Complete access guide to Ghibli Museum from Tokyo and Shinjuku.

Laputan robot stands up at the roof of the museum.

Laputan robot stands up at the roof of the museum.

I visited Ghibli Museum in this past spring and I realized how popular this site is for overseas travellers. It is not very difficult to access this museum. But some of you worry about language, direction, storage and exact location to catch a bus to the museum. In this post, I use lots of picture to explain about access by train and bus.

Access to Mitaka station by JR Chuo line Rapid train and Chuo-Sobu Local train

Chuo Line Rapid (left/Orange color) / Chuo-Sobu Local (right/Yellow color)

Chuo Line Rapid (left/Orange color) / Chuo-Sobu Local (right/Yellow color)

The nearest station to Ghibli Museum is Mitaka. You can get Mitaka by JR Chuo Line Rapid train or Sobu-Chuo Line local train. Both train run almost same route and regular commute train. Train runs every 5 minutes or even less than 5 minutes. Chuo Line Rapid departs from Tokyo and skip several stations. But Sobu-Chuo Local runs between Mitaka ana Chiba. This train does not go to Tokyo and stops all stations on this route. So if you get Mitaka from Tokyo or Shinjuku, you can catch Chuo Line Rapid easily and faster.

Route of Chuo Line Rapid train (C) RailRider

Route of Chuo Line Rapid train (C) RailRider

Trip time
Tokyo ā€“ Mitaka 30 minutes (by Chuo Line Rapid)
Shinjuku ā€“ Mitaka 18 minutes (by Chuo Line Rapid), 21 minutes (by Chuo-Sobu Local)

Route of Chuo-Sobu Line Local train (C) RailRider

Route of Chuo-Sobu Line Local train (C) RailRider

Mitaka station

At Mitaka station track #5

At Mitaka station track #5

Mitaka station is not a huge terminal station, like Tokyo and Shinjuku. There are only three platforms and six tracks. Please see the map at JR East official English site.

If you take Rapid, you will arrive at track #3 or #4. If you take Local, you will arrive track #1. There are two ticket gates, main gate and small gate that is connected to shopping complex, ā€œatre vieā€. You can proceed to main ticket gate.

Mitaka station main ticket gate

Mitaka station main ticket gate

Once you get off Mitaka station, proceed to South exit.

You will see the sign of Ghible Museum.

You will see the sign of Ghible Museum.

After you exit the station building, turn left and go down to the ground level. You will see the bus stop for Ghibli Museum is located soon.

Can you see Totoro on the bus stop? You can see station building behind the bus stop.

Can you see Totoro on the bus stop? You can see station building behind the bus stop.

How to pay a fare

There are vending machine at the bus stop.

You can use coin and 1000 yen bill to purchase a ticket. Round trip fare is 300 yen. You can't use a credit card for payment.

You can use coin and 1000 yen bill to purchase a ticket. Round trip fare is 300 yen. You canā€™t use a credit card for payment.

The ticket is not very special. You have to slot into the box when you ride a bus. You can't keep it for souvenir.

The ticket is not very special. You have to slot into the box when you ride a bus. You canā€™t keep it for souvenir.

There are lots of Ghibli character on the bus. You canā€™t miss the bus.

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There are several bus stop between Mitaka station and museum. Donā€™t worry. Almost 100% passengers go to the museum. You canā€™t miss to get off.

Bus stop is located just a few steps away from Ghibli museum entrance.

Bus stop is located just a few steps away from Ghibli museum entrance.

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Storage

Most of you go to the museum as day trip. But some of you may go there with your baggage. I had a small suitcase. But it was very hard to find coin operated locker at Mitaka station. There are some coin lockers at the south exit. But all lockers were full. I moved to North exit and found several lockers were empty. Fortunately my suitcase is very small and could put it into the locker. But there is no large size locker. Donā€™t take a big suitcase.

There are lots of coin operated locker in the museum.

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But those are standard size. But you canā€™t store a suitcase either.

Comments

  1. Cecile Ardouin says:

    Hello
    I have failed to secure tickets to the Ghibli museum from abroad via both methods. I know there are no tickets for sale at the museum itself but is it possible to buy tickets at a Lawson shop (or elsewhere) when Iā€™ll get to Tokyo?
    Thank you very much

  2. Jess says:

    Hi ~ how often does the bus run from Mitaka to the museum? Thank you!

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