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Ghibli Museum Ticket Guide | Release Dates, Prices and Access

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Ghibli Museum Ticket Guide | Release Dates, Prices and Access

The Ghibli Museum, Mitaka is a much-loved museum near Inokashira Park in Mitaka, Tokyo. If you are thinking of visiting on a trip to Japan, the first thing to check is how to buy a ticket.

This article covers the basics of Ghibli Museum tickets, how to buy them from outside Japan, the steps and the tips for buying through Lawson Ticket, and what to do when they sell out. It also explains how to get from Shinjuku to the Ghibli Museum, so keep it at hand while you plan your trip.

Contents

1. What to Know Before You Buy a Ghibli Museum Ticket

Ghibli Museum tickets work on a reservation system that differs from other tourist attractions. Here are three basics to grasp before you buy: the reservation system, the sales schedule and the ticket prices.

1-1. Tickets Are Reservation-Only With a Fixed Date and Time, and No Same-Day Tickets Are Sold

Entry to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka is by advance reservation only. The museum does not accept reservations or sell tickets at the ticket counter, so you cannot enter if you arrive without a ticket. Ghibli Museum tickets are valid only for the specified date and entry time printed on the ticket.

You must enter the museum within one hour of your designated entry time.If you arrive later, you may not be allowed to enter with the same ticket. There is no set time to leave, however. Once inside, you can take your time enjoying the exhibits and short films during opening hours. On the day of your visit, allow plenty of time to travel to Mitaka so that you arrive within your designated entry window.

1-2. Tickets Go on Sale on the 10th of the Month Before Your Visit

Tickets for the Ghibli Museum go on sale through Lawson Ticket at 10:00 a.m. Japan time on the 10th of every month. Each release covers entry during the following month. Entry between February 1 and February 28, for example, goes on sale at 10:00 a.m. on January 10.

Building the monthly release on the 10th into your travel schedule makes the booking easier to plan. If you live outside Japan, work out the time difference and convert the release time into your local time. Also check the opening calendar on the museum’s official website for closed days, and shortlist dates when the museum is open.

出典：三鷹の森ジブリ美術館「Tickets」

1-3. Ticket Prices Vary by Age

Ghibli Museum ticket prices change with the age of each visitor. Admission is 1,000 yen for ages 19 and over, 700 yen for ages 13-18, 400 yen for ages 7-12, 100 yen for ages 4-6, and free for ages 3 and under. If you are visiting as a family or a group, count the people in each age bracket and add up the total in advance to make budgeting easier.

Note that prices and any handling fees charged at the point of sale may be revised.Check the current amounts on the official sales page before you buy. The museum does not allow tickets to be bought for resale.

出典：ローソンチケット「GHIBLI MUSEUM, MITAKA」

2. Two Ways to Arrange Ghibli Museum Tickets From Outside Japan

If you live outside Japan, there are two main ways to arrange tickets for the Ghibli Museum. Here, we explain how to purchase admission tickets through the English-language Lawson Ticket website and how to book a bus tour with Sunrise Tours JTB.

出典：三鷹の森ジブリ美術館「Tickets」

2-1. Buy Admission Tickets on the English Lawson Ticket Site

If you only need admission tickets, go to the English-language Lawson Ticket sales page through the Ghibli Museum’s official website. On the sales page, select your preferred admission date and time and purchase the number of tickets you need. The page is in English, making it easy to use even if you cannot read Japanese.

Ghibli Museum tickets cannot be purchased through Loppi terminals at Lawson or Ministop stores. If you want to secure your tickets before traveling to Japan, purchase them in advance through the English-language website.

2-2. Book a Sunrise Tours JTB Bus Tour

Sunrise Tours JTB offers bus tours that include admission to the Ghibli Museum. The tour includes bus transportation, lunch, a visit to the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, and exclusive original tour merchandise.

You will spend approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes at the museum. Unlike purchasing an admission ticket on its own, the price, meeting time, and itinerary are fixed in advance. Be sure to check the itinerary and cancellation policy before booking.

Sunrise Tours JTB also offers tours to Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture. Ghibli Park is a park-style facility consisting of five areas and is separate from the Ghibli Museum. Ghibli Park is located within Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park in Aichi Prefecture, while the Ghibli Museum is located in Mitaka, Tokyo. The two attractions are far apart, so make sure you select the correct destination when booking.

3. How to Buy Ghibli Museum Tickets on Lawson Ticket, and Tips for Doing It

The English Lawson Ticket site draws heavy traffic the moment sales open. Below is the flow from reaching the sales page through to payment, along with what to prepare beforehand and what to do when tickets sell out.

3-1. Open the Sales Page at the Release Time and Wait Your Turn in the Queue

Sales start at 10:00 a.m. Japan time on the 10th of every month. If you are buying from outside Japan, check the time difference and open the Lawson Ticket sales page before the release time. When traffic is heavy, you may be sent to an online waiting queue.

Once you are in the queue, do not close the screen or refresh it repeatedly – follow the on-screen guidance and wait your turn. Touching the screen too often can push your place further back. Choose a spot with a stable connection and wait with time to spare. For your device, pick one with a screen that is easy to read.

3-2. Enter Your Preferred Date, Time and Quantity, Then Pay

When your turn comes, first choose an entry date and entry time that still has space. Next set the number of tickets and check the price for each age bracket. Then enter the buyer’s name and contact details, and finally pay by credit card. The input screens may carry a time limit, so having the details ready to hand lets you work through them without pausing.

Once payment goes through, a confirmation reaches the email address you registered. The fields you must fill in and the payment terms may change. Follow the instructions shown on the actual sales screens as you work through the process.

3-3. Prepare Several Backup Dates and Your Details Before the Release

Popular slots such as weekends and public holidays can fill up within a short time of the release. If you have settled on a first choice alone, you will be left hesitating when that slot goes. Pick about three dates you could visit, choose several entry times as well, and rank them. Gather the buyer’s name, phone number, email address and credit card details before the release too.

Check the opening calendar for closed days as well, and line them up against your dates in Japan. As for how far ahead to buy, the 10th of the month before your visit is the first opportunity. Lock in your travel dates by that day.

3-4. If Tickets Sell Out, Check Other Times or Bus Tour Availability

Even if your preferred date and time are sold out, you still have other options. First, check whether other entry times are available on the same day. Then check for availability on other dates during your stay in Japan.

If you cannot secure an admission ticket through Lawson Ticket, check whether seats are still available on a Sunrise Tours JTB bus tour that includes admission to the Ghibli Museum. Do not buy tickets from unofficial resale sites, as you may be refused entry.

4. How to Get From Shinjuku to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka

Getting there from Shinjuku is mainly a train ride. A rapid service on the JR Chuo Line takes about 20 minutes from Shinjuku Station to Mitaka Station. At Mitaka Station, head for the south exit. From the south exit it is about a 15-minute walk to the museum along the path beside the Tamagawa Josui canal. Signboards along the way point toward the museum.

If you would rather walk less, the community bus (Mitaka City Bus) from the south exit of Mitaka Station reaches the museum in about 5 minutes. The fare is 230 yen for adults. Some of the buses carry a design by Studio Ghibli.

The museum is also about a 15-minute walk from Kichijoji Station. There is no dedicated parking on or around the museum grounds, so travel by train, bus or other public transportation rather than by car. To make your entry time, decide early what time you will leave Shinjuku Station.

Summary

Ghibli Museum tickets are reservation-only, and you cannot enter without a date- and time-specific ticket arranged in advance. Sales open on Lawson Ticket at 10:00 a.m. Japan time on the 10th of every month, covering entry during the following month. Prices are split by age, at 1,000 yen for ages 19 and over.

From outside Japan you can choose between the English Lawson Ticket site and a Sunrise Tours JTB bus tour. On release day, have your preferred dates and your buyer details ready. From Shinjuku Station, take a rapid service on the JR Chuo Line to Mitaka Station, then reach the museum on foot in about 15 minutes or by community bus in about 5 minutes. Settle your travel dates early and build a visit to the Ghibli Museum into your plans.

*This article is based on information available as of August 2026.

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