Logo for Official Ghibli Theme Park Unveiled, Designed by Hayao Miyazaki & Toshio Suzuki

Anime, Japan, Movies

Studio Ghibli unveiled the logo for its upcoming theme park at a press conference on Friday. The “Ghibli” part was drawn by Hayao Miyazaki, while the “park” part was drawn by Toshio Suzuki. Take a look!

Suzuki said that Miyazaki had drawn the “Ghibli” part quite a long time ago, so he drew the “park” part in a conscious attempt to copy him. He jokingly likened Ghibli to a home-made handicraft industry​.

Ghibli also unveiled a poster for the theme park and new design art for its previously announced areas: Seishun no Oka Area (Hill of Youth), Ghibli no Ōsōko Area (Giant Ghibli Storehouse), Dondoko Mori Area (Dondoko Forest), Mononoke no Sato Area (Mononoke Village), and Majo no Tani Area (Witch Valley).

▼ Across the poster is the message “Make efforts, now”. This message, written in Suzuki’s own hand, acts as a motto for the three partners behind the project, who are now charged with making every fan’s Ghibli dreams come to life and meeting the park’s opening date goal of autumn 2022.

 

Last year, Aichi Prefecture revealed images of its designs and indicated that construction will begin in 2020 and continue for about two or three years.

Aichi Prefecture agreed in May 2017 to establish the park, and confirmation documents were finalized this past March. The project’s planners then revealed the basic design plans in April. The park was initially planned to open in 2020.

Aichi Prefecture and Studio Ghibli are collaborating to open the park in a 200-hectare area in Aichi’s Expo Park, also known as Moricoro Park, the site of the 2005 World’s Fair. The park already has “Satsuki and Mei’s House,” a replica of main characters’ house from the My Neighbor Totoro anime film. The house was the site of a Studio Ghibli exhibition in both 2008 and 2015.

The prefecture is aiming to make the park an attraction for both foreign and domestic tourists. Both Studio Ghibli and the prefecture are funding the operating company that will be in charge of the park.

While the park is being developed, the construction will not cause damage to the park through felling trees or other methods.

The studio also maintains The Ghibli Museum, located in Mitaka in west Tokyo. The Ghibli Museum has interactive exhibits and replicas of iconic Ghibli creations, and offers a rotating screening of different Ghibli-animated shorts.