Anime pilgrimage (seichi junrei) — visiting real-world locations that inspired or appear in anime and manga — is one of Japan’s fastest-growing forms of cultural tourism. Japan’s animation industry frequently draws on real locations for background art, and dedicated fans travel across the country to stand at the exact spots depicted in their favorite series. The practice has become so mainstream that local governments actively promote their areas’ anime connections, and some towns have been economically transformed by fan tourism.
Your Name (Kimi no Na wa) — Tokyo & Hida Furukawa
Makoto Shinkai’s 2016 film features multiple identifiable Tokyo locations — the Suga Shrine steps in Yotsuya (where the final meeting occurs), the Café La Bohème in Shinjuku, and the view from Yotsuya Station. The fictional rural town of Itomori is based on Hida Furukawa in Gifu Prefecture — a beautifully preserved Edo-era town where the train station, sake brewery wall, and river bridge all match scenes from the film. A self-guided Your Name pilgrimage can be completed in a single day trip from Nagoya or combined with nearby Shirakawa-go.
Spirited Away — Dogo Onsen & Edo-Tokyo Open Air Museum
Hayao Miyazaki drew on multiple real locations for the bathhouse in Spirited Away. Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama (Shikoku) — Japan’s oldest operating hot spring, built in 1894 — is the most commonly cited inspiration, with its multi-story wooden architecture directly echoing the bathhouse’s design. The Edo-Tokyo Open Air Museum in Koganei (western Tokyo) preserves Meiji and Taisho era wooden commercial buildings that Miyazaki visited extensively during production. Neither location appears directly in the film, but visiting both deepens appreciation of the design sources.
Attack on Titan — Hita, Oita Prefecture
The creator of Attack on Titan, Hajime Isayama, is from Hita in Oita Prefecture, and the fictional Survey Corps headquarters city is based on Hita’s Mameda-machi historic district — a preserved merchant town with Meiji-era warehouses and covered arcades. Hita has embraced its anime heritage enthusiastically, with a large Levi statue outside the station, Attack on Titan–themed shops throughout Mameda-machi, and an official museum dedicated to the series. The city receives tens of thousands of pilgrimage visitors annually.
Demon Slayer — Asakusa & Kyoto
Demon Slayer’s Taisho-era Tokyo is visually inspired by Asakusa — the Senso-ji approach, Nakamise-dori shopping street, and rickshaw-lined river banks all appear in recognizable form. Kyoto’s Gion district and Fushimi Inari both feature in the Mugen Train arc. In both cities, official collaborative merchandise is sold at specific shops; the Asakusa Tourism Federation runs an official Demon Slayer map guiding fans between shooting locations.
Other Notable Pilgrimage Sites
The Washinomiya Shrine in Kuki, Saitama (Lucky Star) saw visitor numbers multiply 30-fold after the series aired — one of the earliest and most dramatic cases of anime transforming a local economy. Chichibu (Anohana) and Kumagaya draw pilgrims from the same 2011 series. Numazu in Shizuoka is thoroughly committed to Love Live! Sunshine pilgrimage, with life-size panels, collaboration cafés, and official tours. The Real Akihabara backgrounds in Steins;Gate are meticulously accurate — fans walk the same streets with episode screenshots in hand.
Practical Tips
- Research tools: Anime tourism databases (Anime Map, Seichi Junrei Wiki) catalog thousands of locations with GPS coordinates and episode references
- Hida Furukawa access: JR Takayama Line from Nagoya (2 hours); combine with Shirakawa-go and Takayama for a 2-day Gifu itinerary
- Photography etiquette: Many pilgrimage sites are in residential neighborhoods — photograph respectfully, don’t block traffic, and don’t enter private property
- Local economy impact: Buy food and souvenirs locally at pilgrimage towns; the economic benefit to small towns from fan tourism is significant and appreciated
- Official collaborations: Check if your target series has an official tourism collaboration — many prefectures issue special stamps, goods, and maps for active series