Ghibli Museum

If you are an anime lover, this is an absolute must-see for you. The museum itself has massive exhibitions (that they change annually), starting with the Spirited Away Exhibit in 2001. It also has a permanent exhibition showing the process of creating an animated movie. As a special treat to the guests, Studio Ghibli created a number of short films that can only be viewed in the museum.

Some of the most remarkable items are books recommended by Miyazaki that children can browse through freely, a statue of Totoro greeting the visitors, a theatre, and a robot guardian on the rooftop garden protecting the whole museum.

The museum is geared towards parents with children, who will find many ways to entertain themselves, as the exhibits were designed to keep children occupied (for example the Cat Bus that kids can board). The theatre has automated window shades that lower and open up before and after each show, so small children will not be afraid to walk into the room.

You do need to book tickets in advance, as they sell out pretty easily and none are sold on the spot. It tends to be very crowded and there are not many descriptions in English because the museum mainly focuses on immersive experiences, not historical information.