Hayao Miyazaki’s films are timeless, beautiful pieces of art that capture imagination and tell amazing stories. It should come as no surprise that a clock designed by Miyazaki, and his Studio Ghibli team is no less a work of art. Recently our friend YukenDoIt had the chance to check out the “NI-Tele Really BIG Clock” in the Shiodome section of Tokyo, right in the headquarters of Nippon Television at the Nittelle Tower.
So a little background and information on the clock. It’s 3 stories tall, 60 feet wide and uses over 20 tons of copper and steel. The clock has 30 mechanical vignettes, and uses original music. The vignettes happen at different times throughout the day, and each one is a full, real show.
Of course the immediate question is “What movie is this from?” but it’s not really from any movie in particular, though you can definitely feel the steam punk aesthetic from Howl’s Moving Castle, which was developed around the same time as the clock, which debuted in 2006. The clock is right around the corner from the Ghibli Museum, and is even built by the same guy who built the giant robot on the top of the museum. It’s free to see the clock, though you’ll want to get there about 3-5 minutes before the top of the hour, as it goes through a full show. The clock, as a side effect, also tells time…but is that what you’re really going for?
Stay tuned for more, and be sure to get social with us on Facebook and follow along with us on Twitter @BehindThrills for the latest updates!
For our latest theme park videos please be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube!
