Louise and Rob: Day Ten

Today is our final day in Tokyo, so Louise begs Rob to add the Moomin Cafe into our itinerary once again, to which he agrees upon remembering how nice (and huge) the cakes are there. We also decide to head to Meiji Jingu in Harajuku.The day is boiling hot, so it seems like a good idea to wander around the leafy shrine gardens.

We sadly take the Yamanote line for what we know will be one of our last ever train rides in Tokyo and jump off a Harajuku. As soon as we begin to approach the park we notice buskers, cosplayers and people hawking art and music. We stop and buy a pair of paintings for about £7, before heading to the cool, shaded cafe standing to the entrance of the shrine. We refuel with chilled oolong tea and icecream and enjoy some people-watching before beginning the lovely shady walk to the shrine.

A lot of the wooded areas in Japan are so reminiscent of the scenery in Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke we half expect to see a kodama sitting amongst the bushes. We snap the obligatory pictures of sake bottles and the gigantic torii, and carry in tripping happily down the sun-dappled path to the shrine.

The shrine itself is beautiful, with lots of dark wood, gold and white - but it's baking hot in the courtyard, and the sun bleaches out most of the pictures - so we have a quick wander around before retreating to the cooler and less crowded gardens.

We pay around £6 to enter the shrine gardens, but are sadly told that we cannot visit Kiyomasa's Well, a powerful healing spot, as there is a problem with it that the ticket sellers limited English, and our even more limited Japanese can't quite translate. But the entry fee is still great value as the gardens are stunning.

We spend a long time sitting on a wooden platform over a greeny-brown pond full of golden, red, white and black koi swimming lazily around, and great big, blocky turtles gently drifting. We spot a kingfisher in the distance and bask in the sun while enjoying the peacefulness of nature. We both feel an overwhelming sadness about leaving Tokyo, but it's hard to feel sad in such beautiful surroundings.

We wander through beautiful sun-streaked paths of broad-leafed trees, stout bushes and the gentle sounds of a stream trickling. The irises aren't flowering, but there are signs of life in them, and big, black crows hop along the floor, crackling in the twigs. We spend hours in the gardens, before emerging to a sunny, and busy gift shop, where we pick up some incense and some ice cream from a vending machine. Our adventure is almost over.

We end our day in Korakuen's  Moomin Cafe with sweet non-alcoholic cocktails, before picking up a few Moomin souvenirs and some pumpkin-filled bread from the adjoining bakery to serve as breakfast the following day.

And then we say our goodbyes as we prepare for the long flight home.

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Louise & Rob: Day Nine

We wake up to cakes – which is the best type of waking up we can imagine! We fall into a tangley cuddle and end up setting off somewhat later than if we had gone with a tour, but since Expedia messed up our booking – we’re going solo!  We’re actually quite glad to be able to go at our own pace (particularly when we see tour groups milling around with silly hats and flags).

We get a bit confused when trying to book shinkansen tickets. When we ask the time of the train, the ticket clerk keeps showing us numbers on a calculator and it takes us a while to work out that she’s showing us the time, rather than massively expensive prices! We’re thrilled to learn the bullet train we’re catching is called the kodama – which is a type of forest spirit, which we’re familiar with thanks to Studio Ghibli.

The bullet train seems mostly normal, but slightly more fast and comfortable. And because you have to book tickets we don’t end up face-to-armpit like usual. The train is much quieter than inner city ones, but we’re seated across the aisle from a salaryman with an ekiben – and Rob keeps trying to peep to see what’s in there!

We arrive at Odawara station, and get a bit confused about where we’re supposed to go, but eventually get pointed in the direction of a tiny little train. Surely it can’t be that! We climb onboard and get nestled between a couple of tiny little old women, who carry on a conversation over us. The train reminded us of a toy train, with a weirdly-shaped track that was a series of hairpin bends –so it seemed we kept going one way, stopping and then going the complete other way – it seemed like we weren’t making any progress at all, until we noticed how high we were getting!

We find ourselves on yet another mode of transport – a big steep funicular that takes us up a big steep hill. It’s a bit busy to begin with, but lots of people get off half way up to go to a museum, with a garden full of strange statues – from what we can see! Louise is starting to get a bit travelworn, queasy and grumpy, but Rob cheers her up by reminded her she’ll soon get to see Fuji-san! If we can find him! 

Guess what’s next? Another mode of transport – yay! And this one isn’t for the faint-hearted. Louise hops happily into the glass cable car, while Rob edges in nervously – as we both realise just how high up we’re going. We get some beautiful views of sweeping green valleys and mountains, and eagle-eyed Rob spots the kanji symbol for big in amongst a forest. We spot lots of hot steam and sulphur spilling from the ground and it reminds us of iron town in Princess Mononoke – quite suitable about riding the Kodama! 

 

We stop halfway up the ropeway at Ōwakudani, which means Great Boiling Valley – and the name suits the place! We stop for some obligatory tourist snaps, and a meal. Louise gets some kind of noodle soup and manages to somehow get a noodle on her face –earning her the nickname of Noodle Nose. Rob eats katsu, and we both try the local specialty black eggs which are said to add seven years onto the life of anyone who eats them. Yum! 

Rob buys Louise a fox necklace from a local craftsman, and then we both search the skyline for the unmissable Mount Fuji – er, except we miss it. We can’t find it anywhere. Rob eventually asks a restaurant worker – who lifts a blind and points to the indeed unmissable Mount Fuji. It’s bloody massive. 

We clamber back into the cable car – after a short wait, during which we’re approached by a troupe of Japanese schoolchildren, who want to try their English skills on us. We eventually end up trapped in a glass car with some gobby Americans, who really annoy Louise by saying “Why can’t they use dollars here like the rest of the world? (It’s worth noting that at this time the exchange rate was 1 Japanese yen to 1 American cent. Braintingling eh!) 

We depart the cable car at Tōgendai, and sit a while near the peaceful waters of Lake Ashi – Rob is feeling a bit delicate – so Louise buys him a Hakone Ropeway badge, and hugs him until he feels better. We marvel at the pirate-shaped boats cruising the lake, but spurn them for a calming walk – where we bump into a pirate friend! 

We take our guidebook’s advice and take the coach home, but as it’s starting to get dark, and we’ve been on the coach for about an hour and a half Louise starts to panic, so we end up getting off the coach, and trying to find another way back to Shinjuku. This turns out to be a wise move in the end because, after some stressing and fussing and language issues at quiet ticket offices, we end up aboard the Romance Car – a wonderful, old-fashioned train with delicious buffet service and seats that swivel round through 90 degrees (thus removing the person behind’s legs if you don’t check first). It is indeed romantic, and we found ourselves wishing – for very much the first time that day – that our destination was actually further away than it was. There was time for Louise to enjoy a yuzu-flavoured sake drink, and Rob a large beer, from the well-stocked and friendly buffet lady, and for us to discuss the places we hoped to visit together in future – our adventure is certainly making us braver!

Alas, our journey did soon draw to a close, and we headed back to our hotel – albeit briefly, and before too long we were strangely reinvigorated and heading to Shibuya for a night on the town. We see the famous Shibuya Crossing, teeming with people, and pass many queues and excitable groups before deciding on a pizza restaurant for our evening meal. Here, Rob orders a spicy chorizo pizza and neither ends up with cheese on his face nor with the subsequent moniker “Cheesecicle-Face” (some of this last sentence may be inaccurate). 

Following our meal, we hit the arcades. Again. Seriously. This is becoming something of an obsession. But so long as we’re winning, what’s the problem? Laden with further armfuls of arcadian spoils, we stroll back through the seedier parts of Kabukicho (itself a pretty seedy part), before calling it a night. Night!

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Louise & Rob: Day Seven

We both wake up really excited this morning – we’re going to Disneyland! It’s been a dream of Louise’s to go for a long time, so she’s making herself dizzy with anticipation. We decide to eat breakfast and calm ourselves down with a quick play on Animal Crossing. We set off for the train station and take the Chuo line to Tokyo Station where we’ll catch our connecting train to Maihama. We take escalator after escalator following the Japanese rule of keeping to your own side, before realising how far we’ve gone down. Louise has a headache so we duck into a chemist and spend a while pointing at our heads and trying to master the Japanese words for my head hurts. Zutsu desu!

On the train we meet a fellow Brit who tells us about a Moomin Cafe in Koraku-en. Louise almost explodes with excitement – high tea with Moominmama sounds like a great way to pass the time!

When we arrive at Disneyland we cross a huge bridge, of which each of the knobs are a Disney character. It already feels quite magical. It’s October so the park is all decked out in Halloween splendour – Halloween is huge business in Japan it seems, with shops and buildings covered in spider garlands and pumpkin-related stuff. It’s also the park’s 25th birthday, so there are lots of Halloween-coloured 25s everywhere.

On our way in we notice fancy headgear on pretty much everyone we pass, Tiggers, Pirates and Stitches – oh my! It would be rude not to join in, so we head to the conveniently placed shop and Louise picks a Stitch hat, while Rob rejects the Cheshire Cat and Tigger before settling on a pirate bandana (but not before Louise snaps an incriminating picture!)

Rob tries to tear Louise away from the shop, but she manages to buy Stitch chopsticks before leaving. We’re so excited to be here that we wander around in awe for a while, viewing Cinderella’s castle, a collage made entirely out of thousands of smiles, and a peaceful corner where Snow White was hiding out by a waterfall, singing.

We join the queue for a Nightmare Before Christmas haunted mansion ride, just as it starts to rain – great big fat rain. We shelter under Louise’s umbrella and wait with anticipation...

After 40 minutes of non-stop queuing – Louise’s feet are hurting and Rob keeps saying “we’re almost there, I can see it! Oh wait, there’s another bend....”

After an hour and 15 minutes of queuing we’re mildly entertained by a parade, glowing lights and Daisy Duck in a raincoat.

After an hour and 40 minutes of queuing we finally pass our final pumpkin spiral and get to the front – whey!

The ride itself turns out, amazingly, to be more than worth the wait! We start out in a big, dark, scary room packed with people, where we are treated to Nightmare Before Christmas clips, before we move on to the ride proper – in creepy carriages flanked with giant claws, which take us past re-enacted scenes from the film, before we see a room of ghosts. Not your average sheets-on-robots ghosts – no, not here. These are actual, proper ghosts! Well, they seem like it: spectral, translucent figures drifting through a haunted ballroom with no strings, wires or video screens to be seen. Amazing,

Upon exiting the ride, we see the rain’s not eased up. We buy some disposable raincoats, which have to be among the least comfortable (and tiny) clothes in the world. They’re soon ditched in favour of Rob’s hoodie and Stitch’s waterproof properties.

We go and buy tortilla hotdogs, oolong tea and churro – all that queuing’s hungry work! We shelter in a tunnel lined with shops and huddled masses while we finish our meal, and go on our way.

Next stop – Splash Mountain! Well, it’s not like it can make us any wetter than we already are... What’s a nice fun ride for most children is actually a white-knuckle affair for Rob, so he’s apprehensive – but Louise convinces him, and he faces his fears... We’re once again fooled by the bendy queue (We’re nearly there! Oh no, there’s another bit...), and we’re once again in for a very long wait – but once again it’s worth it, and Splash Mountain lives up to all expectations! As always with these things, Rob spends the whole time terrified and clutching the safety bar, while Louise is unfazed and enjoys the whole thing – and yet somehow the photo at the end shows a cool-as-a-cucumber Rob and a scaredy-cat Louise. Just like always...

We head to Western Land, where we demonstrate our shooting skills. Rob gets 9/10 and can’t believe he missed one... Consarn it pardner!

We set a course for the illuminated Disney Castle, like moths to a giant, castle-shaped light, where we take the obligatory peace-sign pictures.

Hello Adventure Land! We queue for a River Cruise, and feel pleased when we’re on the ride in under half an hour! The cruise is great fun despite being narrated in Japanese, the hammy tour guide makes up for it with amazing facial expressions, gunfire and intermittent WAH!s

We head back to cafe where we saw a pumpkin-themed menu, but surprise surprise – there’s a mahoosive queue. We shun the queue and head over to Captain Hooks for a giant wedge of pizza and honey dessert.

We wander around, not wanting the day to end quite yet, and visit Pooh’s house, before buying a huge tub of chocolate popcorn – yummy!

As the rain is getting heavier yet, and Louise’s shoes have started to leak we decide to leave, but just as we are we spot a huge illuminated parade, all decked out in cute crayon-coloured macs and umbrellas.

After the parade we leave via the shops, where Louise picks up some dry socks (Stitch of course...), a couple of drinks glasses (guess who...) and a few other bits and pieces, prompting the sales girl to shout “Stitch!, you like Stitch!”

Louise’s secret is out! After a quick mop up and a change of shoes, we take the train back to Shinjuku, and curl up in the hotel with a few beers and munched on chocolate popcorn. 

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Louise & Rob: Day Five

We wake early to a fresh fruit breakfast while watching Sunday morning anime, which appears to be about football-playing robots...’cept it’s all in Japanese – obviously. How we love Japanese TV. We make our way to the train station – excited about leaving Tokyo for the first time. We catch the train and end up nose to armpit with what seems like the entire population of Tokyo, including a group of anime-styled teenagers who spend the journey on their mobile phones and pulling faces at each other. Kamakura seems an awful long way away when you’re stuffed into a train car on a hot day.

When we arrive we decide to head downhill which Rob thinks will lead us to the beach, on our way we pass a tiny sushi shop, and after deliberating what’s in the interesting looking fishy ones pick cucumber maki rolls. Food in hand we pass by roadside shrines – filled with fresh flowers, incense, books and food offerings.

We’re also really amused by the sight of a KFC complete with full-size Colonel Sanders statue. Awesome.

The beach is a huge sandy stretch, surrounded by grassy hills and mountains – and the occasional mysterious sign, which seems to feature a huge black bird with some sort of warning...great. We debate whether this means we’re going to be eaten, or taken on a jolly flight. But by this time we’re starving so sit down to eat our sushi on the beach, watching local families paddle in the surf and poke sticks at crabs.

As we’re eating we become aware we’re being scouted out by giant black birds – which Rob suggests could be kites. However for now they seem to not be killing us – which is good. We do finish our meal more hastily than before though while keeping an eye on the birds.

After checking our guidebook we decide to head towards the giant bronze Buddha. We get distracted by a vending machine – Louise gets a peach drink, which tastes just like eating a peach. Japan feels a little bit like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory sometimes. We get completely lost and end up in a suburb-style area with some seriously big houses. We finally give in and decide to ask for directions and after being set on the right track we shelter from the blazing sun in a German-style cafe tucked off the main street.

Louise orders a mouse-shaped bun and is enthralled by the weird spiky flower on the table. After a cooling drink and sweet treat we head back onto the Buddha trail. We dip in and out of shops and realise how big an influence Hawaii has here. All of the shops are tuned into Hawaiian radios, and all seem to sell surfing gear, alongside wooden novelties and string dolls.

The day is so hot we grab a triangular icecream as we make our final ascent towards the Buddha. We pay a tiny amount to get in and are handed a wad of leaflets. And then we see the Buddha – it’s huge. There are huge pots of incense burning and plates piled high with oranges, and fresh flowers, and people. The whole area is vibrant and busy.

We both light a tightly packed bundle of incense, and decide not to go inside the Buddha’s claustrophobia-inducing belly despite the fact it’s ridiculously cheap. We look around the surrounding gardens and sit down in a shady secluded spot – it’s such a hot day.

After a quick recharge Louise is eager to be up and off again, but Rob has other plans...

Unbeknownst to Louise, Rob has been planning to propose this holiday, and this seems like the perfect time and place. By and large it goes well – especially when she says ‘yes’! The ring is only a makeshift one, purchased on the sly from a gift shop earlier in the day, and costing the princely sum of Y380. It’s a pink heart set in silver metal and Louise had wanted it when she saw it in the shop, but it didn’t fit the finger she was thinking of. Fortunately it fits her ring finger just fine!

We spend the rest of the day in a happy glow, ecstatically hopping from shop to shop, looking at gifts and planning our future. We’re so overjoyed we don’t even mind being crammed in the train on the way back.

On arriving in Shinjuku we return to the hotel for a bit of a rest before heading into Kabukicho for our evening meal and another night in the amusements. We find a tonkatsu restaurant which boasts sublime complimentary green tea, as well as delicious tonkatsu which we eat surrounded by businessmen and enjoy the boisterous, but smoky, atmosphere.

In the arcades we win Spirited Away playing cards and a Catbus flannel on the UFO catchers – thanks to Louise’s sheer skill. We also have a good go on the Taiko drumming game – a fantastic way of expending calories and by the time we’re done our arms are ready to drop off. Rob scores high while Louise bops along to the cheerful J-Pop beats.

We head back tired but happy, and so ends the best day of the best holiday of our lives so far.

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Meiji Jingu

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Meiji Jingu (明治神宮) is a Shinto Shrine in Harajuku dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The shrine is set within a forest and includes a beautiful, traditional Japanese garden as well as the shrine itself.

The gardens of the shrine are very tranquil, and are a haven away from the bustle of Harajuku, it's a wonderful place for quiet reflection, and sun-dappled walks.

Information

• The shrine has variable opening times throughout the year, but is generally open between the hours of 7am-4pm, it's best to check the official website for more thorough information. The garden is open 9am-4.30pm Mar-Oct, and 9am-4pm Nov-Feb.
• Entry to the shrine is free, while a garden ticket costs 500JPY (around £4)
• Official website:  http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/

How To Get There

The shrine is about a 1 minute walk from Harajuku station, which is on the main Yamanote loop

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Kamakura Daibutsu & Kotoku-in Complex

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Daibutsu / 大仏 is the Japanese term for a large statue of Buddha - it quite literally means 'giant' (dai) 'Buddha' (butsu). There are many examples throughout Japan, ranging from the old (Asuka-dera in 609 AD) to the new (Ushiku Daibutsu was created in 1993).

All are large, imposing, beautiful and magnificent. One of the more famous examples is the Kamakura Daibutsu in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, which was created in around 1250 AD. It was made more famous in a Rudyard Kipling poem, and is a destination for countless visitors annually.

We were lucky enough to visit this particular spectacle ourselves, and in fact it was under Kamakura Daibutsu's watchful gaze that we got engaged, back in 2008. We can attest to its impressive, imposing presence, even if it didn't happen to be the most memorable part of the excursion for us that day...

The Buddha is situated in Kotoku-in complex with a few of the usual findings in a Japanese shrine, such as incense and trinket sellers, and fortunes. 

The walk up is also rather nice, with a number of stalls and shops selling traditional Japanese food, souvenirs and other bits and pieces.

Information

• Open 7am-5.30pm
• Entrance to the complex costs 200JPY, with entrance to the actual Buddha costing 20JPY
• Official website:  http://www.kotoku-in.jp/en/top.html

How To Get There

The Kotoku-in complex is within walking distance of Kamakura station, which can be accessed via the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line from Shinjuku, or the JR Yokosuka Line from Tokyo Station.

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Kamakura

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Kamakura (鎌倉市) is a coastal city in Kanagawa and is a popular daytrip from Tokyo.

The beach at Kamakura is popular with families and watersports enthusiasts. The surrounding area has a very Hawaiian-theme, with nearby shops and restaurants playing crackly Hawaiian radio and peddling beachy goodies.

However, the main draw to Kamakura is not the beach, but the large number of temples and shrines, including Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine, the largest Shinto shrine in Kamakura, Sasuka-no Inari, a quirky shrine with small fox statues and Daibutsu, the giant bronze buddha. 

The walk up towards the Daibutsu is particularly lovely with lots of traditional shops and food stalls offering icecream, biscuits, rice balls and more. 


The temples and shrines can be walked to on a hiking trail, find out more here: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3113.html

How To Get There

The best way to get to Kamakura is to travel from Shinjuku on the JR Shonan Shinjuku Line.

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Hakone

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Ueno Zoo

Ueno Zoo (恩賜上野動物園 Onshi Ueno Dōbutsuen) is about a five minute walk from Ueno Station, a main point on the Yamanote line, and is set within the beautiful Ueno Park, a melting pot of parkland, museums and other attractions.


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The zoo is home to more than 2600 individuals representing over 460 species, highlights include the red panda, Western lowland gorilla, aye ayes, fennec foxes and shoebills.

The zoo also has a number of restuarants and vending machines, with ice creams, hot and cold drinks and meals. There are also picnic spots. Toilets and gift shops are also readily available.

Information 

• Open 9.30am-5.30pm
• Closed Mondays, or Tuesdays if Monday is a public holiday
• Admission Fee: Adult: 600JPY, 65+: 300JPY, 13-15yrs: 200JPY, 0-12yrs: free
• Official website: http://www.tokyo-zoo.net/english/ueno/

How To Get There

The zoo is five minutes walk from Ueno Station, which is linked to all major stations by the Yamanote line.

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Studio Ghibli Museum

Nestled in a park in Mitaka, Tokyo, is the Ghibli Museum (三鷹の森ジブリ美術館). The Mecca of anime fans everywhere, it's a wonderful celebration of the magic created by the studio through its many films. It was designed by Hayao Miyazaki (the director of many Ghibli films) himself, with the view of creating a museum that both young and old alike can get lost in.

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Getting a ticket can be a little difficult if you are not based in Japan, however JTB (Japanese Travel Bureau) affiliates My Bus will sort you out tickets for just 1000JPY, about £8. It's worth remembering that the museum is very popular, so it's worth snapping up your tickets as soon as possible (My Bus release them 3 months in advance). However if you do want to chance it, and can understand written Japanese then tickets can be purchased at Lawson stores over in Japan. However I would recommend My Bus, as when tickets are bought from Lawson (although they are cheaper) they are timed tickets, so you only get 3 hours to look around, whereas when tickets are bought via My Bus you get the whole day to explore.

When you arrive in Mitaka you can either walk through the park to the museum, or grab the brilliantly decorated local bus service.

The museum itself is a hodgepodge of funny shaped little buildings, all crawling with ivy and other plant material, with lots of little surprises everywhere, from stained glass windows to small details such as taps and floor tiles.

 Upon arrival you get a nice surprise in the ticket booth, before (hopefully) realising that the real entrance is just a little further up the path. Once at the entrance a guide will check your passport details against your paper ticket, before allowing you to enter. Security is tight, but smiley.

 Photo from: Studio Ghibli Museum

Once you are allowed inside, there is an amazing fresco painted on the walls and ceiling of the entrance hall. After you've gaped at this for a little while you can approach the ticket desk and have your paper ticket swapped for a lovely proper ticket, featuring animation cells from one of Ghibli's films.

Then, you're in - properly! The main hall is full of shimmering lights and metalwork. It's clear from the beginning Miyazaki has put as much effort into the details here as he would his animations.

  Photo from: Studio Ghibli Museum

Moving on, there is a room featuring a series of animation-themed exhibits which change over time. However one mainstay seems to be a My Neighbour Totoro-themed zoetrope.

Photo from: Flixster

Up a floor is a mock up of an artist's studio which is stuffed to the gills with...well stuff. Random bits and pieces inspired by Miyazaki and Takahata's studios, as well as hundreds of colour sketches from the Ghibli films. 

  Photo from: Studio Ghibli Museum

There's also a giant catbus room, where school-aged children can see what it is like to clamber aboard the furry animal (while making all the otaku adults jealous!)

  Photo from: Studio Ghibli Museum

And one of the highlights of the museum is the Laputa-esque roof garden, complete with futuristic cube and giant robot soldier.

   Photo from: Studio Ghibli Museum

Be sure to take the time to check out the musical insect seats and ridiculously funny water fountain (press it - you'll see what we mean!) on your way up to the roof garden. 

Perhaps the best part of going to the museum is the chance to visit the Saturn Theatre - where you can view an exclusive Studio Ghibli short. These films are never shown anywhere else, so seeing one is really quite a special experience.

 Photo from: Studio Ghibli Museum

Once you have explored the museum you should head out to the roof terrace and either grab a quick snack (hotdogs, icecream and drinks) from the small hole in the wall servery or join the queue to get into the Straw Hat Cafe - which serves delicious local produce in sandwichs, soups and pastas as well as giant cakes and non-alcoholic cocktails. 

Photo from: Kaz

And then - possibly the best bit! - there are two shops to browse! Mamma Auito, which sells a variety of merchandise, including giant Totoro plushies, jigsaw puzzles and musical ornaments, and Trihawks, which sells beautiful Studio Ghibli art books alongside books recommened by Studio Ghibli members.

 Photo from: Studio Ghibli Museum

So take some time out, visit the Ghibli Museum in leafy Mitaka and remember what it is like to look through the eyes of a child.

Information

• Open 10am-6pm 
• Generally closed Tuesdays
• Admission Fee: Adult: 1000JPY, 13-18 years old: 700JPY, 7-12 years old: 400JPY, 4-6 years old: 100 JPY
• Local bus: 300JPY return

How To Get There

Map from: Studio Ghibli Museum

You can get to Mitaka from Shinjuku station by taking the JR Chuo line. The ride is approximately 20 minutes and costs under 500JPY.

You then take the Mitaka South Exit, from here you can walk through Inokashira Park or you can catch the community bus at the well-signposted bus stop just outside of the station (bus stop #9).

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