Mini Josie meets Totoro at the Studio Ghibli Museum in Tokyo, Japan

Photos from Mini Josie's trip to Tokyo to visit the Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan! 

Hi everyone! It's me again! Boy oh boy, I hope you're as excited as I am because today my host is taking me all the way on the train to Tokyo. That's city with the largest population in the whole world! 

So why are we going to Tokyo you ask? Because today we're going to see the Studio Ghibli Museum in Mitaka! They are the famous animation studio that has produced classics like Academy Award Winner Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, and my favorite, Totoro! (Just to name a few!).

We're standing at the entrance to the museum right now. They don't let us take photos inside (because it's a super, secret, magic world obviously!) so I can only show you the outside.

Behind me you can see the walls of the museum are completely covered in thick vines. The entire museum is topsy turvy, like stepping into a Ghibli themed Alice in Wonderland, and the outside reflects that too. Can you see the thing that looks like a bird cage on the roof? That's the circular steps that you take to go to the roof.

Now why would I want to go there? Because you can meet the giant robot from the movie Laputa: Castle in the Sky there! See? You can even see him from here. He's only very much bigger than me but he's really gentle. Oh, and he can fly. Of course he can fly. This is Japan after all!

You know the inside is filled with wonders galore when Soot Sprites are curiously staring at you through a port side window! They've probably never seen someone smaller than them. 

Soot Sprites! Do you know where I can find Totoro?

*huff* *huff* We're outside of the cafe right now. This museum may not take up a lot of space on a map, but it's many winding stairs, hallways, and rooms can take all day to explore, and even then you won't see everything.

There's a hand pump for you to play with in the courtyard, and a GIANT Catbus that children can actually sit inside and climb all over. Inside there is a mini movie theater where they show short films by Studio Ghibli, made especially for the museum. You can learn about how Studio Ghibli's process of hand drawing all the cels for their movies works too. That's why it takes them so long to create a film, but the end result is worth it, don't you think?

But I still haven't found Totoro! Come out, come out, where ever you are!

*sigh* At this rate... I think I'll wear out my shoes before I find him. Maybe Totoro doesn't really exist. Maybe I got all excited for nothing. 

(Audience: Turn around Josie! There's a secret mini Totoro watching you from the bushes!)

TOTORO! I found you! TOTORO! My herooooo! If only Lissie could see you! Won't you fly back with me to Texas to show them your impressive stature? We have candy!

Yippee! I can't believe I finally met Totoro himself! Smile for the camera Totoro! My Bigger Sisters and Big Person are going to be so jealous! That's right everyone, I met a LEGEND today! What a perfect way to end my visit to Japan. Now it's time to get ready to go to my next host. I wish I could take Catbus! It would be so much more comfortable than the post.

To see more of Josie’s adventures, click here to view her Travel Log!