近藤 喜文 (Kondo Yoshifumi)

Yoshifumi Kondo was an anime director and character designer who worked for Studio Ghibli, born in Gosen, Niigata. He worked as an animation director on Anne of Green Gables, Sherlock Hound, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Only Yesterday, and Princess Mononoke. He was expected to become Hayao Miyazaki’s successor when he died of an aneurysm in 1998. His death is said to have been caused by excess work, and seems to be the main reason for Hayao Miyazaki’s announcement of retirement in 1998. Although Miyazaki didn’t retire in the end, this incident caused him to work at a more relaxed pace.

三鷹の森ジブリ美術館 (Mitaka Forest Ghibli Museum)

The Mitaka no Mori Jiburi Bijutsukan or simply the “Ghibli Museum” in Mitaka, Tokyo features the Japanese anime work of Studio Ghibli right in the heart of Inokashira Park. It is a fine arts museum but as expected  from an anime company, it is beyond normal. Centered around the motto “Let’s become lost children together”, the museum was made to be child-oriented and playful.