First-ever nighttime screening takes place in the real-world setting for A Night in the Valley of the Witches.
This autumn looks set to be a very good time to be a Studio Ghibli fan in Japan, as there are a number of special events scheduled to be held at the studio’s theme park in Aichi Prefecture.
The first thing to make fans smile is the screening of a brand new Studio Ghibli short directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son Goro, who also serves as park director. Called Majo no Tani no Yoru, or A Night in the Valley of the Witches, the film has been co-directed by Akihiko Yamashita, the character designer and animation director for several Ghibli films, including Howl’s Moving Castle.
▼ Howl’s Moving Castle, as seen inside Ghibli Park.
With this being the first new Ghibli short anime since 2018, the film has already been attracting global interest, but there’s only one place in the world where you can see it – at Ghibli Park. The short began screening in the park’s Orion cinema in July, and although the 170-seat theatre usually rotates through a series of 10 other Ghibli shorts on a monthly basis, the park has confirmed that the short will continue screening through September and October.
This is great news for Ghibli fans who missed out on seeing the film in summer, and the park has another extra special treat in store for its youngest fans, as it will be holding its first-ever outdoor nighttime screening of A Night in the Valley of the Witches, exclusively for elementary school-age children.
▼ This one-night only event will be held in Valley of Witches, which serves as the real-world setting for the film.
According to the official synopsis, the movie follows a “new guy” who has just been hired to work at Ghibli Park. After a series of requests to repair its buildings, he encounters some unexplained phenomena, which leaves him spooked, but his senior colleague Kikue doesn’t seem fazed by it at all. Then, one night after the park closes, the new guy heads to Valley of Witches to work the night shift for the first time, and there he sees Kikue in a cloak, who tells him: “I’m a witch.”
▼ She begins chanting a spell, and when she swings her lantern down… the magic begins.
Though this magical story usually plays out on the screen of the Orion cinema within the Grand Warehouse complex, the special nighttime screening is set to take place in the great outdoors, giving little ones the space for their imaginations to run free against the backdrop of the witch-themed park area.
▼ Valley of Witches is home to a number of buildings with connections to Ghibli’s witchy films, including this recreation of the Okino Residence from Kiki’s Delvery Service.
Though parents are required to accompany their children into the park, the outdoor screening is said to be strictly for elementary school-age children only. Once parents drop their kids off at the Valley of Witches, the children will watch the 14 minute, 21 second short and then be led around by staff on a special after-hours tour, which the park says will include dark areas, loud noises, and light effects. The event runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on 31 October, and although it’s free, advance applications , with a 110-yen (US$0.72) booking fee, are required here from 20 to 28 September.
Of course, if you’re not a child, you’ll still be able to watch the new animated short inside the Orion cinema throughout September and October, as long as you have an entry ticket to the park that includes the Grand Warehouse (you can purchase tickets from overseas here or locally here). To add to the fun, there’ll also be some special events taking place as part of the annual “Autumn Dondoko Festival” which runs from 30 October to 22 November this year.
Some of the events planned for the festival include a late closure on 30 October, when Valley of Witches and Mononoke Village will stay open until 7 p.m., allowing visitors to experience both areas after dark. Valley of Witches will also start its winter illuminations on the same day, giving the area a completely different feel compared to a daytime visit.
▼ Mononoke Village
On 1 November, Ghibli Park will celebrate its anniversary with an outdoor screening of Porco Rosso at 5:30 p.m. and a concert on the park grounds featuring Tokiko Kato, the singer who performed the theme song for Porco Rosso and also voiced Gina in the film. Both the concert and screening are free, although advance applications are required here (tickets to the park are not a requirement) and a lottery will be held if numbers exceed capacity.
▼ Tokiko Kato
There will also be a series of workshops and events on weekends in November, including lessons in how to paint backgrounds in the style of a Ghibli anime on 7-8 November, a workshop where visitors can make their own cafe tray using the same tiles found on the Grand Warehouse’s central staircase on 14-15 November, and a new workshop where participants can create their own one-of-a-kind Totoro plush toy, to be held on 21-22 November. These events also require advance reservations, although no separate park tickets are required, with details set to be made available here at the end of September.
So if you’re in Japan this autumn, you’ll want to put Ghibli Park on your list of places to visit. And don’t forget to hitch a ride on the Catbus while you’re there!
Related: Autumn Dondonko Festival
Source, images: Press release
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