and giant chairs. The zoetropes on the ground floor were excellent as well.

Altogether an enchanting experience, finished off in style with an enormous piece of strawberry cake and a coffee in the Straw Hat cafe.

We love Ghibli!

Ben

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