Exciting summer updates have arrived from Jiburi Paaku, the theme park located within Ai-Chikyuu Haku Kinen Kouen in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture, which brings the world of Studio Ghibli films to life. For the first time since its grand opening, Jiburi Paaku will hold special evening hours on August 2nd, 9th, and 16th, 2025. Additionally, a superball scooping game inspired by Gake no Ue no Ponyo will be available. New food items, including anpan and pizza, are also coming to Jiburi no Oosouko.
Jiburi Paaku opened in November 2022 with three areas: Jiburi no Oosouko (Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse), Seishun no Oka (Hill of Youth), and Dondoko Mori (Dondoko Forest). In November 2023, Mononoke no Sato (Mononoke Village) was added, followed by Majo no Tani (Valley of Witches) in March 2024, completing the park’s five areas.
Summer Night Operations & Ponyo Superball Scooping
This summer, Jiburi Paaku will host its first-ever evening operations on three Saturdays: August 2nd, 9th, and 16th. On these special dates, the park’s operating hours will be extended from the usual 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM.
At Dondoko Dokoro, the rest area in Dondoko Mori, a superball scooping game themed after Gake no Ue no Ponyo will be held from July 19th to August 31st. For 500 yen per play, you can try your hand at scooping up balls featuring Ponyo’s design and other delightful visuals.
Delicious New Eats at Jiburi no Oosouko
Inside Jiburi no Oosouko, visitors can look forward to some tasty new menu additions. At Miruku Sutando Siberi-an, which offers drinks like milk and Siberia (a sweet treat with anko sandwiched between layers of kasutera cake), two types of anpan (sweet bean paste buns) will be introduced on June 25th: one with koshian (smooth bean paste) and one with tsubuan (chunky bean paste).
Each bun is priced at 300 yen and pairs perfectly with milk!
Meanwhile, Kafe Tairiku Oudan Hikou, a cafe designed to evoke the feeling of foods pilots might enjoy one-handed during long flights, offering items like pizza and sandwiches, will add two new pizza varieties starting July 2nd.
One new pizza is the “Coronation Salad,” inspired by a dish associated with the British Royal Family. The other is the “Six Cheese” pizza, available for a limited time until September 29th. This creative pie combines unique cheeses with lemon for a refreshing taste, making it ideal for summer. Both new pizzas are priced at 1,000 yen and are definitely worth trying!
Short Film Screening: Kujiratori
Eizou Tenjishitsu Orionza, the theater that screens Studio Ghibli short animation films on a monthly rotation, has announced that Kujiratori (directed by Miyazaki Hayao) will be shown from August 1st to 31st. This short film is based on an episode from the children’s book Iyaiyaen by Nakagawa Rieko with illustrations by Oomura Yuriko. Miyazaki-kantoku had long wanted to animate the story, which captures the unadulterated, often illogical world of children as depicted in the book. Admission to the screening is free for anyone entering Jiburi no Oosouko, so don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy it!
Tickets and the Suzuki Toshio to Jiburi Ten Exhibition
Entry to Jiburi Paaku is reservation-only. Tickets for August admission became available starting June 10th. Furthermore, the Suzuki Toshio to Jiburi Ten exhibition will be held at Ai-Chikyuu Haku Kinen Kouen, where Jiburi Paaku is located, from July 12th to September 25th. Two types of special combo tickets that allow entry to both the exhibition and Jiburi Paaku on the same day are currently on sale. Be sure to check them out! More details are available on the official Jiburi Paaku website.
Kujiratori
Work Introduction
Shigeru-kun, who attends Chuurippu Hoikuen. Seeing the older boys in the Hoshi-gumi class building a ship with blocks, Shigeru wants to join them, but they don’t easily let him in. The finished ship is finally named “Zou to Raion Maru” (Elephant and Lion Ship) and sets sail to catch whales.
Running Time: Approximately 16 minutes
Original Work: “Iyaiyaen” (published by Fukuinkan Shoten), written by Nakagawa Rieko, illustrated by Oomura Yuriko
Screenplay and Direction: Miyazaki Hayao
Music: Nomi Yuji
Jiburi Paaku Facility Overview
Location
Ai-Chikyuu Haku Kinen Kouen, 1533-1 Ibarag廻間, Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture
Operating Hours
Weekdays: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
(Extended hours until 8:00 PM on August 2nd, 9th, and 16th, 2025, all Saturdays)
Closed Days
Tuesdays (or the following weekday if Tuesday is a holiday), Maintenance Closures (e.g., June 17th (Tue) – 24th (Tue), 2025), etc.
Tickets
Reservation required. Tickets go on sale at 2:00 PM on the 10th of the month, two months prior to the desired admission month.
Tickets for August 2025 admission went on sale at 2:00 PM on June 10th (Tue). Tickets up to July admission are currently on sale (as of June 9th (Mon)).
Tickets are available through Boo-Woo Ticket and other platforms, Loppi terminals at Lawson and Ministop stores, and the Loppi web service.
(C)2001 Rieko Nakagawa, Yuriko Omura/Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli
(C)Studio Ghibli
(C)2022 Hayao Miyazaki/Toshio Suzuki
《Nakase Koutarou》
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