<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">A huge grinning Totoro and other whimsical exhibits welcomed visitors to Japan's new Ghibli theme park as three of its five sections opened to the public on Tuesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The attraction in central Japan has been long awaited by fans of Studio Ghibli's beloved animations, from "Howl's Moving Castle" to the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away".</div><div><br></div><div>Now a fluffy Cat Bus, a life-sized No-Face and recreations of buildings from the films are ready for visitors less than a month after the country fully reopened its borders to foreign tourists.</div><div>Tickets are reservation only, and are already sold out until the end of the year.</div><div><br></div><div>One middle-aged visitor, who described himself as "a huge fan", told broadcaster TV Asahi he had been queuing to enter the park since the previous day.</div><div><br></div><div>"Congratulations!" said a hand-drawn note posted on Twitter by Studio Ghibli, illustrated with a row of figures resembling the spirit creature Totoro and signed by the company's co-founder Hayao Miyazaki.</div><div><br></div><div>Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki also spoke of his excitement at a ceremony on Monday ahead of the opening.</div><div><br></div><div>"I didn't sleep very well last night. It's a bit different from a film release," he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Spread over 7.1 hectares (17.5 acres) of a 194-hectare (480-acre) park in Aichi region where the 2005 International Expo was held, the site features large open-air areas in keeping with the importance of nature in Ghibli films.</div><div><br></div><div>Among the three sections now open is the "Hill of Youth", the gateway to the park that features an elevator tower inspired by Ghibli films including "Castle in the Sky".</div><div><br></div><div>Elsewhere, "Dondoko Forest" evokes the retro peace of the 1988 classic "My Neighbour Totoro", with bucolic walking paths and an enormous Totoro figure.</div><div><br></div><div>A major draw will be Ghibli's Grand Warehouse, a hangar-like indoor portion of the park with various attractions, including 14 sets from 13 of the studio's film classics.</div><div><br></div><div>Visitors can stroll along an alley designed to look like the opening scene of "Spirited Away," or perch on the red velvet-covered train seat in a carriage next to the movie's instantly recognisable "No-Face" character.</div><div><br></div><div>Aichi region is predicting an influx of 1.8 million visitors a year once all five areas of the park are open from next year, with an estimated annual economic impact of 48 billion yen ($324 million).</div><div><br></div><div>Studio Ghibli, founded in 1985 by Miyazaki and fellow animator Isao Takahata, has captivated fans around the world with works blending nostalgia, courage, greed and interaction with the natural world.</div><div><br></div><div>The studio already operates the hugely popular Ghibli Museum on the outskirts of Tokyo, which offers tickets only at the beginning of each month and regularly sells out within hours.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>