Ghiblets.

Last Sunday was a near-perfect day*. I met Hisako just after 11 and we dropped our bags off at her sister's in Mitaka. With family in tow, we then caught the Shuttle Bus (why was it not shaped like the Catbus?) to the Ghibli Museum.

The first sight I espied was the giant robot from Laputa, Castle in the Sky. So cool! (Also pictured are Hisako's sister and nephew.)

I'm not sure what this carved structure is but it is pretty funky. Also, a fishy bench.

We weren't allowed to photograph the interior so I took several more exterior shots.

The Robot may act as a guardian but it's this fellow that greets you at the gate.

These are the goodies I acquired. A Totoro facecloth, a couple of postcards and an Egg Princess**.

**I'll go into detail about the Egg Princess and the rest of the day later.

*The reason that the day was only near-perfect is because I learned that a good friend has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease and only has a few years to live. I chose to not share that info with my companions before our day out. A wise choice, I believe.