![[Ghibli Park Phase II Opening] Entrance to Valley of Witches Almost Complete? Photographed from the outside](https://www.canapina.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")
Images of the second phase of the Ghibli Park opening area were released on February 9, 2023.
An overview of the area under construction for the second phase is presented on a separate page.
I was at Ghibli Park the other day and caught a glimpse of the buildings under construction behind the walls, so I took some photos.
The building I photographed this time is the one in the Valley of Witches area, and in addition to this article I will also give an overview of it.
It’s hard to say what the bottom of the building looks like hidden behind the walls, but I didn’t expect the top of the building to be so well done at this stage.
What are your impressions?
What is “Valley of Witches” area?
As already announced, the “Valley of Witches” area is scheduled to open a little later than the “Mononoke Vilage(Mononoke no Sato)” area.
It was scheduled to open within the fiscal year 2023, which is the fiscal year of Japanese local governments (from the beginning of April of each fiscal year to the end of March of the following year).
Although a slight delay is expected, it is scheduled to open by the end of 2024, although it will exceed March, the end of the fiscal year.
What is “Valley of Witches” area?
This image shows the main structure of the Valley of the Witches, themed on “Howl’s Moving Castle”.
Even from a distance, it stood out quite prominently. The impact was also large, and people on the street were marveling at it when it caught their eyes. *Me too ^^;
It is a natural reaction for those who have seen “Howl’s Moving Castle.
Expectations are high for the opening.
“Valley of Witches” is the largest facility in Ghibli Park
As you will see when you visit, it is located on a gently sloping hillside overlooking a large plaza and pond.
Flowers that bloom from spring to fall are distributed throughout the park, and it has always been a popular place for residents, as children can play to their heart’s content.
Photographed from the “Valley of Witches” area toward the Elevator Tower and the “Hill of Youth”
It is designed to look like a European-style space, and is larger than the Ghibli Grand Warehouse, the Hill of Youth, and the Dondoko Forest areas that are already open, as well as the “Village of Mononoke,” which is scheduled to open a short time ago.
For reference, here is a chart comparing the size of all five areas of Ghibli Park.
Comparison of Ghibli Park opening areas
| Area | Thematic works | surface area |
|---|---|---|
| Ghibli’s Grandware House | Various | 0.8ha |
| Hill of Youth | 14:00～ *If there is a check-in time set for each accommodation plan, that time will be given priority. | 0.8ha |
| Dondoko Forest | ” My Neighbor Totoro” | 1.8ha |
| Mononoke Village | “Princess Mononoke” | 0.8ha |
| Valley of Witches | “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “Kiki’s Delivery Service”, “Earwig and the Witch” | 2.9ha ! |
The list shows that the “Valley of Witches” area is by far the largest area.
It is more than three times the size of “Ghibli’s Grandware House,” so it is unlikely to be crowded. I hope that the additional area will make it easier to obtain tickets by spreading them out.
“Valley of Witches” Facilities Overview
As noted in the table above, the “Valley of Witches” area is themed around three Studio Ghibli films.
According to Aichi Prefecture, which announced the plan, the “Valley of Witches” area is designed to be “a complex space for exhibition, play, and rest through the experience of Studio Ghibli’s works.
List of facilities to be built in “Valley of Witches”
There are six facilities planned for construction in Valley of Witches.
The most notable is “Howl’s Castle,” but the popular Kiki and Gigi facilities are also expected to be a hot topic.
The restaurant building will be located in this area, which is also great news.
We are sure that the restaurant will offer a wide variety of dishes and sweets that are sure to entertain us.
| Facility Name | Overview | total floor space | Building Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howl’s Castle |
A castle shaped like the creature from “Howl’s Moving Castle,” including a living room with a large fireplace and Howl’s bedroom. |
289m2 | Reinforced concrete, 2 stories |
| Hatter Hat Shop | Representation of the workshop in Sophie’s “Hatter Hat Shop,” the main character in “Howl’s Moving Castle. | 299m2 | Wooden 2 stories |
| Okino Mansion |
Reproduction of Kiki’s room and the witch’s store in the “Okino Mansion” where Kiki, the main character in “The Witch’s Delivery Service,” grew up |
256m2 | Wooden 2 stories |
| Guchoki Bakery | Reproduction of the attic of the “Guchoki Bakery” where Kiki, the main character in “The Witch’s Delivery Service,” and Gigi, the black cat, live. | 210m2 | Wooden 2 stories |
| Witch’s House |
Reproduction of the witch’s workroom and Arya’s bedroom in the “Witch’s House” where Earwig, the main character in the movie “Earwig and the Witch,” is taken in. |
210m2 | Wooden 2 stories |
| Restaurant Building | Details are unknown at this time | 956m2 | Reinforced concrete & Wooden 2 stories |
Other playground equipment is also planned, but details have not been disclosed.
Restaurant building under construction in the “Valley of Witches” area
Besides the “Howl’s Castle,” the restaurant building is the only other building that can be seen from the outside.
As you can see in the photo, it will have a European design with a brick look.
Restaurant building under construction in the “Valley of Witches” area
However, it is more like the atmosphere of the Meiji and Taisho periods in Japan about 150 years ago.
During this period, Japan was rapidly modernizing by actively adopting European culture.
What I remembered was Katakura Hall in Nagano Prefecture. This place is located near Lake Suwa, which is famous for its hot springs. lol
I’m getting a little sidetracked here, but I think it’s time to end this article.
The “Valley of Witches” area is a few minutes walk from the “Great Warehouse of Ghibli”
The “Valley of Witches” area is just a few minutes walk from the “Ghibli’s Big Warehouse” area.
When this large area is completed, it will be easier to get tickets to Ghibli Park….
Or rather, I hope so. It is too difficult to get tickets as it is now.
My personal opinion is that it would be nice if the restaurant building could be opened not only to visitors of the “Valley of Witches” area, but also to those without tickets.
I think this is because there are so many people asking about not being able to get a ticket.
In any case, I too am looking forward to the completion of this area where many people can enter.
Thank you for reading to the end.
(fin)
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