#Ghibli Museum Raises Over $200K in Covid Relief Funds

You might not know or have even heard of the Ghibli Museum but if something isn’t done fast you never will. The Ghibli Museum is truly a unique place and home to some amazing pieces and exhibits. The museum is one of a kind showcasing the work of the Japanese animation studio Studio Ghibli. It’s a cross between children’s museum and a fine arts exhibit with something for everyone. Some of the features include a replica of the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro (1988), a café, bookstore, rooftop garden, and a theater for exclusive short films by Studio Ghibli but due to covid-19 it is now on the verge of being a memory in history of it does not get the cash to survive.

Recently the city of Mitaka in Tokyo launched a crowdfunding drive in Japan, requesting 5,000 yen ($45) donations .The crowdfunding site, however, is only for residents of Japan.

They received an amazing response in the first 24 hours ANN reports. The goal of 10 million yen (roughly $90,000) was easily met. Currently the crowdfunding page has 22,156,735 yen, which is over $200,000 and 221.5 percent over the original goal. With over a hundred days left to donate to the cause.

In the spring the city of Mitaka gave the museum a grant however it was not enough to cover all the necessary maintenance and repairs. So they started the crowdfunding and launched it to help the museum.The museum ( like so many other businesses ) closed temporarily last year from February 25th to July. This was because of the first state of emergency declared in Japan due to covid-19. It also closed again temporarily again this year from April 25th to early June. This has meant lost revenue on grand scale.

The largest cost to the museum is up keep of course. With the size of some of these displays and the care they need, they could easily turn into relics and crumble along with the museum. They are very detailed as to make every guest feel welcome and enjoying the visit. Tickets are pre-sold and only a limited number of visitors are allowed so as not to ruin the experience. Who wouldn’t want to take a walk through the giant Catbus?

If you happen to make a visit to the museum,check out the gift shop. It called “MAMMA AIUTO!” and was named after the sky pirates in “Porco Rosso“. Here you can find and purchase all kinds of gifts from your favorite Studio Ghibli characters as well as original Museum gift items. The gifts range from normal products likes t-shirts,bags and hats to unique ones such as plush animals,trash cans and more.

If you are not familiar with the studio and museum, you should take a look at the website and see just how special this place is and why it should be saved. If you ever make it to Japan, this should be in the bucket list of things to do over there and make sure to take a lot of pictures. Here is the link to the official website. This news originated at the official Ghibli Museum.