Having visited the Ghibli Museum in the past, I was excited to see Ghibli’s attempt at a bigger, Disneyland-like venue. Unfortunately, I was quite underwhelmed by what I saw.

Mind you, I didn’t expect a Disneyland. I did appreciate the freedom to take lots of photos unlike the Museum – the exhibits were certainly made to be perfect for camera shoots – but with the amount of visitors it still feels packed and taking pictures of certain exhibits can still prove challenging where many people are trying to get the same shots as you do. Additionally, the way the exhibits are constructed gives the feeling that they just shoved the attractions in a giant warehouse with the jarring roof ceiling still being visible, as opposed to the much more immersive look of the Museum. I guess the name “Ghibli’s Grand WAREHOUSE” is pretty apt. The “Siberian” cake stand is about the only “Ghibli-inspired” foodstuff sold there (the cakes were featured in “The Wind Rises”), with everything else being irrelevant and expensive – not to mention selling out quickly with incredibly long lines. The lack of tax-free shopping is simply the icing on the cake.

The worst part, however, were the cold and unaccommodating staff that really soured my experience. From telling me off for propping up my camera against a bookshelf (which, by the way, you are allowed to touch) to forbidding me from using a spare power outlet in an empty corner for… reasons (My fault for leaving my power bank back in Takayama, but not even any understanding or even any attempt in finding a more suitable place), to closing the queue for the main gallery a whole hour early due to the unprecedented demand, preventing me from taking that iconic shot with No-Face. No apology, not even an attempt at ameliorating the situation. By the end, I felt disgusted spending my money on a ticket.

It’s safe to say that I’m very disappointed in my visit. They either need to work on their customer service, or perhaps simply not sell as many tickets. Until then, I would really only recommend this place if you’re a completionist or a hardcore Ghibli fan. For everyone else, Ghibli Museum, despite being smaller, with almost no photography allowed, and even harder to get tickets for, was so much more satisfying. I wish the dedicated foreigner tickets they sold before the pandemic would come back.