You Can Now Take Virtual Tours Of The World Famous Ghibli Museum

If you've ever been to Tokyo, chances are you're at least somewhat aware of the Studio Ghibli museum, situated about a half-hour away from the hustle and bustle of the city center in Mikata. The popular tourist destination has become equally famous and infamous for its strict ticket buying procedures, offering only a limited number in brief windows for strictly-scheduled tours, making it one of the most challenging places to visit on your vacation, especially without the proper planning. What's more, the museum has a policy of not allowing photos or videos to be taken inside its ground so the actual building itself remains almost a complete mystery to the uninitiated and the unlucky.

That's all changing, however. With the global COVID-19 related shutdowns and social distancing protocols in place, the Ghibli museum has temporarily closed and is now offering digital mini-tours on YouTube in lieu of the real deal. Check them out here.

The tours, ranging from thirty seconds to a little over a minute, give everyone with the internet a chance to experience the whimsical magic of the famously secretive museum--everything from the beautifully painted entryway to the meticulously detailed set re-creations to the quaint themed cafe. To make things even better, the videos are taken professionally in the otherwise empty exhibits, giving these mini-tours a considerable leg-up on the stealthily taken, rule-breaking tours taken by visitors you may or may not be able to find if you search around.

So relax, take some deep breaths, and enjoy a mini-vacation into the world of your favorite Studio Ghibli movies. Real vacations may feel like a distant memory, but hey, at least we have this.

And in the meantime, take a look at the new details about co-founder Hayao Miyazaki's upcoming film, How Do You Live? And for more updates on the latest in entertainment, check out GameSpot's weekly TV series and movies-focused podcast, You Should Be Watching. New episodes premiere every Wednesday and can either be watched as videos over on GameSpot Universe or listened to in audio versions on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.