Ghibli Park Announces Mononoke Village and Valley of Witches Opening Dates

The second phase plan of Ghibli Park was first unveiled back in February, which offered previews of upcoming areas and attractions for the Studio Ghibli theme park. Eight months after Ghibli Park opened its doors to visitors, official opening dates are finally confirmed for the Mononoke Village and Valley of Witches attractions.

Located next to the Hill of Youth area, Mononoke Village recreates the rustic and mysterious landscape from the 1997 Princess Mononoke. The area will house the iconic Irontown, while large-scale statues of Okkoto Nushi (boar god) and Tatari Gami (spider demon) can be found just outside of the town. Despite the two characters’ fearsome presence, both are actual slides designed for children to play and slide down from.

The Mononoke Village will welcome its grand opening on the theme park’s anniversary, November 1. As no Individual tickets for this area will be available, visitors are required to purchase a set ticket that provides access to both the Mononoke Village and Ghibli’s Grand warehouse.

Stretching 2.9 hectares of land, the Valley of Witches will be the biggest area within the Ghibli Park. Nestled in between the Mononoke Village and Dondoko Forest, the whimsically European-esque townscape will be home to memorable locations from Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Earwig and the Witch. This includes Howl’s Castle, Hatter’s Hat Shop, the Witch’s House, as well as Kiki’s childhood home, and the bakery she worked at. Visitors who are hoping to experience the Valley of Witches will need to wait a little longer, as the area isn’t due to open until March 16, 2024.

For more information regarding ticket prices, head over to the Ghibli Park official website.

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