Ghibli Museum shows the Cute side of Tokyo

This museum is by far the best thing about staying in Tokyo. The building is a delight to the eyes form the beginning to the end. Totoro, a giant stuffed rabbit character from one of Hayao Miyazaki's movies greets you while you walk to the entrance. Once you enter the building you are given a ticket to an animated movie of Miyazaki's that is only shown in his museum.

The movie I saw in the museum was about sumo wrestling rats. It was adorable in typical Miyazaki style. The movies alternate between about seven different original animations. I don't want to give away the film but it was cute like most Japanese animated movies.

The cute theme found in Japanese culture continues throughout the Ghibli Museum. There are small doors for children to run through on the first floor as well as metal spiral staircase that goes nowhere.

The second floor has sketches and storyboards from Miyazaki's movies on one side and a room showing scenes from the other short films that the museums alternates on the other side. The room with Miyazaki's work in it was absolutely beautiful. It shows the characters and scenery in various stages of completion and color. The final pieces are absolutely stunning. The museum also has a cafe which sells everything from hot dogs to ice cream and fancy cakes.

The third floor has a gift shop and a play area for small kids to climb on the cat bus, another character from a Miyazaki movie. Outside the third floor is another metal spiral staircase leading to the roof. On the roof is a statue of a Robot Soldier from the movie "Castle in the Sky."

The architecture of the buildings of the Ghibli Museum are designed to look like the cute buildings in his movies. They continue the Japanese love for cute designs throughout the whole museum.

If you love the Japanese cute themes or Miyazaki's movies you have to stop into the Ghibli Museum. It is a fantastic adventure that brings you back to your childhood.