TOKYO TICKETS · GHIBLI MUSEUM, MITAKA
Ghibli Museum tickets: when they go on sale in US time, and the closed dates to avoid
There are no tickets at the door. The whole next month goes on sale online at 10:00 AM Japan time on the 10th, which is the evening of the 9th in the US. December 2026 tickets open on November 9 at 8:00 PM Eastern. The museum is closed November 4-18, 2026, most Tuesdays, and December 27 to January 2. Rules and closed dates checked on the museum's official pages on October 22, 2026.
Ad / affiliate disclosure: The Ghibli Museum sections of this page have no affiliate links; the official ticket store pays me nothing. I may earn a commission if you buy a Japan eSIM through the Airalo link or book a tour through the GetYourGuide link further down, at no extra cost to you. PracticalPivot is not affiliated with the Ghibli Museum, Studio Ghibli or Lawson. Prepared with AI assistance; the museum's ticket, calendar and directions pages were read on October 22, 2026.
The 30-second answer
Where to buy: only on Lawson Ticket's online store (the museum links an English version) or as part of the Sunrise Tours JTB bus tour. Nothing is sold at the museum, and the museum says tickets bought for resale are not allowed.
When: 10:00 AM Japan time (JST) on the 10th of each month, for every day of the following month. Example from the museum: February tickets go on sale January 10.
Price: adults (19 and over) ¥1,000; ages 13-18 ¥700; ages 7-12 ¥400; ages 4-6 ¥100; 3 and under free.
What you pick: a date and an entry time. The museum says the ticket is valid only for that date and entry time, and there's no set exit time, so you can stay until closing (hours 10:00-18:00).
On-sale times in US time zones
10:00 AM JST on the 10th falls on the evening of the 9th everywhere in the US. US daylight time ends November 1, 2026, so the sale for December tickets (November 10 JST) is one hour earlier on the clock than October's sale.
| Tickets for | Sale opens (Japan) | Eastern | Central | Pacific |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2026 | Nov 10, 10:00 AM JST | Mon Nov 9, 8:00 PM EST | Nov 9, 7:00 PM CST | Nov 9, 5:00 PM PST |
| January 2027 | Dec 10, 10:00 AM JST | Wed Dec 9, 8:00 PM EST | Dec 9, 7:00 PM CST | Dec 9, 5:00 PM PST |
| February 2027 | Jan 10, 10:00 AM JST | Sat Jan 9, 8:00 PM EST | Jan 9, 7:00 PM CST | Jan 9, 5:00 PM PST |
| March 2027 | Feb 10, 10:00 AM JST | Tue Feb 9, 8:00 PM EST | Feb 9, 7:00 PM CST | Feb 9, 5:00 PM PST |
| April 2027 | Mar 10, 10:00 AM JST | Tue Mar 9, 8:00 PM EST | Mar 9, 7:00 PM CST | Mar 9, 5:00 PM PST |
US daylight time starts again March 14, 2027, after the March sale, so every row above is on standard time. Use the free Tokyo ticket dates tool to get the exact time for your own trip dates and time zone.
Closed dates, November 2026 to March 2027
Read from the calendar on the museum's ticket page on October 22, 2026. The museum can change it; check before you plan a day around it.
| Month | Closed | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | Nov 4-18 (15 days in a row), plus Tue Nov 24 | A trip in the first half of November can't include the museum. Open dates: Nov 1-3, Nov 19-23, Nov 25-30. |
| December 2026 | Tuesdays Dec 1, 8, 15, 22; Dec 27-31 | Christmas week is open through Dec 26. |
| January 2027 | Jan 1-2; Tuesdays Jan 12, 19, 26 | Note Tuesday Jan 5 is open. |
| February 2027 | Tuesdays Feb 2, 9, 16 | Tuesday Feb 23 is open. |
| March 2027 | Tuesdays Mar 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 | Every Tuesday closed. |
Rule of thumb: plan on Tuesdays being closed, then check the exact month, because some Tuesdays are open and some longer breaks fall mid-week.
What to do: a buying checklist
- Fix your Tokyo dates first and cross off closed days (table above). Keep two or three possible days, not one.
- Put the sale in your calendar in your own time zone (table above, or the ticket dates tool). Set an alarm 15 minutes early.
- Open the store before the sale. Use the Lawson Ticket (English) link on the museum's ticket page so you land on the real store, not a reseller.
- Have every visitor's age group ready, since prices differ by age, and buy for the whole party in one order.
- Pick an entry time that leaves margin. From Shinjuku it's about 20 minutes on the JR Chuo Line to Mitaka, then a 15-minute walk or the community bus.
- Read the store's own terms before you pay: cancellation, changes, and what you must show at entry. The museum's English pages don't state a refund policy, and third-party guides say the buyer's name and ID may be checked, so bring the passport of the person who booked and enter together.
- Save the confirmation offline (screenshot or printout). At the museum you trade your reservation for a ticket made from a strip of real 35mm Ghibli film.
Getting there
| Route | Time | Cost (from the museum's page) |
|---|---|---|
| JR Chuo Line, Shinjuku to Mitaka | About 20 minutes | Regular JR fare |
| Walk from Mitaka Station south exit | About 15 minutes | Free |
| Community bus from Mitaka Station | Every 15 minutes during opening hours | Adult ¥230 (cash or IC card); child 7-12 ¥120 cash, ¥50 IC card |
The free option: the walk along the Tamagawa Josui canal is pleasant, and you can walk back through Inokashira Park to Kichijoji Station instead.
Sold out? Honest options
- Check the store again closer to your date. It costs nothing to look.
- The official bus tour. The museum lists the Sunrise Tours JTB bus tour as its second sales route. It includes other stops, so you pay for a full tour day.
- Skip resellers. The museum says tickets bought for resale aren't allowed, so a resold ticket can leave you at the door with nothing.
- Do the free part anyway. Inokashira Park next door is free, and so is a photo with the big Totoro the museum describes at its entrance.
- Swap in another timed Tokyo ticket. teamLab Planets, Shibuya Sky and Tokyo Skytree all release tickets differently; each guide has the details.
Plan B: browse Tokyo anime tours on GetYourGuide
Affiliate link to GetYourGuide search results. These are not Ghibli Museum tickets. Read what's included and the cancellation terms on each listing.
Ghibli Museum vs Ghibli Park: don't buy the wrong one
The Ghibli Museum is in Mitaka, western Tokyo. Ghibli Park is a separate place in Aichi Prefecture (near Nagoya), with its own ticket system. If your trip is Tokyo only, you want the museum, and this page.
You'll need data on the day
The bus stop, the walking route and your saved confirmation are all easier with mobile data. A prepaid eSIM is usually much cheaper than a US carrier day pass; the Japan eSIM guide compares plan lengths, and the free option is the museum's paper map plus offline Google Maps.
FAQ
Can I buy Ghibli Museum tickets at the door?
No. The museum says all admission is by advance reservation and no tickets are sold at the museum.
When do Ghibli Museum tickets go on sale?
At 10:00 AM Japan time on the 10th of each month, for the whole following month, on Lawson Ticket. In the US that's the evening of the 9th: 8:00 PM Eastern in winter, 9:00 PM Eastern during daylight time.
How much are Ghibli Museum tickets?
¥1,000 for ages 19 and over, ¥700 for 13-18, ¥400 for 7-12, ¥100 for 4-6, free for 3 and under (museum ticket page, October 22, 2026).
Is the Ghibli Museum closed in November 2026?
From November 4 to 18, 2026, plus Tuesday November 24, per the museum's calendar read October 22, 2026.
How long can I stay?
The museum says there's no set exit time; your ticket fixes only the date and entry time. Hours are 10:00-18:00.
Related Tokyo guides
- Tokyo ticket dates tool: Shibuya Sky and Ghibli on-sale times in your time zone
- Tokyo: what to book before you fly
- teamLab Planets tickets: when to book
- Shibuya Sky tickets: on-sale time and sunset slots
- Tokyo in 3 days: a first-timer plan
- Japan eSIM: which plan for how many days
- Universal Studios Japan Express Pass: which one to buy
- Mt. Fuji day tour from Tokyo: which to book