Princess Mononoke. Spirited Away. My Neighbor Totoro.

Studio Ghibli has produced some of the most memorable animation there is, and the museum is a dream destination for most fans. Unfortunately, getting tickets has always been tricky, and the pandemic only made things worse. But it’s back to normal now.

Stepping into the world of Ghibli takes preparation. But don’t worry, this article will make it easy. Oh, and if you’re looking to score tickets for Ghibli Park, we’ve got you covered there, too.

1. Pick a Date Ahead of Time Based on the Ghibli Museum Calendar

Unfortunately, choosing to go to Ghibli’s theme park or the Mitaka museum on a whim isn’t an option. People in and outside of Japan plan far in advance to make the trip, and since Studio Ghibli tickets are limited, it’s crucial to get in line early.

Remember that this is a dream destination for a lot of people. If you do that and follow the rest of these steps, you should be fine.

How to Choose a Date

If you’re planning a trip to Japan for several months down the road, be ready to set a day aside for the museum and stick to that plan. Also, be aware that it’s closed almost every Tuesday and often has irregular hours or closures on other days.

Take a look at the Ghibli Museum homepage for the business calendar.

How to Choose a Time

When booking Ghibli tickets you’ll also have to pick one of four entry times (you can stay as long as you like after entry). Be careful, because if you choose wrong, you may not be able to swap it out for a different slot. These are the entry times for Ghibli’s Museum:

• 10:00 AM
• 12:00 PM
• 2:00 PM
• 4:00 PM (only on weekends and holidays)

2. Line up Online on the 10^th of the Previous Month at 10 AM JST

This is the most important part of the process. I repeat, this is not a drill.

On the 10^th day of the previous month at 10 AM Japan Standard Time (9^th day at 8 or 9 PM Eastern Time in the US and Canada depending on daylight savings) tickets for the upcoming month go on sale at the English-language Lawson ticketing site.

For example, if you want to buy Ghibli museum tickets for April on any day from the 1^st to the 30^th, the purchasing window opens on the 10^th of March at 10 AM (Japan time). If you’re ready at that time, you shouldn’t have any problem gaining entry.

But for better odds, get a few pieces of info ready in advance:

• Credit card
• Passport
• The date and time slot you’re shooting for
• Number of people in the group (you can book in groups of 6, maximum)

Have all of this at your fingertips and start refreshing the Lawson website a minute or two before it opens, and you’re off to the races.

3. Purchase and Print out Lawson Ticket Confirmation with Barcode

After you enter your info and make your payment, you’ll receive the typical confirmation email and a ticket to print out.

Be sure to physically print this ticket out, as you’ll need it on the day you enter the museum.

If you’re booking in a group, don’t worry if you’re only given one ticket to print out. That one ticket covers the entire group.

Last but not least, make sure that when it comes time to enter this Ghibli fantasy you have the passport of the person who booked the tickets along with the ticket printout. Without that, you may be denied entry, similar to Ghibli Park and even other theme parks like the Harry Potter tour.

How to Book Ghibli Museum Tickets While in Japan

While buying Ghibli museum tickets online is the most convenient option for most people, if you’re already in Japan you have another option. This one is popular for people in the country as you can pay with cash rather than credit card.

To get those Ghibli tickets, just march on over to the nearest Lawson convenience store. Inside every one, there will be a “Loppi” ticketing machine – not to be confused with the ATM.

The machines have some English accessibility, but it’s not exactly enough to make things a breeze. For a thorough guide on booking Ghibli museum tickets via Loppi, take a look at Rakuten travel’s guide.

Is the Ghibli Museum Open to Foreigners?

The Studio Ghibli Museum has always been open to foreigners, but it was closed to non-residents for a while during the worst parts of the COVID pandemic since they couldn’t enter the country anyway. They shut down overseas ticketing services, but they returned to normal on January 10th, 2023.

You can book tickets, but try to be quick as they tend to sell out almost immediately every month. And to be quick, there are a few things you need to know.

Is the Studio Ghibli Museum Shutting Down?

There was a brief period in November 2022 where the Studio Ghibli Museum was shut down for maintenance, but that only lasted for 10 days or so. As of February 2023, the museum is fully open for business.

There may be future periods of maintenance, as with any museum, but it seems like the museum is here to stay.

Is the Ghibli Museum Worth It?

Even if you’re not a massive Ghibli movie fan, the museum is worth a visit. It gives insight into the creative process of making animation, has a fantastic atmosphere, and shows an exclusive short film that’s included with entry. Since Ghibli museum ticket prices are at most ¥1,000, it’s easily worth it.

Conclusion

Whether you’re overseas or in Japan, you can get Studio Ghibli museum tickets online by following the steps in this article. Just make sure you confirm a date in your trip itinerary and get ready to book once tickets go on sale the month before on the 10^th.

If you’re a little late, you’ll probably still be able to get the tickets, but it’s always better to get on top of things early. Especially when it comes to something as popular as this museum.

Looking for some entertainment? Check out the latest essay, called The Nail That Sticks Out here.