Ghibli Museum and a Sushi Class in One Day

The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka is on many first-time Tokyo itineraries, and it shapes the day around it more than most sights do. Admission is only by advance reservation for a fixed date and entry time, and the museum sits in the western suburbs, about an hour by train from Asakusa. A sushi class in Asakusa also has a fixed start time. Both fit into one day, but only if you plan the order and the travel time properly.

This guide explains how Ghibli Museum tickets work, how to get between Mitaka and Asakusa, and two plans that leave enough margin. It is a planning guide, not a live timetable, so check the museum's official site and a route app before you go.

How Ghibli Museum tickets work

The museum's official site is clear on the key point: all admission is by advance reservation only, and no tickets are sold at the museum. Tickets are valid only for the date and entry time printed on them. There is no set exit time, so once you are inside you can stay as long as you like until closing.

For visitors from overseas, tickets are sold online through Lawson Ticket. They go on sale at 10:00 Japan time on the 10th of each month for the following month; for example, tickets for any day in February go on sale on 10 January. Popular dates can sell out quickly, so set a reminder for that day.

The museum is open from 10:00 to 18:00 and has closed days, including periods for maintenance. Check the calendar on the official ticket page before you choose a date. As of this writing, admission is 1,000 yen for ages 19 and over, 700 yen for ages 13 to 18, 400 yen for ages 7 to 12, 100 yen for ages 4 to 6, and free for children aged 3 and under.

One more practical point: photography and video are not allowed inside the museum. If photos matter to your day, the sushi class is the place for them, because photos and videos are welcome throughout.

Book the museum first, then the class

Because Ghibli tickets are scarce and tied to an entry time, secure the museum first. Then choose a class session that fits around it.

Our signature sushi and matcha class takes about 90 minutes. You learn to prepare sushi rice and make nigiri and maki in English, eat what you made as a full meal, toast with sake (water or green tea is available instead) and finish by whisking matcha. Please arrive 10 minutes before the start. Sessions are usually scheduled at 10:00, 12:00, 16:00 and 18:00, but always check live availability on the class page before you plan around a particular time.

Booking in this order also protects you: the class can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before it starts, while museum tickets are much harder to replace.

Getting between Asakusa and Mitaka

Ginza Line and JR Chuo Line. From Asakusa, take the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line to Kanda, then change to the JR Chuo Line (Rapid) towards Mitaka. Allow about an hour from Asakusa to Mitaka Station, including the transfer. The museum's site notes that Mitaka is about 20 minutes from Shinjuku on the Chuo Line, which helps if you are staying in the west of the city.

From Mitaka Station to the museum. It is about a 15-minute walk from the South Exit. A community bus also runs from the station to the museum every 15 minutes or so during opening hours. The adult fare is 230 yen.

So from the studio door to the museum entrance, allow roughly 75 to 90 minutes. The studio is two minutes from Exit 7 of the Ginza Line's Asakusa Station; our guide to getting from Asakusa Station to the sushi class shows each route. If you are coming from Shinjuku or Shibuya instead, our guide to reaching the class from Shibuya and Shinjuku covers those lines.

A Suica or PASMO card works on all of these trains and the bus.

Plan A: Ghibli in the morning, sushi in the late afternoon

This is the easier plan because the long journey happens before the class, not between two fixed times on a tight margin.

• Morning: take an early entry time at the museum. Allow one to two hours inside.
• Late morning or midday: walk through the park next to the museum, then have a light lunch in Mitaka or on the way back. Keep it light, because the class is a full meal.
• Afternoon: travel back to Asakusa. If you have time, walk around Senso-ji before the class.
• 16:00 or 18:00: the sushi class as your dinner.

Leave at least an hour of slack between leaving the museum and the class start. Trains in Tokyo are reliable, but transfers with children, a long queue at the museum shop or a slow lunch can all add time.

Plan B: sushi in the morning, Ghibli in the afternoon

• 10:00: the sushi class. It ends around 11:30 and doubles as an early lunch.
• Midday: travel to Mitaka, allowing about 90 minutes to reach the museum.
• Afternoon: an afternoon entry time at the museum, with no need to leave before closing.

This plan works well if the only Ghibli tickets left are for the afternoon. Choose an entry time that is at least two hours after the class ends; museum tickets are fixed to their entry time, so missing it is the main risk to avoid.

Who this day suits

The combination suits families and first-time visitors who want one thing everyone in the group will remember. Children aged 4 and above can take part in the class, and children under 4 can come along and share with a parent if you tell us when booking. If you are travelling with young children, our guide to kids in a shared or family private class explains the options.

If the day feels too full, split it: Ghibli on one day, and Asakusa with the class on another. Our Skytree and sushi class guide is a lighter pairing that stays on the east side of the city.

Before you book

Secure your Ghibli Museum tickets first, then pick the class session that matches Plan A or Plan B. Check live sessions and the current price on the signature class page, and add any dietary needs when you book. If you are running late on the day, contact us with your reservation details as soon as you can, but remember that a message does not move the start time, so build the margin in from the start.