![[Ghibli Park Phase II Opening] Entrance to Valley of Witches Almost Complete? Photographed from the outside](https://ghiblipark.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/20240208PhaseII650pixslide-1246x674.png "[Ghibli Park Phase II Opening] Entrance to Valley of Witches Almost Complete? Photographed from the outside")
I wanna go to Ghibli Park!
I have also secured a ticket for 3 months from now (=Congratulations (^_^)).
Now then, let’s make a travel plan to Japan.
Then I’d like to know how to get to Ghibli Park. And also lodging information.
Huh? Where is Ghibli Park located in Japan? How can I get there?
(^_^;) As a matter of fact, we have received such inquiries.
In this article, we will introduce Aichi Prefecture, where Ghibli Park is located, and outline how to get to Aichi Prefecture for those who are coming on a personal trip but are not sure of the specific location or access.
- Ghibli Park Location
- How to get to Aichi Prefecture where Ghibli Park is located
- Access to Aichi Prefecture by Airplane and Meitetsu Bus
Ghibli Park Location
Needless to say, Ghibli Park is located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
The location of Aichi Prefecture is shown below on Google Map. The area circled by the red line is Aichi Prefecture.
You can see that it is located roughly in the middle of Japan, with Tokyo to the east and Kyoto and Osaka to the west.
Although not shown in the scale of this map, Ghibli Park is located in Nagakute City, a small city east of Nagoya, the capital of Aichi Prefecture.
Nagakute City is a green, rural area with many residences and nearby forests, and in the past, it hosted the World Expo, which was based on the motif of living in harmony with nature.
Ghibli Park has been in the works for a long time and opened in November 2022, thanks to a connection with Aichi Prefecture, the hometown of Toshio Suzuki, CEO of Studio Ghibli.
Led by the governor of Aichi Prefecture, the project has been a joint effort between a large local company and Studio Ghibli.
What is Aichi Prefecture in Japan where Ghibli Park was built?
Aichi Prefecture, where the Ghibli Park was established, is less well known than Tokyo, the capital of Japan, or Kyoto and Osaka, known for their historical buildings.
Aichi Prefecture is located roughly halfway between Tokyo and Kyoto/Osaka, and is a rather industrialized area that has developed around the automobile industry.
Nevertheless, the area was the main stage of the Warring States Period from the 15th century, and many heroes of the later samurai-dominated era, such as Nobunaga Oda and Ieyasu Tokugawa, were born in the area.
Ghibli Park is located in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture.
For your reference, here is a link to a website that provides tourist information as well as an introduction to Aichi Prefecture.
What is Aichi Expo Commemorative Park where Ghibli Park is located?
Ghibli Park is located in the Aichi Expo Commemorative Park (or 2005 Expo Aichi Commemorative Park).
In order to make it the main venue for Expo 2005 Aichi, the park was extensively developed and transformed into a park that combines modernity and abundant nature (commonly known as Moricoro Park).
Further improvements have been made in conjunction with the opening of Ghibli Park, with the addition of an elevator tower and other structures and monuments based on motifs from Studio Ghibli’s works.
Expo 2005 Commemorative Park Aichi, Japan is a large one with a total area of 1.942 km². Ghibli Park occupies only 3.6% of this area, or 0.071 km².
If you ever travel from the Ghibli Grand Warehouse to the Dondoko Forest, you will be able to experience its vastness and abundant greenery in a 15-minute walk.
How to get to Aichi Prefecture where Ghibli Park is located
Aichi Prefecture, where Ghibli Park is located, is one of the top five metropolitan areas in Japan.
It is a major transportation hub, both by land and air, and has excellent accessibility.
Located 350 km west of Tokyo and 180 km east of Osaka, Aichi Prefecture is halfway between the two cities, allowing visitors to travel in either order from the major cities of the East or the West.
And Nagoya is the gateway or hub city for travelers coming to Aichi Prefecture from both the East and West regions of Japan.
No matter what mode of transportation you use, you must transfer at Nagoya Station or Central Japan International Airport.
This city is located to the west of Nagakute City, where Ghibli Park is located.
*All transportation fees and timetable information are current as of January 2023
Shinkansen access to Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture
Many people coming to Aichi Prefecture from overseas on a personal trip will probably arrive at Haneda and Narita Airports in Tokyo or Kansai International Airport in Osaka and take the Shinkansen (=known as bullet train).
Once they arrive at Nagoya Station on the Shinkansen, they will either take a train from there or a bus to the Aichi Expo Park where Ghibli Park is located.
The following is reference information for those coming from Tokyo in the east or Kyoto/Osaka in the west by Shinkansen.
Shinkansen access from Tokyo to Nagoya City
Access from Tokyo to Nagoya takes about 2 hours and costs 10,560 yen.
Get off the Shinkansen at Nagoya Station and transfer to the subway and Linimo to access Ghibli Park.
Please refer to the JR (Japan railway) East Japan website below to research fares, tickets, and itineraries.
Departure point is Tokyo or Shinagawa. Arrival point is Nagoya.
Shinkansen access from Osaka to Nagoya City
Access from Osaka to Nagoya by Shinkansen takes about 50 minutes, less than half the time from Tokyo. The fare is 5,940 yen.
Here too, you will get off the Shinkansen at Nagoya Station and take the subway and Linimo to access Ghibli Park.
Please refer to the JR (Japan railway) West Japan website below to research tickets and itineraries.
For Osaka, the departure point is Shin-Osaka. Arrival point is Nagoya.
*Tickets can be purchased from either JR East or JR West website
Access from Nagoya Station to Ghibli Park
There are three main ways to get to Ghibli Park from Nagoya Station.
Train (Subway, Linimo)
Bus (Meitetsu)
Cab (Meitetsu)
The following page provides detailed information on how to get to Ghibli Park by train, bus, and cab, starting from the Shinkansen boarding gate of Nagoya Station.
There is relatively little information available after exiting Nagoya Station. Therefore, it is somewhat lengthy, but please refer to the following page.
Access to Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture by Shinkansen is simple and popular, so we have provided a brief introduction.
Next is access by highway bus.
Access to Aichi Prefecture by highway bus
As mentioned above, Aichi Prefecture is located halfway between Japan’s two largest cities, Tokyo and Osaka, so highway buses are in constant operation.
The advantage of highway buses is their low fares. The cheapest highway bus service costs about 3,000 yen to reach Aichi Prefecture.
The disadvantages are that it takes 6-8 hours to get there, and the traveling space is not as comfortable as an airplane, which some people feel is smaller than an airplane.
If you are not confident about your physical strength, choose an upgraded bus with fewer seats.
Night buses make many stops along the way, and you may not be able to get enough sleep. This method of travel is not recommended for those who want to get enough sleep.
Express buses go through Nagoya or Nagakute.
The following two sites support English reservations.
Kosoku Bus Net
You can even search for routes and make reservations in English.
Willer Travel
You can also search routes and make reservations here in English.
I have used this company’s buses several times and find the ride to be comfortable.*translated site
Access by train with transfer at Nagoya Station
Express buses to Nagoya are available in daytime and nighttime. For daytime buses, arrival in Nagoya is after 12:00 pm. Those who wish to enter in the morning must take the night bus.
Route: Tokyo – (Expressway Bus) – Nagoya – (Expressway Bus) – Love Expo Park [Ghibli Park].
Travel time: approx. 8 hours
Transit: 1 time
Fare: 3,000 yen (to Nagoya: 2,000 yen, to Ghibli Park: 1,000 yen)
Ghibli Park can also be accessed from Nagoya by train or Linimo.
Transfer to Linimo at Nagakute for Ghibli Park
Express buses from Tokyo to Nagakute are available only by night service. It takes only 10 minutes from Nagakute to Ghibli Park by Linimo, but it is recommended to think in advance where you will spend the time until admission after arriving early in the morning.
Route: Tokyo – (Expressway Bus) – Nagakute Kokusenjo – (Linimo) – Aichi Expo Commemorative Park [Ghibli Park].
Travel time: approx. 6 hours and 30 minutes
Transit: 1 time
Fare: 2,940 yen (Highway Bus: 2,700 yen Linimo: 240 yen)
Access to Aichi Prefecture by Airplane and Meitetsu Bus
Most people coming to Japan from overseas will probably use airplanes.
Aichi Prefecture has an international airport, Central Japan International Airport (Centrair), where you can land directly.
However, compared to airports in Tokyo and Osaka, the number of flights from overseas is small and the departure points may be limited.
If there are no direct flights to the Central Japan International Airport, access the airport in Tokyo or Osaka, then take the Shinkansen to Nagoya Station.
It is assumed that you will stay overnight there and take the subway and Linimo before going to Ghibli Park.
There is a direct bus from the airport to Ghibli Park
It is possible to take a regular bus from the airport to the Expo 2005 Aichi Prefecture Commemorative Park, but the distance is about 55 km.
There is only one direct bus service to Ghibli Park per day, and the first bus leaves the airport at 10:00 a.m. and arrives at Ghibli Park at 11:17 a.m. (scheduled), which is not very early.
The timetable of the direct bus from the airport is also provided for your reference. However, it does not offer much flexibility or convenience in terms of luggage storage, time allowance, and preparation.
We do not recommend using the direct bus service, but for your reference, information on the direct bus service from the airport to the Ghibli Park is posted below.
[Information on direct bus service from Chubu International Airport to Ghibli Park]
[NGO】Chubu International Airport →【FJ】Fujigaoka. FJ2] Expo 2005 AICHI CHIKUHAKU Commemorative PARK (Ghibli Park)
Chubu Centrair International Airport,Nagoya → Fujigaoka.Ai-Chikyuhaku Kinen Koen(GHIBLI PARK)
[Bus timetable from Central Japan International Airport]
| 【NGO1】Chubu Centrair International Airport,Nagoya（Terminal 1） |
Dep. |
10:00 | 17:00 | 20:00 |
| ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ |
| 【FJ1】Fujigaoka(Subway Station) | Arrival | 10:55 | 17:55 | 20:55 |
| 【FJ2】Ai-Chikyuhaku Kinen Koen(GHIBLI PARK or Aichi Expo Commemorative Park) | Arrival | Drop-off only when Ghibli Park is open.
11:17 |
－ | － |
Fare is 1,600 yen for [FJ1] to Fujigaoka and 2,000 yen for [FJ2] to Ai-Chikyuhaku Kinen Koen (GHIBLI PARK or Aichi Expo Commemorative Park).
The following is an English translation of the above information. Please confirm the time and fare when you actually use the bus.
For the time being, you should not expect the driver to speak English when taking this direct bus.
Early arrival flights when going directly from the airport to Ghibli Park
As mentioned above, it is possible to land in Japan from an airplane and take a Meitetsu bus directly to Ghibli Park.
Upon further research, we found that a cloakroom service has been available since 2022 at the information desk in the Expo 2005 Aichi Expo Commemorative Park, where the Ghibli Park is located. Only cash is accepted, but from 9:00 to 18:00, you can leave your luggage up to a size that can be accommodated for overnight stays.
However, we am somewhat concerned that Ghibli Park is by appointment only.
If you plan to visit Ghibli Park on your arrival day in Japan, we recommend that you time your visit to some extent and take a plane ticket to arrive a little earlier.
In this article, we introduced the location of Ghibli Park and how to access Aichi Prefecture, where Ghibli Park is located.
There are several ways to get to the park, including train, bus, and cab, but in all cases, please check the fares and times in advance and plan accordingly.
We hope this information will be helpful for you to get to the Ghibli Park smoothly after you arrive in Japan.
Thank you for reading to the end.
(fin)
コメント