The Cat Bus from the Anime Totoro Serves Passengers in Aichi Prefecture, Japan

Bus 'Totoro'. (Source: Studio Ghibli)

JAKARTA - A low-speed electric vehicle inspired by the cat bus in the Studio Ghibli anime film "My Neighbor Totoro" was launched by the prefectural government in Japan in February and began serving passengers last March.

The public can ride this vehicle at the Aichi Expo 2005 Memorial Park, Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, starting March 16. This route, which takes approximately 10 minutes, will take passengers through parts of the land that are not accessible to pedestrians.

This prefectural park, built on the former site of the World Expo, is home to various attractions including the Ghibli Park theme park, which recreates the world depicted in the internationally renowned studio's animated works.

Hoping to evoke the charm of the magical character from the hit 1988 film, the vehicle features a front design shaped like a cat's face, complete with light-up eyes and seats covered in a fur-like material.

Interestingly, passengers on this bus will receive a keepsake card with a picture of the film's director, Hayao Miyazaki.

His eldest son, Goro Miyazaki, a film director at the studio that oversaw the construction of Ghibli Park, said he hoped visitors would ride the rides, quoted from Kyodo News April 1.

The ticket price is around 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for children aged 4 years to elementary school age.