Studio Ghibli announces plans to open My Neighbour Totoro anime theme park
by Tom Anstey | 06 Jun 2017
My Neighbour Totoro was released in 1988 and tells the story of two young sisters and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan / Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli has announced plans for a theme park based on its iconic anime movies, with the attraction to open its doors in 2020 on the site of the 2005 World Expo near Nagoya in Japan.
Developed in partnership with the Aichi Prefecture government, the park will be based on the 1988 cult classic My Neighbour Totoro, with plans to later expand the 2sq km (0.77sq mi) park to create attractions based on other Ghibli films and characters.
According to Studio Ghibli co-founder and producer Toshio Suzuki, the park will embody My Neighbour Totoro’s theme of “respecting nature and embracing culture” and will be a recreation of the world of Totoro, not to include any rides.
The film tells the story of two young sisters and their interactions with friendly wood spirits in postwar rural Japan. A house modelled on the children’s home in the movie already sits on the site as part of the 2005 expo site.
In a statement, the prefectural government said it will look for other private partners for the theme park as it expands.
The development is not the only anime theme park in the world, with plans announced for an anime and manga theme park on an island in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, with the attraction to be based on popular titles Hi no Tori (Phoenix) and Crayon Shin-chan. In September 2015, Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki also revealed plans to create real-life versions of the landscapes from his imaginative anime films, unveiling designs for a 10,000-acre (40,000sq m) nature park on a remote island off the coast of Japan.
Japan’s government has also been using anime to boost tourism, announcing plans last September to designate 88 “animation spots” nationwide in places where popular characters are presented.
My Neighbour Totoro Studio Ghibli visitor attractions theme parks Toshio Suzuki Japan
Studio Ghibli has announced plans for a theme park based on its iconic anime movies, with the attraction to open its doors in 2020 on the site of the 2005 World Expo near Nagoya in Japan. Developed in partnership with the Aichi Prefecture government, the park will be based on the 1988 cult classic My Neighbour Totoro, with plans to later expand the 2sq km (0.77sq mi) park to create
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