My visit to the Studio Ghibli Museum in Tokyo

I had the fortune to do a bit of travelling in 2009 & 2010 in Asia. I spent most of my time travelling around India and drawing. But I did make it to Tokyo, Japan, and the highlight without a doubt was the Studio Ghibli museum. Although none of the material was in english, it was still a great learning experience about the processes behind Mizyaki and crews sublime animations. I was suprised to discover they weren’t using gouache for those beautiful watercoloury backgrounds but inexpensive poster paint which were lined up by the hundreds in shelves.  One of the coolest things was seeing the animation studios lovingly and meticulously recreated in the museum space. The artist workspaces were packed to the brim with artist’s books and reference of every kind imaginable.  The walls, covered in drawings from over the years. One exhibit that made a strong impression was a giant plexiglass box 10 x 10 x 7 or so filled with the paper of only a few minutes of animation.

The most amazing exhibits were beautiful breakdowns of animation cycles rendered in vinyl on the first floor which were then incorporated in something unlike anything I have ever seen before…. an in person physical animation illusion using the toys spinning through their respective walk, jump, and bop cycles. Photographs were not allowed inside the museum, but I got a few outside.  I left feeling incredibly inspired and realizing even more firmly and joyfully that making animation was my life calling! If you EVER get a chance to visit, I reccomend it highly. Tickets need to be purchased at least one day ahead from any Lawson Family Convenience stores scattered across Tokyo city. Check the museum website out for more details of when the museum is open.