Researched guide · Checked on Oct 19, 2026
Mitaka and Musashino, 15 minutes west of Shinjuku, are the home of the Ghibli Museum. Spend a day between Inokashira Park’s pond and cherry trees, the museum designed by Hayao Miyazaki, colorful art-apartment buildings and an open-air museum of historic Japanese buildings in Koganei Park.
Quick answer
Getting there: Mitaka Station (JR Chuo and Sobu lines)
Time needed: A full day
Best time: Spring for cherry blossoms; book Ghibli Museum tickets well ahead
Good for: Ghibli fans, families, parks, architecture
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Overview
| Getting there | Mitaka Station (JR Chuo and Sobu lines) |
| Time needed | A full day |
| Best time | Spring for cherry blossoms; book Ghibli Museum tickets well ahead |
| Good for | Ghibli fans, families, parks, architecture |
Best Things to Do
Ghibli Museum, Mitaka
The official Studio Ghibli museum at one end of Inokashira Park, in a building designed by Hayao Miyazaki. The rooftop garden has the giant robot soldier from Castle in the Sky, special exhibitions change every year, and the Saturn Theater shows original short films that change monthly. Tickets sell out fast: see how to get Ghibli Museum tickets.
Inokashira Park
A park with a pond where you can rent rowboats, paddle boats and swan boats, plus a small zoo, a temple and coffee shops. Its about 500 cherry trees make it a favorite spring spot. It is about 20 minutes on foot from Mitaka Station.
Reversible Destiny Lofts Mitaka
Colorful buildings that are part apartment, part art work, designed by Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins and dedicated to the memory of Helen Keller. Private architecture tours in English are available by reservation.
Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
An outdoor museum of classic and modern Japanese buildings inside Koganei Park, with English guidebooks. You take your shoes off to enter each building, so slip-on shoes help.
Koganei Park
One of the largest parks in the Tokyo area, with many plum and cherry trees, a cycling course and a barbecue area (reservations required).
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka Campus
Part of the campus is open to visitors, with historic observatory buildings. Solar observation sessions are sometimes held; check the official website.
Food & Drink
- Straw Hat Café at the Ghibli Museum serves home-style cooking.
- Coffee shops around Inokashira Park.
- Kichijoji, next to the park, has many more places to eat: see our Kichijoji guide.
Find places to eat with our restaurant finder.
Shopping
- The Ghibli Museum shop (museum ticket required).
- Kichijoji’s shopping streets, a short walk from Inokashira Park.
Where to Stay
Most visitors make this a day trip from central Tokyo. Shinjuku, the starting point for trains west, has the widest choice of hotels: see Best hotels in Shinjuku.
Search hotels in Mitaka and Musashino
Getting There
- Mitaka Station: JR Chuo Line and Sobu Line.
- From Shinjuku: about 15 minutes on the JR Chuo Line Special Rapid. From Tokyo Station: about 35 minutes.
- From the airports: about 1 hour 15 minutes by train from Haneda, or about 2 hours from Narita.
New to Tokyo trains? See Trains in Tokyo and How to use Suica.
Suggested Itinerary
- MorningGhibli Museum (timed ticket)
- Walk
- LunchCoffee or lunch around Inokashira Park
- AfternoonA boat on Inokashira Pond, then Kichijoji
- Train and bus
- OrEdo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum in Koganei Park
Travel Tips
- Buy Ghibli Museum tickets as soon as they go on sale.
- Wear slip-on shoes for the open-air architecture museum.
- Combine with Kichijoji, right next to Inokashira Park.
FAQ
How do I get to the Ghibli Museum?
Take the JR Chuo Line to Mitaka Station (about 15 minutes from Shinjuku on the Special Rapid). The museum is at the edge of Inokashira Park.
Do I need tickets in advance for the Ghibli Museum?
Yes. Tickets sell out quickly, so check the official website for sale dates.
What else is there to do in Mitaka?
Inokashira Park, the Reversible Destiny Lofts, the National Astronomical Observatory and, nearby, the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum.
Travel Essentials
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Sources
Information comes from the official sources below (checked October 19, 2026). Hours and prices change, so please check before you go.
