Studio Ghibli will debut 'Majo no Tani no Yoru,' its first original short produced exclusively for Ghibli Park, at Cinema Orion on July 8, co-directed by Goro Miyazaki and Akihiko Yamashita.
Studio Ghibli has announced 'Majo no Tani no Yoru' (A Night in the Valley of Witches), a new original short film co-directed by Goro Miyazaki and Akihiko Yamashita. The short will premiere at Cinema Orion inside Ghibli Park on July 8, 2026, and is the studio's first original animation produced exclusively for the theme park.
Since Ghibli Park opened in Aichi Prefecture in November 2022, Cinema Orion the small in-park theater located in the Grand Warehouse area has screened a rotating selection of Ghibli's existing short works, including titles previously available only at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. 'Majo no Tani no Yoru' changes that pattern: it is the first short the studio has animated specifically with Ghibli Park audiences in mind, rather than repurposing a Mitaka-era piece.
The new short is tied to the Valley of Witches area, the park's fifth and final zone, which opened in March 2024 and draws on the world of 'Kiki's Delivery Service' and Diana Wynne Jones's 'Howl's Moving Castle.' The film is positioned as an in-universe nighttime story set within that valley, expanding the area's existing attractions.
Goro Miyazaki, who previously directed 'Tales from Earthsea,' 'From Up on Poppy Hill,' and the fully CG feature 'Earwig and the Witch,' returns to hand-drawn work for this project. He is joined by Akihiko Yamashita, a longtime Ghibli animation director and key animator whose credits include 'Howl's Moving Castle,' 'Ponyo,' and 'The Wind Rises.' The pairing marks Yamashita's first co-directing credit at the studio.
Ghibli has not disclosed the short's running time, voice cast, or music staff. The studio confirmed only that the piece has been in production at its Koganei headquarters and will screen on rotation at Cinema Orion alongside the theater's existing short-film line-up once it debuts.
Cinema Orion seats roughly 170 and operates on a day-pass basis as part of the standard Ghibli Park admission ticket, with screenings scheduled throughout operating hours. The venue has been used to showcase Ghibli shorts such as 'Mei and the Kittenbus' and 'Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess,' so 'Majo no Tani no Yoru' is expected to slot into a similar rotation rather than replace the existing programme outright.
No international release has been announced. Ghibli has historically kept Cinema Orion and Ghibli Museum shorts exclusive to their respective venues, meaning overseas fans including those in India will most likely need to visit the park to watch the new work. Ghibli Park is located inside Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park in Nagakute, about a 20-minute Linimo ride from central Nagoya, and advance-reservation tickets remain the only way in.
The announcement continues Ghibli's gradual build-out of park-specific content following Hayao Miyazaki's 'The Boy and the Heron' and ahead of whatever the studio's next feature turns out to be. Further details on 'Majo no Tani no Yoru,' including staff credits and screening times, are expected closer to the July 8 premiere.
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