In the Mitaka district of Tokyo is the Ghibli Museum, a building designed by Miyazaki himself and filled with spiral staircases, stained glass windows, secret corners, and other bits of magic to keep visitors entertained. There are also rooms on the history and technicalities of animation, as well as walls full of original Ghibli storyboards and painted animation cells. The two highlights were undoubtedly the giant fluffy Cat Bus that the kids could jump all over and the short film Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess which...is exactly what you'd expect from a film with that title.
As a Ghibli fan from a young age I found the whole thing quite emotional (within limits - I am still British) and, as someone who can't draw my way out of a wet paper bag, mightily humbling when standing in front of original Miyazaki sketches for some of my favourite films. My highlight of the trip so far!
A familiar looking ticket collector.
A museum from the mind of Miyazaki.
But they didn't even clean up the dust sprites!
Inside is as crazy as out.
A monstrous robot from Castle In The Sky.
More monsters.
Waiting for the Cat Bus with Totoro!
What's behind this door? You are!
More happy strangeness.
And after that? Ramen for dinner.
