In the past, I’ve written about Studio Ghibli-related places you can visit in Japan, one of those being the ever-popular Ghibli Museum in Tokyo. For theme park goers and Hayao Miyazaki fans, the opening of Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture last November has now changed the game for Ghibli-inspired travel. Here, I’ll compare the Ghibli Museum with Ghibli Park, examining how it makes use of similar design elements in places.
People gather for hydrangea viewing along the Prospect Path at Hase-dera Temple in Kamakura, Japan, on June 6, 2023. The temple holds a 30-foot wooden statue of the goddess Kannon in its main hall, and it’s about a 7-minute walk from both Hase Station and the famous Great Buddha of Kamakura, which has drawn visitors like former U.S. president Barack Obama.
During the rainy season, over 40 different varieties of ajisai (hydrangeas) can be seen at Hase-dera. The Prospect Path, where most of them are, carries a slow-moving line of people a short way up Mount Kamakura, where you can also take in a commanding view of Yuhigahama Beach and Sagami Bay. From now until Wednesday, June 21, a combined ticket for the temple and Prospect Path (with timed entry for the latter) can be purchased via a link on Hase-dera’s Japanese website for ¥900.