If you’re planning a trip to Japan and thinking about watching My Neighbor Totoro after checking into your hotel, here’s something that might surprise you.
Studio Ghibli films are generally not available on Netflix in Japan.
I was reminded of this on my flight back to Japan from Paris. The passenger in front of me was watching a Studio Ghibli film on Netflix. My first thought wasn’t, “That’s a great movie.” It was: “You’d better finish it before we land.”
Because once we landed in Japan, it would no longer be available on Netflix.
It sounds backwards, doesn’t it? The country that created Studio Ghibli is one of the few places where you can’t simply open Netflix and watch My Neighbor Totoro.
Why Isn’t Studio Ghibli on Netflix in Japan?
The simple answer is that Netflix’s deal for the Studio Ghibli catalog specifically excludes Japan.
When Netflix acquired streaming rights to 21 Studio Ghibli films in 2020, the agreement covered much of the world — but explicitly excluded Japan, along with the U.S. and Canada at the time. Netflix’s more recent agreement for the Ghibli catalog also continues to exclude Japan.
In other words, it isn’t a technical Netflix issue. Netflix simply does not hold the Japanese streaming rights to most of the Studio Ghibli catalog.
So if you’re visiting Japan, don’t be surprised if the Ghibli movies available on your Netflix account at home suddenly disappear after you arrive.
There is now one notable exception: Grave of the Fireflies became the first Studio Ghibli film to stream on Netflix in Japan in 2025, and Netflix brought it back for summer 2026.
So How Can You Watch Studio Ghibli in Japan?
This is where things get surprisingly old-fashioned.
For most Studio Ghibli films, including My Neighbor Totoro, you can’t simply subscribe to a major streaming service in Japan and start watching.
Instead, the usual options are DVD or Blu-ray, occasional television broadcasts, or borrowing a physical copy from a library or rental service.
Which brings me to our own slightly ridiculous Totoro situation.
My Daughter Has Never Seen Totoro
And that’s exactly why my five-year-old daughter has never seen Totoro.
When I was five, I had a VHS recording of My Neighbor Totoro from a TV broadcast. I watched it over and over again until I practically knew every scene by heart.
Today, Ghibli films still appear on Japanese television every now and then.
The difference is… we don’t even own anything to record them anymore.
Buying every Studio Ghibli film on DVD gets expensive pretty quickly. So, like many families in Japan, we thought we’d just borrow My Neighbor Totoro from our local library instead.
Simple, right?
Not quite.
There’s a waiting list.
And even if our turn finally comes… we don’t actually have a DVD player anymore.
I think there’s an old external DVD drive somewhere in the house. Unfortunately, it uses USB-A.
Our Mac only has USB-C.
All this… just because there isn’t a streaming service.
I never imagined that growing up in Japan would make it harder for my own child to watch Totoro than it is for kids in so many other countries.
Before We Visit the Ghibli Museum…
There’s a reason you won’t find a Ghibli Museum guide on this site — yet.
We haven’t been.
Not because we don’t want to.
Before I take my daughter to the Ghibli Museum, I want her to meet Totoro first.
Hopefully, that guide will come soon.
Quick Q&A
Can you watch Studio Ghibli on Netflix in Japan?
Generally, no. Netflix’s streaming agreement for most of the Studio Ghibli catalog excludes Japan, so films such as My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service are not generally available on Netflix Japan.
Are any Studio Ghibli movies on Netflix Japan?
Yes. Grave of the Fireflies became the first Studio Ghibli film to be streamed by Netflix in Japan in 2025, and it returned to Netflix Japan in July 2026.
How can you watch Studio Ghibli movies in Japan?
For most titles, your options are still surprisingly traditional: DVD or Blu-ray, library or rental copies, and occasional Japanese television broadcasts.
Can I watch My Neighbor Totoro on Netflix in Japan?
No. My Neighbor Totoro is part of the Studio Ghibli catalog that Netflix streams in many countries outside Japan, but it is not currently part of Netflix Japan’s catalog. Netflix’s Ghibli streaming agreement excludes Japan.
Why can I watch Studio Ghibli on Netflix at home but not in Japan?
Netflix catalogs vary by country because streaming rights are licensed by territory. Netflix has rights to stream much of the Studio Ghibli catalog in many countries, but its Ghibli agreement excludes Japan.