[Ghibli Park] How to Enjoy the New Area "Valley of Witches"!

A new area, "Valley of Witches," will open at Ghibli Park on March 16, 2024!

"Valley of Witches" is an area inspired by Studio Ghibli works that feature witches, such as "Kiki’s Delivery Service," "Howl’s Moving Castle," and "Earwig and the Witch." There are plenty of things to see, including the "Guchokipanya Bakery," "The Okino Residence," "Hatter's Millinery," "Howl's Castle," and "The House of Witches"!

We will introduce you to how to enjoy Valley of Witches, from access to gourmet food and souvenirs.

How to get to "Valley of Witches"?

Main Gate

Elevator Tower

Ghibli Park is located within Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park (also known as Moricoro Park) in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture.

リニモ「愛・地球博公園駅」から「魔女の谷」へは、メインゲートを通り、エレベーター塔へ向かいます。ちなみに大倉庫にはロッカーがないため、北口案内所のロッカー・クロークに預けましょう。（ロッカーは西口案内所にも有）

If you go past the "Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse", you will arrive at the "Valley of Witches" area.

A face with the image of Bella Yaga, the witch from "Earwig and the Witch" welcomes you!
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At the entrance gate to Valley of Witches, you will be greeted by a face modeled after the witch Bella Yaga from "Earwig and the Witch"!

Once you go through, you'll find a tiled clock and a slide. (You can enter up to this point for free without a ticket.)

Go through the gate and head to the "Valley of Witches" area!

Airplane Tower

On top of the stone wall, we found Jiji's family!

The area has a European-style townscape. You will feel as if you are really traveling abroad!

Highlights of "Valley of Witches"

Highlight 1: "Howl's Castle"

"Howl's Castle"

We found a statue of Heen in front of "Howl's Castle"!

You can also see the Turnip-head on the hill of "Avenue of Ruins" near "Howl's Castle"! It's a recommended photo spot as you can get a full view of the castle.

One of the most eye-catching features in the Valley of Witches area is the 20m-tall Howl's Castle. Several times an hour, parts of the castle can be seen making sounds, moving, and emitting smoke.

You can even go inside the castle!

Entering the first floor, you will find a living room in a dimly lit atmosphere with Calcifer's furnace, sink, table, Sophie's room, etc. The second floor includes Howl's bedroom, Howl's dressing room and Howl's studio. You can enjoy the extraordinary space as if you have entered the world of the movie.

*A "Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium" is required to view the inside of the building.
*Photography is not permitted inside the building.

Highlight 2: The Okino Residence

The garden in front of The Okino Residence is planted with flowers and plants that represent the four seasons.

Next, we went to "The Okino Residence" where Kiki, the main character of "Kiki’s Delivery Service" spent her time before she left for witch training!

There is also a photo spot where you can take pictures pretending to be Kiki. The deck brush version is also cute!

"The Okino Residence"

"The Okino Residence"

Entering through the first floor entrance, on the left is the "witch's shop" where Kiki's mother, Kokiri, makes medicines. There are also a guest room, a living room, and a kitchen.

On the second floor, Kiki's room and her father's study, where he studies witches, offer a glimpse into the lives of the Okino family.

We were especially impressed with Kiki's room on the second floor. There is a radio on the bed that Kiki uses, and Kiki's ribbon in a drawer!

*A "Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium" is required to view the inside of the building.
*Photography is not permitted inside the building.

Highlight 3: The House of Witches

"The House of Witches"

Next we visited The House of Witches.

This is the house where Earwig, the main character of "Earwig and the Witch," was taken in. There is the witch Bella Yaga's study room, Earwig's bedroom, a library, a bathroom, and a kitchen.

Bella Yaga's workroom led out into the courtyard.

Bella Yaga's workroom is filled with a mysterious atmosphere, with mysterious magical ingredients placed everywhere. The peephole in Arya's bedroom and Thomas' scratching marks have also been recreated, so be sure to check them out!

*A "Ghibli Park O-Sanpo Day Pass Premium" is required to view the inside of the building.
*Photography is not permitted inside the building.

Two rides that are a first for Ghibli Park!

Merry-Go-Round

Merry-Go-Round

Be sure to check out the rides that are new to Ghibli Park!

The "Merry-go-round" is a ride that is based on the image of a traveling amusement park that comes to the village once a year. It is decorated with the motifs of vehicles, animals, and characters that appear in works such as "Kiki’s Delivery Service," Howl’s Moving Castle Moving Castle," and "Princess Mononoke."

Merry-Go-Round

Merry-Go-Round

The roof is decorated with decorations of Howl and Sophie from "Howl’s Moving Castle," and a special arrangement of the film's background music, "Merry-Go-Round of Life," plays throughout the ride.

[Merry-go-round]
・Target age: 3 years old and above (free for children 2 and under)
・Admission fee: Children (ages 3-12) 500 yen, adults 1,000 yen
Capacity: 35 people (28 vehicles)

*Please purchase a "ride ticket" at the "Ticket Hut" in front of "The Okino Residence" before standing in line. *Ride tickets may be sold out during business hours depending on the number of people waiting in line. *In case of stormy weather, the ride will be cancelled. Please check the official website for details.

Flying Machine

Flying Machine

Flying Machines are also available! This is a children's ride playground, so adults are not allowed to ride alone. Aadults can only ride if accompanying a child of appropriate age.

The vehicle is based on the world of "Castle in the Sky," and at the center of the flying machine are Laputa and the Tiger Moth.

Flying Machine
Ages: 3-12 years old (No adults only, 1 adult per child is allowed only when accompanying a child of appropriate age.)
Fee: 500 yen
Number of rides: 16 (Number of cars: 8)

*Please purchase a "ride ticket" at the "Ticket Hut" in front of "The Okino Residence" before standing in line. *Ride tickets may be sold out during business hours depending on the number of people waiting in line. *In case of stormy weather, the ride will be cancelled. Please check the official website for details.

Recommended foods to try in "Valley of Witches"

You can buy bread at that bakery!

Guchokipanya Bakery

You can also enjoy a variety of gourmet foods in the "Valley of Witches" area!

Guchokipanya Bakery is the bakery where Kiki, the main character of "Kiki’s Delivery Service," and her black cat Jiji lived. You can actually buy bread at the bakery on the first floor and take it home.

There's also that bread wreath in the window!

There are a variety of breads on offer, from meal breads such as baguettes and boules that actually appear in the film, to "Napolitan" bread with spaghetti inside, and Ghibli Park original products such as "Uiro Canelé" that represents the essence of Aichi Prefecture. It also makes a perfect souvenir!

From the backyard, you can go up to the attic where Kiki and Gigi sleep!

*Photography is not permitted inside the building.
*Products may be sold out.

Recommended for a leisurely lunch!

Flying OVEN

For those who want to enjoy a leisurely meal, we recommend "Flying OVEN." This full-service restaurant with an impressive brick exterior is located near the entrance to Valley of Witches.

Left: Neapolitan Quiche ¥1,850
Right: Valley of Witches Shepherd's Pie ¥2,500

We also have a wide selection of menu items recommended for tea time, such as cupcakes and berry pies!

In addition to hearty oven-baked dishes such as European pies and quiches, you can also enjoy slightly mysterious dishes and desserts that are typical of "Valley of Witches"!

It tends to get crowded during lunch time, so we recommend going a little early! (we visited around 11:00 on this day and was able to get in right away.)

[Flying OVEN]
Business hours: 11:00-17:00 (Last order 16:00)

Cat's Paw Dog is delicious!

"Hot Dog Stand Hot Tin Roof"

If you're feeling a little hungry, we recommend the hot dog stand Hot Tin Roof.

"Cat's Paw Dog (White)" 990 yen

The recommended hot dog is the "Cat's Paw Dog", a cat paw-shaped bun with a large sausage made from Mikawa pork from Aichi. The sausage is super juicy!

They also have French fries and Valley of Witches beer (Pale Ale/Hime White)!

There are benches on the deck near the fountain, making it the perfect spot for a break!

Get souvenirs exclusive to "Valley of Witches"!

Witches Coven 13

Original goods are also something to look forward to! There are two shops in the "Valley of Witches" area.

"Witches Coven 13" is a store featuring original goods from Valley of Witches. The goods are based on the motifs of the buildings and items found in the Valley of Witches and other products inspired by the film.

Hatter's Millinery

Original candy cans and hats are available on the first floor of Hatter's Millinery. Some items are sold out, so shop early!

This time, we introduced how to enjoy "Valley of Witches". It is said that it takes 2 to 3 hours, but if you are a Ghibli fan, want to see the exhibits thoroughly, and want to enjoy the cafes and shops, I think you can enjoy it for half a day! (You can re-enter if you get a stamp at the exit.)

▼Check this out!

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