Studio Ghibli Museum in Tokyo will close till March 17 to prevent spread of coronavirus

If you're heading to Japan, here's one popular attraction to skip in Tokyo, at least till the coronavirus spread shows signs of waning. 

The Studio Ghibli Museum in Tokyo's Mitaka City announced that it'll be closing its doors from Feb 25 to March 17, surprising many.

In an apology posted on its website on Saturday (Feb 22), it stated: "We apologise to our visitors who have been looking forward to visiting the Museum. We shall continue to monitor the situation, so please check the museum website for further updates."

It added that a full refund will be offered to those holding February and March ticket reservations, and that refund procedures "will be announced shortly".

The museum, which reproduces the world of animation works by Studio Ghibli, under the supervision of director Hayao Miyazaki, welcomes more than a thousand visitors each day. The last time it temporarily closed was during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, reported The Asahi Shimbun. 

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Japan has so far logged more than 800 Covid-19 cases, with close to 700 recorded from the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Yokohama. 

As part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus, the government has also announced plans to postpone or cancel large-scale events in Tokyo for the next three weeks.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.  

candicecai@asiaone.com