Japan Series: Tokyo and Ghibli Park (2/4)
Tokyo
is HUGE and it's crowded. It's like NYC and LA combined into one. I
read somewhere one million people go through the Tokyo Central Station
every day. I felt every single one of those million people every time I
went through Central Station. But there are plenty of quiet and calm in
the green spaces and shrines. You can find whatever you are looking for
in this amazing city. Here are some highlights.
Snoopy Museum - I LOVE Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang. Linus is my favorite but I think I'm basically Lucy. I went to the original Snoopy Museum in Santa Rosa, CA years ago and it was darling. This is the only other Snoopy Museum in the world. The museum is small but it's well done. The entrance ticket has a Peanuts comic on it which was cool. It also has a giant gift shop and the only thing that stopped me from buying everything was limited luggage space. Don't miss the park next to the museum for additional Snoopys.
Odaiba
is a man made island across the Rainbow Bridge. It's designed as an
entertainment district with shopping malls, amusement parks, museums and
lots of restaurants. It has its own miniature Stature of Liberty and a
giant Gundam. There are also beautiful parks with lovely water views.
Ueno Park is one of the oldest parks in Tokyo and it is one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in the spring. There are 1200 cherry blossom trees. My first trip to Japan was over a decade ago and I still vividly remember walking down a tree lined path with cherry blossoms as far as the eye can see and with each breeze, petals rained down. This is one of my core memories (you know what I'm talking about if you saw the Pixar movie Inside Out).
Meiji Shrine is one of the most famous shrines in Tokyo. I really don't remember many details. It was pretty and serene.
Shibuya Crossing is the one of the most recognizable places in Tokyo. It's a HUGE intersection where literally a thousand people are all around you. People compare it to Times Square but this is a hundred times more intense. It's a popular place to hang out with lots of shops and restaurants.
Mt Fuji is a popular day trip from Tokyo. It takes about 2-3 hours. You take the bullet train and then a bus. Details are hazy but I remember it was much colder than Tokyo so dress warmly if you go.
Food is amazing in Tokyo! You can't go wrong with any food or any restaurant.
I am a huge Ghbili Studios and Miyazaki fan. When I heard Ghibli Park was opening, I was beyond excited. Ghibli Park is located in Nagakute which is basically in central Japan. You can take the bullet trains from Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka. It takes 2-4 hours.
You can buy tickets online. They are released 2 months in advance. Tickets sell out quickly. You need to be online exactly when they are released if you want any chances of getting them.
Ghibli Park is located inside of Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park. Ghibli “Park” is basically five closed off areas inside of Aichi Park. Aichi Park is HUGE and opened to the public and the Ghibli areas are far apart. It's easy to get lost and be prepared for a lot of walking.
There was only three areas opened when I went a couple of years ago. And I only saw two because of time constraints. There are very long lines for most things so it's easy to run out of time. I went to the Grand Warehouse and Dondoko Forest.
The Grand Warehouse is amazing. There’s so much to see. There are exhibits, replicas from the movies, a theater where you can watch a short film, a children's play area with a Cat Bus, a cafe and giant gift shop. My heart felt like it was going to explode!
Dondoko Forest is where Tototo lives! There's a life sized replica of Satsuki
and Mei's house. The details are beyond amazing. There is also a giant
Totoro. Does it looks familiar, it's my profile picture!
Ghibli Park is a must see for fan! But for everyone else, there is a lot of running around and waiting in long lines. I desperately want to go back to see the other areas!
Up next in the Japan series is Kyoto!
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