By Declan BarryGhibli Park Updates Same-Day Ticket Process for Valley of Witches Buildings
From 1 July 2026, Ghibli Park changed how visitors purchase same-day tickets for three buildings inside the Valley of Witches area. The affected buildings are Okino Residence, Howl's Castle, and The House of Witches. If you are planning a visit to the park in Aichi Prefecture, the process you used before July no longer applies to these three attractions.
What Changed
The park introduced a new same-day purchasing process for the three Valley of Witches designated buildings on 1 July 2026. The previous arrangement - whatever it was at the time of your last visit - has been replaced. The specific mechanics of the new system were not detailed on the park's official English-language website at the time this article was published, which means the practical steps (where to queue, whether it is app-based, whether a lottery is involved) are not yet confirmed in publicly available documentation.
This is worth noting before you travel, because Valley of Witches is one of the park's major draws. Howl's Castle in particular draws consistently high visitor interest, and same-day availability for all three buildings has historically been limited. Turning up without a plan and expecting to walk in is a risk regardless of how the new system works.
What You Should Do Before Visiting
Before your trip, check the official Ghibli Park website directly for the updated instructions. The English-language site at ghibli-park.jp/en is the authoritative source, and the details of the new process are expected to be published there. Do not rely on third-party guides or older blog posts for the same-day ticket steps, as they will reflect the pre-July process.
For visitors who have already booked advance tickets to Ghibli Park and are travelling specifically to see the Valley of Witches buildings, it is worth checking whether advance tickets cover entry to these three buildings or whether same-day tickets are a separate purchase on top. That distinction has applied historically and is likely to continue under the new arrangement.
Getting to Ghibli Park
Ghibli Park is located within Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park (Moricoro Park) in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture. From Nagoya Station, take the Higashiyama Subway Line to Fujigaoka Station, then transfer to the Linimo maglev line and ride to Aichi Kyuhaku Kinen Koen Station. The full journey takes around 45 minutes and costs approximately ¥620 one way, though fares are best confirmed on the day. The park is a short walk from the Linimo station exit.