Ghibli Park releases new info, preview images for Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke areas

Studo Ghibli theme park will recreate multiple locations from Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, and Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Anime and movie fans around the world are psyched for the opening of Ghibli Park, which is finally happening on November 1. But as exciting as that day will be, it’s still only going to be the debut of a fraction of the full wonders the Studio Ghibli theme park will offer.

That’s because Ghibli Park is composed of five different areas with staggered opening dates. November 1 is the grand opening for the Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, Dondoko Forrest, and Hill of Youth zones, which collectively make up a little less than half of Ghibli Park’s total area. We’re going to have to wait a little longer to get into the others, Mononoke Village and Witch’s Valley, but to help tide us over Studio Ghibli and the government of Aichi Prefecture (where Ghibli Park is being built) have released new concept images of what’s going to be in the park’s final two areas.

First up is a look at Mononoke Village, which, as you can probably guess, lets guests step into the world of Princess Mononoke. This 0.8-hectare (1.98-acre) area matches the sizes of Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse and Hill of Youth, and recreates locations from the anime’s Emishi Village, where we first meet male lead Ashitaka, and Irontown, the settlement of outcasts led by Lady Eboshi. The designers say this area will include an educational experience element in the ironworks area, and there will also be a traditional charcoal burner’s hut.

Meanwhile, Witch’s Valley is where you’ll find Howl’s Castle, as ostensibly all magic-users are welcome to set up residence in this part of the park.

The multi-story recreation of the mobile magical mansion will be 16 meters (52.5 feet) tall with a total floor space of 289 square meters (3,110.8 feet). Visitors are welcome to go inside, where the designers promise we’ll be able to see Howl’s bedchambers, though fans are no doubt keeping their fingers crossed that there’ll be a kitchen too.

At 2.9 hectares (7.9 acres), Witch’s Valley is actually going to be the largest area of the park by far (the next biggest being the 1.8-hectare Dondoko Forrest). Filling that space will be a second Howl’s Moving Castle-related attraction in the form of Hatter’s Hat Shop, while Kiki’s Delivery Service will be represented by little witch Kiki’s childhood house, the Guchokipanya bakery she operates her delivery service out of, and something Ghibli Park is calling the “Witch’s Home,” which may or may not be referring to the room she rents after moving out of her parents’ house.

Witch’s Valley will also be where Ghibli Park’s restaurant is located, and considering the artistry Studio Ghibli puts into the mouthwatering depictions of its in-anime meals, as well as the loving care given to the food and drink served at the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo, it’s likely Ghibli Park’s restaurant will be a crowd-pleasing attraction in and of itself.

The Witch’s Valley and Mononoke Village areas are projected to open approximately one year after the park’s initial three zones, which works out to fall of 2023.

Sources: Aichi Prefectural Government, Kyodo
Top image: Studio Ghibli
Insert images: Aichi Prefectural Government/Studio Ghibli
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