“This week, we introduce you our secret favourite place ‘women’s restroom'”.

Back in February, the Ghibli Museum announced it would be closing its doors temporarily, in line with Tokyo’s requests for people to avoid large crowds to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Three months later, the museum is still closed as Tokyo remains under a state of emergency. However, with fans of Studio Ghibli wondering when they’ll be able to step into the whimsical space again, staff are now uploading video diaries on YouTube for people around the world to enjoy.

This rare look into the museum is especially precious as visitors are usually strictly prohibited from taking photos inside the building. Their latest upload is even more surprising, as it takes us into a part of the building many visitors aren’t allowed to enter — the female toilets.

Take a look at the video below:

The bathroom featured in the video is the women’s restroom on the ground floor of the museum. As you enter, you see a beautiful arched window pane in front of a brightly lit Ghibli image that shows Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service running through the garden and into her home. Below the window are two children’s urinals and beside it, a kids’ sink and a baby change table.

As you turn to go towards the adults’ toilet stalls, there are beautiful wooden details that conjure up a European home interior.

▼ And each stall is decorated in different wallpapers.

The video reminds us all of the beauty of the Ghibli Museum, and how the cleverly thought-out details extend to all corners of the building, including the bathrooms.

Last week, the museum shared a video of the onsite Straw Hat Cafe, which looks gorgeous, but strangely lonely without the usual noise and crowds of people, who line up for hours to eat there when it’s open.

Unfortunately, with the coronavirus crisis ongoing in Tokyo, the re-opening date for the Ghibli Museum is yet to be announced. Until it does re-open, we’ll be drawing Totoro, cooking up Howl’s bacon and eggs, eating off Kiki plates and watching the museum’s YouTube channel for more video updates. Because for now, that’s the next best thing to being there.

Source, images: YouTube/三鷹の森ジブリ美術館 GHIBLI MUSEUM, MITAKA 
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