How to Buy Studio Ghibli Museum Tickets?

Lnivurek on 10/10/2017 - 13:25
Last edited 10/10/2017 - 13:28

I'm planning to visit the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo in mid-December during my stay (November 28th- December 13th) but tickets seem to be sold out for JTB. (and it's kinda overpriced)

I looked at some other places as well:

Bridge JPN totalling around $70 including delivery for 2 adults (seems alright)
Voyagin umm no thanks!

I was actually planning to book via the Lawson website, but I recently found out that a Japanese postal address is required. The convenience store's Loppi machines seem to be a viable, alternate option, however I'm not sure how fast they go out of stock.

So here are my 2 questions:

  1. Am I allowed to put the address of an AirBNB host's apartment/ hotel to buy it online?
  2. Will tickets still be available from Loppi machines when I arrive in Japan? (November 28th)

Advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks!

Travel

Comments

  • 8GB RAM on 10/10/2017 - 13:34

    i have used japanican before, http://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/F601/
    they are more expensive than your link ~$68AUD

  • kerfuffle on 10/10/2017 - 13:51
    +1

    JTB are sold out as you need to book three months in advance with them

  • Blackfyre on 10/10/2017 - 14:44
    +1

    Unless it was changed recently, I didn't need a Japanese address when purchased my tickets (June 2017) through that Lawson website you linked.

    I probably put in the hotel's address if it was required in the form, but my group showed up only with the printed e-ticket and passport of ticket buyer. Real tickets were issued at the entrance.

    • nivurek on 10/10/2017 - 15:11

      Oh I see. Initially I thought they still physically mailed the tickets to you, so thanks for informing me!

  • carwashhair on 10/10/2017 - 14:49
    +2

    For your two questions, I'd say yes to 1) and Almost definitely NO for 2).

    Interesting re: Lawsons. As Kerfuffle said, JTB needs 3-4 months advance booking (which I did first time visiting Studio Ghibli), and I booked booked via Lawsons website in either Feb Or march (can't recall exactly, likely march).

    Can't remember needing a japanese address, feels like that's only a new thing - unless you are trying to buy for a particular day? I remember somewhere that a certain day or days each month are devoted to local (Mitaka) people only. Also, I think the date for buying Lawson tickets online was something like 12pm Tokyo time on the 13th of each Month for the month in advance. They sell within the hour. So that might be affecting your ability to buy right now. Search Japan in the travel forums here - pretty sure I got my instructions to buy from Ozb

    If it's important to go (and I'd recommend it) then even $70 for two tix is acceptable.

    • nivurek on 10/10/2017 - 15:19

      Lawson seems to be open on the 10th of every month for tickets on following month. (which is today!)
      But i'm going during December, so I guess I'm not late yet haha.
      I'm an avid Ghibli lover myself, so going to the museum is a must for me during my lifetime.
      Looks like i can book with Lawson's with my hotel's address! Can't wait!
      Thanks for your advice!

  • nkbswe5 on 10/10/2017 - 14:51
    +1

    I literally booked today for my date. It opens on the 10th of a month for one month in advance. Only cost me like $15pp. So glad I didn't book with JTB.

    https://l-tike.com/st1/ghibli-en/Tt/Ttg010agreement/index

    Can't wait for the 30th Nov :D

    • nivurek on 10/10/2017 - 15:23

      I hope you have fun! :DDD

    • virhlpool on 28/02/2019 - 21:04

      How long after it went for sale did you book your tickets? I would assume they are sold out within hours?

  • Zabar on 10/10/2017 - 14:54
    +3

    JTB sold out of my dates last year, so I contacted my hotel and asked the concierge to buy my tickets. They were happy to do it, I just had to fax (!) through my credit card details and the tickets were waiting for me at check in.

    The Ghibli museum didn't seem entirely happy and wanted to know where I got the tickets from. I think it was becuase the tickets had the purchaser's name on them.

    • Zabar on 10/10/2017 - 14:55
      +2

      BTW, take extra money for the gift shop!

      • nivurek on 10/10/2017 - 15:24

        How expensive is the merchandise generally? Will $50 be enough?

        • Zabar on 10/10/2017 - 15:37

          Sure, there's all kinds of cool stuff for under $50. The movies were super expensive, but there are plenty of smaller items too.

          When I visited, they a deal on a nice book about the museum, and they sell an English language version. It was in the book shop, which is separate from the gift shop.

        • carwashhair on 10/10/2017 - 15:45
          +1

          I thought it was on the more expensive side, but it is all official stuff. Things at all price points (and some expensive, more artisan-style stuff). Depends what you want, but $50 could be gone pretty quickly depending on how big a fan you are.

        • Zabar on 10/10/2017 - 16:01
          +4

          @carwashhair: Agreed, $50 won't last long, but there are plenty of options under that price.

          I've got a couple of receipts here, which might help:

          • Small Moleskine Notebook with Ghibli logo embossed 2400 Yen (yep, this was expensive)
          • Plush Cat Bus keyring/bag hanger 950 Yen
          • Pin 540 Yen
          • Museum Book with bonus (A3 size?) print 1000 Yen

          So that's an example of what you get for around $60

        • lupiter on 10/10/2017 - 16:34
          +2

          Don't forget that there's lots of places (department stores, little shops in malls) that sell cheaper Ghibli stuff. I'd go for buying one nice thing at the museum and then smaller items like stationary or key rings at the other stores.

        • Zabar on 10/10/2017 - 16:55
          +3

          @lupiter: Yes! Tokyu Hands had some cool Ghibli stationary.

  • thord on 10/10/2017 - 14:55
    +1

    It's relatively easy, but you need to book exactly 1 month in advance. They don't open tickets before then.

    It is amazing and totally worth it. Don't miss it.

    • nivurek on 10/10/2017 - 15:25

      I won't :D

  • shakoo on 10/10/2017 - 15:01
    +1

    I didn't have to put in an address when I bought tickets in May.

    Do keep in mind that the tickets for December don't get released until the 10th of November as they only release tickets for the following month on the 10th of the preceding month.

    i.e. tickets for November would have gone on sale this morning.

    as you probably noticed on the site that a lot of the sessions have sold out already. The weird thing I found last time though is that the session availability changes from sold out to available over the next day or two so you may luck in still.

    As convenient as something like bridge.jpn is, the ozbargainer in me balks at paying $70 for two when the tickets themselves are around $12 each through the Lawson site and just printing out the voucher and bringing it along.

    • nivurek on 10/10/2017 - 15:30
      +2

      Agreed. I'm actually doing my HSC currently, but luckily it ends on the 6th of November so I'll be online all day long to secure em :D
      Thanks for your advice!

  • redhatguy on 10/10/2017 - 15:03
    +2

    I booked tickets for the week of Nov 18th today, via the Lawson tickets link.

    The tickets for my dates became available today at 10am Tokyo time (12pm Melb). I went to purchase tickets at 12:30pm, and most of them had already been sold out. I could only obtain tickets to one session, and only on one of the days, so perhaps keep that in mind and get in early. For the address, I just put in the name of the hotel I was staying at. It was a quick and easy process.

    Price was 1000Yen/adult. Although, I would've been happy to pay $30+ to buy from another vendor such as JTB, although they had been sold out 3m onths prior.

    • nivurek on 10/10/2017 - 15:31

      will do!
      Thanks for your advice!

  • 143forever on 10/10/2017 - 17:35

    Also just bought 2 tickets today for my Nov trip on Lawson's website. I bought at lunch time and there were already limited tickets and timeslots left.
    The only form of tickets on this website is electronic, for address I literally wrote the name of the district we are staying, not a postal address. You get an account set up when you book the tickets, the tickets will be in your account immediately, what you have to do is print out the two pages in your account which has a QR code.
    Make sure you write down one of the visitors'passport number as it's required for booking, I made the booking at lunch break at work so didn't have my passport handy, had to go through some trouble to find it. At the museum entrance, along with the print out tickets, the 'group leader' will have to show passport to confirm identity

  • MelbournianBoy on 10/10/2017 - 19:29
    +1

    I wouldn't recommend going - I found it a waste of time

    • kerfuffle on 10/10/2017 - 19:39

      Apart from being too old to go in the Catbus (boo), what makes you say this?

      • lainey13 on 10/10/2017 - 19:46
        +1

        That would be the ONLY reason I would ever want to be a kid again. To climb all over the Catbus!!

      • MelbournianBoy on 10/10/2017 - 20:05
        +1

        Doesn't live up to the hype.
        It is a bit of a trip to get there, train + bus and then most people just seemed to be packed into the gift-shop and left after their free 15 minute short-film

        Not much to see or do - Just a quirky house with very few things to look at/even less to interact with

        My girlfriend and I, who've both marathoned studio ghibli movies and love spiried away and howls moving castle respectively were sorely disappointed

    • anoykw on 10/10/2017 - 20:03
      +1

      I completely agree, i found it underwhelming for the amount of effort travelling there.

  • [Deactivated] on 10/10/2017 - 21:08

    You need to find out the ticket release day, then keep hitting F5 every 15 seconds 10 minutes before release and keep trying to buy until they say sold out, and try again next month. (If you are going during festival season that is).

  • nivurek on 11/10/2017 - 22:04
    +1

    Hey guys,

    For all of those who are visiting the Ghibli museum in November, apparently you are in for a special treat.
    They are viewing a short film from 1-30 November only called "Mei and the Baby Cat Bus" ; basically a mini sequel to 'My Neighbour Totoro'

    here's a brief article about it here!
    I missed out :'(

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