In some religions, it is a custom to make a holy pilgrimage at some point in life. For thousands of years, people have undertaken such journeys to strengthen their faith or enrich their soul. I'm not a religious person, but I too have taken a pilgrimage in my days. But my travels were of a different type of religion. Some may call it weeaboo, some may call it Japanophile. I called it an adventure to the Mecca of the two things I've held dearly (at one point) in my life; video games...
...and Studio Ghibli.
Last year, I was granted the opportunity to visit Japan without having to suffer the inconvenience of paying for expensive airfare, hotel rooms, or food. Obviously this trip was work related, but going to Japan wasn't something I could just get up and do because of a little thing known as money. Instead, I blew just as much money on anime, video games, and plushies as I would have on the travel expenses (okay, not even close, but a few hundred dollars exchanged hands here). But from the moment I was told I was going to the land of the rising sun, I had just one simple goal in mind; to visit the Church of Miyazaki, aka, The Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan.
It was about a 30 minute train ride from Shibuya to Mitaka, though it definitely seemed like much longer because I was running behind. You see, I was under the impression the ticket I had, which was strictly for foreigners, was valid only during a certain time period of that day. And if you were late, I was worried they would deny me entry. Thankfully the museum was a few blocks down the road from the station in Mitaka. As I exited the cab, I was greeted by a sign that signaled I had finally come home.
As I walked around the pathway, following the signs to the main entrance, I could hardly contain myself. I was at a place I thought I could never go to; it was pretty surreal. Not to mention, as I got into the long line in front of me, I sort of was way outta Kansas here...I literally was the only non-Asian person on the premises. Then again, my whole trip to Japan was taking in the reality of the culture shock, and realizing what it felt like to be the odd one, the one who stood out and didn't fit in. A tad bit intimidating, but all that faded as I made my way closer to the entrance.
Now, I want to cut short some expectations here in regards to the photos. The Ghibli Museum has a very strict photography policy while inside. Outside, you can take all the photos your heart desires. Inside, staff was in every room and hall, and signs clearly stated that no photography or video was allowed. I wouldn't dare insult my hosts nor give foreigners an even worse rep than they have in Japan, so I obviously complied. Thus, there are no photos from inside the museum, but hopefully I can describe what I saw with a few visual aids.
After going down a staircase, I entered the main lobby of the museum. A giant, multi-story building with so much creativity brimming from every corner. An old fashioned elevator took guests up and down, while several staircases provided alternative routes. Walls contained archways of various sizes to allow adults through some, but only smaller children through others. It really was a place for everyone to get lost in their imagination, and just have fun exploring.
There was a line weaving through the museum, though, as it was very crowded, and thus I followed the flow into the first room. Standing before me was the original incarnation of the contraption you see in the video above. Except instead of Toy Story's cast bounding around, it's the cast of My Neighbor Totoro. The rest of the room was filled with more visual tricks and treats, most noticeably boxes containing scenes from various Ghibli films. But rather than being a traditional, 2D art cell, pieces of the image had been cut out, staggered into layers, and presented with an optical illusion to appear 3D. I wish I could have had more time to observe each, but unfortunately this part of the tour felt the most rushed since so many kids were in the line at this point, and I didn't want to keep families waiting.
Next we moved upstairs into rooms plastered from wall-to-wall with original sketches and concept art for nearly every Ghibli film--a treasure trove of artwork. These rooms were also filled with tools, furniture, and other items directly from Miyazaki's personal art studio. It was a rare glimpse into the mind of a genius, seeing what he surrounded himself with to ignite his imagination. There were also dozens of sketch books we could pick up and flip through. I know an actual artist would probably appreciate what I saw more, but for those who aren't as skilled in the drawing arts, it was still an impressive site.
From there the tour moved down a hallway into a newly refashioned area of the museum. Ponyo had been released in Japan just a year earlier, so this wing was dedicated to all things Ponyo. All sorts of interactive contraptions and replica figures were lying around for those daring enough to engage them. The coolest thing there had to be the replica of Ponyo in a bubble, or perhaps a machine that replicated the wave sequence where Ponyo runs across the seas. I could only imagine what the room was like when earlier films had been released; another treasured memory reserved for those lucky enough to have been around.
The next part of the tour leads me up to the fabled "Cat bus" playground, once again based on My Neighbor Totoro. As much as anyone like myself would want to run in and lose them, sadly the attraction came with both an age and height restriction. Besides, it was overrun by toddlers and tykes running amuck with parents trying to get them under control. Instead, the rest of us too old and big for Totoro were brought outside and up a beautiful, spiraling staircase.
I honestly was a bit afraid to go up it because it looked so antiquated and fragile. But just before I could give it a second thought, a group of people raced up it without a care, so I knew the thing was much sturdier than it looked. And waiting for me up top was one of the coolest things I had ever seen.
Yes, the giant robots from the 2005 Twilight Princess trailer. They do look like that a bit, don't they? That statue is actually a replica of the robots from Laputa, aka Castle in the Sky - one of the best films every made and our top Miyazaki film of all-time. And for you video game freaks, nearly every jRPG has ripped elements from it in some way or another. This thing was really tall, too. I'm decently tall, too, but even this thing towered over me. After taking a few photos of the giant, I noticed a small hidden path through some shrubbery around the back. It was a tight fit, but after making it through to the other end, another awesome relic lay before me.
Another famous memento from Castle in the Sky, and it even had writing on the top surface to add to the effect. It was hard to part ways from this magical rooftop, but I really did only have an hour as a friend was with me, but couldn't get in so I didn't want to make them wait too long. There was still one place I hadn't been to just yet that I knew I had to visit. A place that would let me take my memories home with me in a more tangible form; the gift shop.
Finally stuff I could take with me if I had the Yen. Everywhere I turned, another awesome item appeared that I had to have. But I started to realize I was going to be spending a small fortune if I made off with every item I had in mind, most notably an exact replica of Sheeta's pendant from Castle in the Sky priced at roughly the equivalent of 380 USD. So I had to make do with several plushies; Totoro, Catbus, Jiji from Kiki's Delivery Service, and Yuki from The Cat Returns.
Souvenirs in-hand, I made the long walk to the exit. But not before passing one more destination on the tour; the Ghibli Museum Cafe. However, I must have had a stroke of bad luck because the cafe was closed; otherwise I was going to indulge in their trademark beverage topped with an outline of one of Ghibli's famous characters. And just like that, my hour in wonderland was done. I took a final pass around the museum back to the entrance sign; only the most fitting end awaited me for I had missed one thing upon on my original entry. A very dear friend was sending me off on a safe journey home.
Whenever there is a meeting, a parting is sure to follow. However, that parting need not last forever... Whether a parting be forever or merely for a short time... That is up to you.
This is definitely on my lists of places to see if I ever visit Japan. It would be the second pilgrimage in my life (the first was Apple's headquarters in the summer of 2009).