“WE DIDN’T WANT PEOPLE TO FORGET GHIBLI’S WORKS”
Governor Hideaki Omura on Wednesday said that it had taken “five years and five months” to complete the park, praising Studio Ghibli as “the summit” of Japanese culture.
Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by animators Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, and has captivated fans around the world with works blending nostalgia, courage, greed and interaction with the natural world.
Miyazaki’s son Goro told reporters on Wednesday that the park was originally conceived as a way to leave Studio Ghibli’s works to future generations, in anticipation of his father’s expected retirement.
“We didn’t want people to forget Ghibli’s works,” he said.
“But we were betrayed again,” he added with a laugh. “He’s making a feature film now!”
He said the theme park had been designed to have “minimal impact” on surrounding nature, with instructions that “trees shouldn’t be cut down or changes made to the environment”.