Ghibli Museum: in a Glance

Jika anda suka dengan Totoro, karakter di cerita animasi Jepang "My Neighbor Totoro," maka apa yang akan anda temukan di museum ini tidak akan asing lagi. Ghibli museum, sesuai namanya adalah museum yang berisikan cerita, potongan cara pembuatan, artwork dan berbagai elemen lain dari studio animasi Jepang, Ghibli Studio.

If you are a fan of Totoro, a character in Japanese animation story “My Neighbor Totoro”, then you will be familiar with every single part of this museum. In Ghibli Museum, just like the name, you can find the story, behind the scene, artwork, and other elements of Japanese animation studio, Ghibli Studio.

One ticket to fun, Totoro!

Museum yang berada di Inokashira Park, Mitaka, Jepang ini di desain khusus oleh Direktur Ghibli Studio, Hayao Miyazaki. Dengan desain yang unik, bagian luar museum pun sudah sangat menyenangkan. Ada loket tiket yang "dijaga" oleh Totoro dan jadi spot foto wajib di sini.

This museum is located in Inokashira park - Mitaka, Japan and specially designed by Ghibli Studio Director, Hayao Miyazaki. Its unique design makes the exterior of museum looks so fun. There’s a Totoro inside the ticket counter that became the most recommended photo spot here.

Sayangnya tidak diperbolehkan mengambil gambar di bagian dalam Ghibli Museum. Padahal banyak area menarik di dalam dan favorit saya adalah rangkaian figur 3D dari tokoh-tokoh di "My Neighbor Totoro" dalam rangkaian yang setiap waktu tertentu akan diputar dan dengan pencahayaan tertentu akan membuat figur ini "bergerak" seakan-akan kita sedang melihat animasi, namun secara langsung.

Unfortunately, taking picture inside the Ghibli Museum was prohibited. I was impressed by the parts of museum, but my favorite goes to 3D figures series from the characters of “My Neighbor Totoro”. They would be set in a specific time and lighting which made us felt like watching live animation.

Inside of the museum, cannot take pictures on each room sections

Museum ini juga menggambarkan proses kerja Ghibli Studio, dari sketsa awal hingga gambar jadi yang kemudian diproses untuk menjadi film kartun Ghibli Studio yang terkenal.

We also could see the work process of Ghibli Studio, started from the initial sketches, final drawing till the step being processed into famous cartoon movie of Ghibli Studio.

The "Guardian" robot

Bagian atas museum adalah area yang tidak asing karena ada begitu banyak foto robot ini yang sudah saya lihat di internet sebelum ke Ghibli Museum. Patung robot dengan tinggi 5 meter ini merupakan karakter dari "Laputa Castle in the Sky" dan menjadi "penjaga" museum ini.

The upper part of museum looked familiar to me because I had known those images of robot from internet before I came to Ghibli Museum. There was statue of a robot with 5 meters high which was taken from character in “Laputa Castle in The Sky” and became the “guard” of the museum.

Area atap juga merupakan area taman dengan jalan-jalan kecil dan tanaman di sekeliling. Ghibli Museum menarik untuk dieksplorasi luar-dalam, meski saya berharap suatu saat mereka akan memperbolehkan kita mengambil gambar di dalam museum.

On the roof area, we could enjoy a garden with beautiful flowers alongside the path. In the end, though I enjoy exploring all parts of Ghibli Museum, one day I still hope taking some pics inside the museum would be allowed.

@marischkaprue - Totoro is not her neighbor ;)

NOTES

WHERE
Ghibli Museum berada di 1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka, Tokyo, Jepang
Ghibli Museum is located in 1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan  

ADMISSION FEE

Umur 4-6 tahun/ age  4-6 :100 Yen

Umur 7-12 tahun/ age 7-12 :400 Yen

Umur 13-18 tahun/ age 13-18 :700 Yen

Umur 19 tahun ke atas/ age 19 years old and above :1000 Yen 

OPERATION HOURS

10:00 - 18:00

(Straw Hat Cafe open from 11:00 - 19:00)

Tutup setiap hari Selasa

Closed every Tuesday

PS: Diperlukan reservasi khusus sebelumnya untuk masuk ke Ghibli Museum
Entrance to Ghibli Museum is by reserving ticket in advance  

TOUR INFORMATION

Anda dapat menggunakan penyedia tour untuk paket berkunjung ke Ghibli Museum, paket sudah termasuk guide berbahasa Inggris, tiket kereta menuju ke Mitaka, tiket masuk dan guide akan menemani kembali hingga ke meeting point di Shinjuku. Cek harga JTB Sunrise tour di sini. 
You can use tour package available to visit Ghibli Museum. It is included English speaking tour guide, a train ticket to Mikata, and entrance tiket to museum. Your guide will accompany you until meeting point at Shinjuku. Check the rate of JTB Sunrise Tour here 

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Serenity in Hakone: Prince Hakone and Onsen

Jika ingin merasakan suasana Jepang di luar hingar bingar Tokyo, Hakone adalah tempat yang tepat. Kota di Distrik Ashigarashimo, Prefektur Kanagawa ini dikelilingi dengan pegunungan dan memiliki danau biru yang indah. Beberapa kuil dengan torii (gate) berwarna merah juga terlihat jelas di sisi-sisi Hakone.

If you wanna try the new experience in Tokyo apart from the hustle-bustle, Hakone would be perfect. This city is located at Ashigarashimo District in Kanagawa Prefecture, surrounded by mountains and had a beautiful blue lake. Alongside the city, we can see some temples with red torii (gate).

 

Tempat terbaik untuk menikmati Hakone adalah The Prince Hakone Hotel. Saya datang di saat salju masih menutupi sebagian pohon di area hotel ini, namun Prince Hakone tetap terasa nyaman dengan retro style room, kamar mandi yang lapang dan halaman penuh pepohonan dan tentunya pemandangan langsung ke arah Danau Ashi dari jendela kamar saya, sangat menenangkan.

No other place you could enjoy Hakone better than The Prince Hakone Hotel. The snow was still covering half of tress around the hotel area during my visit yet Prince Hakone was still so comfortable. A retro style room with spacious bathroom, green garden, and view to Ashi Lake right from my window so calmed me down.

Jika ingin mendapatkan pemandangan ke arah Gunung Fuji, anda dapat menempati kamar Mt Fuji View Twin Room, atau kamar yang mengarah ke danau jika ingin pemandangan asri danau dan pepohonan. 

You could stay in Mt. Fuji View Twin Room to enjoy the view of Fuji Mountain, or room led to the lake for a beautiful landscape.

Onsen in Prince Hakone, photo courtesy of Prince Hakone Hotel

Salah satu hal yang wajib dicoba saat berada di Prince adalah hot spring bath atau terkenal dengan nama "onsen." Berendam di air dari sumber air hangat di Jepang ini merupakan salah satu must-do dalam list saya dan di Prince Hakone akhirnya saya memberanikan diri untuk mencoba dan ternyata sangat menyenangkan.

One must-try in Prince was the hot spring bath or also known as “onsen”. Dipping into warm water source has became one of my to-do-list in Japan, and finally I encouraged myself to try it in Prince Hakone. It was excitingly fun 

You have to take a bath first before dipping into the hot spring pool, photo courtesy of Prince Hakone

Hal yang mungkin menahan sebagian dari kita untuk mencoba onsen adalah kewajiban untuk menanggalkan semua baju saat berendam, bahkan kita tidak boleh menggunakan bikini saat berendam. Namun tenang saja karena area berendam pria dan wanita terpisah, sebelum berendam kita pun wajib membersihkan diri terlebih dahulu di area khusus dan masuk ke area kolam usai membersihkan diri.

The most reason that hold us to try onsen maybe the rules that we have to take off all the clothes before dipping, even bikini or any swimwear was not permitted. But no need to worry since there is separate area for men and women. Before entering the onsen, you have to wash yourself in a special bathroom to keep the onsen clean.

Photo courtesy of Prince Hakone

Di udara yang sangat dingin saya akhirnya masuk ke kolam beratapkan kayu ini dan menikmati suasana onsen yang sangat menyenangkan. Hot spring bath di Prince Hakone sangat menggambarkan onsen dalam bayangan saya, berada di luar dengan batu-batu di sekeliling, taman dan pemandangan Danau Ashi persis saat berendam, sangat nyaman dan membuat saya enggan beranjak keluar dari kolam.

In the very cold weather, I slowly entered this wooden-roof bath and started enjoy the atmosphere. Hot spring bath in Prince Hakone was exactly what I thought about onsen all this time. Dipping at an outdoor bath surrounded by rocks, garden, and view of Ashi Lake was too relaxing that I didn’t want to get out.

Patrick wants to get out and play :)

If you're looking for serenity in Japan, this could be one of the places to visit and enjoy.

@marischkaprue - she loves dipping in warm water

NOTES:

• The Prince Hakone Hotel terletak di 144 Motohakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigara-shimo-gun, Kanagawam 250-0592, Japan
• The Prince Hakone Hotel is at 144 Motohakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigara-shimo-gun, Kanagawam 250-0592, Japan  

• Saya menginap di The Prince Hakone dalam rangkaian Fuji & Hakone Tour, mengikuti tour ini lebih mudah karena sudah termasuk penjemputan di Tokyo, berkeliling Fuji (visitor center, 5th station), lake cruise, penginapan di Prince Hakone hingga tiket kembali ke Tokyo. Cek harga di website JTB.
• I stay in The Prince Hakone as a part of Fuji & Hakone Tour. Join this tour was a complete package since they also provide you with pick-up transport in Tokyo, touring around Fuji (visitor center, 5^th station), lake cruise, accommodation in Prince Hakone, until return ticket to Tokyo. Check rate on JTB website here.  

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Postcard From Tokyo: Going Around on a City Tour

Saya tahu berkeliling suatu kota baru dengan bus terkadang dapat membosankan, namun ini adalah salah satu cara efektif untuk mengamati dan melihat kota dalam waktu singkat. Pada kunjungan saya ke Tokyo, Jepang, saya menyempatkan satu hari mengikuti city tour keliling Tokyo. Kebanyakan areal yang dilewati hanya dapat kami lihat dari dalam bus namun ternyata banyak hal-hal menarik yang saya dapatkan hanya dengan melihat dari balik kaca bus.

I know going around a new city on a bus can sometime seem to be boring, but this is the most effective way to observe and see the city in a short amount of time. In my visit to Tokyo, Japan, I spared some time to get on a city tour around Tokyo. Most of the areas passed can only be seen from inside the bus. But I actually saw a couple of interesting things just by observing things behind the windows.

 

So here it is, semua foto ini diambil dari dalam bus dengan lensa tele -- a bit ala ala papparazi -- :)

So here it is, all of these photos are taken from inside the bus with a telephoto lens (a bit like a paparazzi :)

 

 

@marischkaprue - a spectator of life

NOTES:

• Saya berkeliling Tokyo dalam bagian dari Tokyo Skytree & Asakusa Tour dari Sunrise Tour JTB. Selain city tour, saya juga berkunjung ke Asakusa dan Tokyo Skytree. Biaya paket tour ini sekitar 6.600 Yen per orang. Lihat keterangan lengkap di sini
• I went around Tokyo as part of the Tokyo Skytree & Asakusa Tour from Sunrise Tour JTB. Besides the city tour, I also visited Asakusa and Tokyo Skytree. The tour fee is around 6,600 Yen per person. See the full info here

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Postcard from Tokyo Skytree

Jika ingin melihat suasana Kota Tokyo dari ketinggian, inilah tempat terbaik dengan pilihan view 360° dari ketinggian 350 meter di dek observasi. Bahkan kita dapat melangkahkan kaki di glass bottom floor dan merasakan keseruan berada di ketinggian.

If you wanna get amazed with Tokyo-view from the top, here is the right place with 360° from 350 meters high of the observation deck. Even we could step on the glass bottom floor and feel the excitement at that height.

 

Tokyo Skytree kini jadi salah satu tempat yang dipadati turis setiap harinya untuk melihat suasana Tokyo. Namun, menara dengan tinggi 634 meter ini dibangun tidak hanya untuk jadi atraksi bagi turis, namun juga menjadi menara pemancar bagi sejumlah stasiun televisi dan berbagai broadcast media lainnya di Jepang.

Nowadays, Tokyo Skytree was one of the touristy places where you could enjoy the atmosphere of Tokyo. However, the purpose of this 634 meters high tower is not only to attract foreign tourist but also as a transmitter tower for many TV station and others media broadcast in Japan.

Saya datang di sore hari sebelum sunset. Dek observasi sudah dipenuhi orang-orang yang menunggu sunset tiba. Di salah satu sisi bahkan saya dapat melihat Gunung Fuji dari kejauhan.

Though I came at noon before the sunset, the observation deck already full with the sunset-catcher. In other side of the tower, I also could see Fuji Mountain from a distance.

Saya memutari dek observasi ini sambil menunggu sunset. Melihat berbagai sisi Tokyo dari ketinggian, melihat betapa padatnya Tokyo oleh bangun-bangunan meski tetap rapi, melihat jalanan dan kanal hingga menjelang sunset.

I walked around this observation deck, while waiting for the sunset, to look Tokyo from the different sides on the top view, at the crowd of Tokyo with all those skyscrapers but still well-ordered, at the roadways and canal, at every single thing, until it’s time for sunset.

Akhirnya saya mengerti mengapa begitu banyak orang yang memadati dek observasi ini di sore hari. Saat matahari turun perlahan, gedung-gedung pencakar langit di Tokyo menjadi siluet cantik, dengan perbukitan yang mengelilingi Tokyo, serta si Fuji-San.

Then I knew what make the observation deck is full every noon.  As the sun set slowly, the skyscrapers in Tokyo turned into beautiful silhouette, with the hillside around Tokyo and also Fuji-san.

Saya mengambil gambar sambil memperhatikan matahari yang semakin turun, dan kemudian lampu-lampu bangunan mulai mewarnai langit malam. Another beautiful sight.

I took some shots while watching the sun keep going down, as lights of the building start coloring the dark night sky. What a beautiful sight!

"Do you like it?" ujar perempuan Jepang saat saya keluar dari Tokyo Skytree.

"Yes, the view from there is so beautiful," ujar saya

"I live in Japan but this is my first time going up there," ujarnya

"Never too late," saya menambahkan

Kemudian kami tersenyum

“Do you like it?” a Japanese woman asked, right after I walked out from Tokyo Skytree.

“Yes, the view from there is so beautiful,” I answered.

“I live in Japan but this is my first time going up there,” she said.

“Never too late,” I added.

Then we smiled each other  

@marischkaprue - Sky is not the limit, she believe that

NOTES:

• Tokyo Skytree berada di 1 Chome-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida, Tokyo 131-0045, Jepang. Telp +81 3-5302-3470
• Tokyo Skytree is located on 1 Chome-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida, Tokyo 131-0045, Japan. Ph: +81 3-5302-3470  
•  Operating hours: 08 AM - 10 PM
•  Harga tiket bervariasi, tergantung usia dan cara pemesanan. Jika membeli dengan reservasi terlebih dahulu maka harga tiket Tokyo Skytree untuk Tembo Deck (350 m) adalah 2.060 JPY (Yen Jepang) atau sekitar Rp. 223.000,- untuk dewasa, sementara jika membeli tiket pada hari kunjungan harga tiket menjadi 2.570 JPY atau sekitar Rp. 279.000,-
• Ticket price depends on age and how to order. By reservation, the ticket of Tokyo Skytree for Tembo Deck (350 m) is 2.060 JPY (Japan Yen) or about Rp 223.000,- for adult, while by purchasing ticket on the spot, the price is 2.570 JPY or about Rp 279.000.  
• Saya datang ke Tokyo Skytree dalam rangkaian tour dengan JTB Sunrise Tour yaitu Tokyo City Tour, Asakusa & Nakamise serta Tokyo Skytree. Jika ingin menikmati pengalaman serupa dalam satu hari (dan lebih mudah karena transportasi, tiket dan lain-lain telah disediakan oleh JTB Sunrise Tour) lihat info lengkapnya di sini.
•  My visit to Tokyo Skytree was a part of tour package with JTB Sunrise Tour which consist of Tokyo City Tour, Asakusa & Nakamise, and Tokyo Skytree. If you wanna feel all the experience in one day trip (gonna be easier since the transportation, ticket, and others are provided with JTB Sunrise Tour) please check the complete info here.  

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