Oscar statuette for ‘The Boy and the Heron’ on display at Ghibli Park in central Japan

NAGOYA — Ghibli Park, a theme park in central Japan inspired by Studio Ghibli works, has started displaying the Oscar statuette for director Hayao Miyazaki’s latest work “The Boy and the Heron” at the facility, after the film won this year’s U.S. Academy Award for the Best Animated Feature.

The statuette is on display at the “Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse” area within the park in the city of Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, until August. The park had announced on March 18 that the exhibit will commence on March 20.

Aichi Gov. Hideaki Omura told a press conference on March 18, “By courtesy of Studio Ghibli, the real Oscar statuette will be on display. Though visitors cannot touch it, they will be able to take photos of it. This has added to the fun of the park ahead of the spring break.” The Aichi Prefectural Government developed Ghibli Park, located within the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, in conjunction with Studio Ghibli and other parties.

Also on display at Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse are replicas of characters from “The Boy and the Heron,” such as Gray Heron and Pelicans.

(Japanese original by Shiho Sakai, Nagoya News Department)