As a country with a long history and unique culture, Japan has many tourist attractions, both for those seeking the ancient classical Japanese experience and for those hoping to experience modern, high-tech Japan. Many anime and manga fans dream of visiting Japan to take pictures of famous places from anime and manga, as well as to see those places firsthand. Here are eight must-see places in Japan that anime and manga fans should visit on their next trip:
Studio Ghibli Museum – If you love Studio Ghibli movies like Laputa, Spirited Away, and My Neighbor Totoro, you’ll want to visit the Official Studio Ghibli Museum located in Mitaka City, Tokyo. The museum offers giant dolls and estates from the Ghibli movies, rooms full of production cells that explain the animation process behind the movies, and an official Ghibli memorabilia shop. The museum is suitable for both children and adults and has a cafeteria and coffee shop inside. Because it is so popular with both Japanese and tourists alike, people are encouraged to secure their tickets by applying in advance through the museum’s website.
lucky star shrine – Kuki City in Saitama is the setting for the popular manga and anime series Lucky Star. The Washinomia Shrine that can be found there was also depicted in the series. The shrine offers Lucky Star merchandise such as Ema themed postcards and lucky charms. On New Year’s Eve, the sanctuary organizes a big celebration with some motifs from the Lucky Star series.
Onegai Teacher and Onegai Twins locations – Lake Kizaki in Nagano and its surroundings were extensively depicted in the Onegai Teacher and Onegai Twins anime series. The lake isn’t located near any big or important landmarks, so it might be a bit of a detour for some, but the lush forest and traditional town near it are well worth it for anime fans. and those that are not. The lake and its surroundings offer many attractions such as forest trails, traditional Japanese shops, activities on the lake and many other tourist attractions.
Kannagi Shrine – Fans of the Kannagi – Crazy Shrine Maidens manga and anime may want to visit Hanabushi Shrine. The shrine served as the backdrop for the Kannagi anime and manga series and can be found in the city of Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture. The sanctuary is very humble and simple. Visitors can find Ema with drawings from the Kannagi series hanging in or near her.
Tokyo Tower – a Japanese monument that anime and manga fans will remember from the famous Card Captor Sakura and Magic Knight Rayearth series. The Tokyo Tower offers a great view of Tokyo and houses several shops. It is a popular tourist spot that attracts Japanese and foreigners alike. The Tokyo Tower is located in Shiba-Koen, Minato, Tokyo.
Bakemonogatari Shrine – The Inari Shrine found in Kyoto was used as a backdrop for some episodes of the anime series Bakemonogatari. It is a beautiful sanctuary located at the foot of a mountain. It is famous for having thousands of Torii (Shinto shrine gates) decorating its slopes and the paths leading to it. The shrine was built on the side of the mountain. Those who climb the mountain will reach a viewpoint from which they can see Kyoto in its entirety.
The Kyoto Manga Museum – Kyoto is home to the manga museum: a school building that was turned into a museum housing nothing but manga! Visitors to the museum can freely read any of the thousands of manga volumes on the first and second floors. The manga museum is not a commercial museum and was established for the preservation of manga with cultural value. For those researchers among you, there is a research reference room with hard to find historical manga. The museum also hosts exhibitions on the history of manga and comics around the world.
pokemon centers – In Japan there are several stores for those fans of the Pokémon franchise. These are called Pokémon Centers and are designed to look like the places in the Pokémon TV series and games. At these centers you can buy souvenirs, view images from the anime series, and on special occasions, download new and rare Pokémon for your Nintendo DS Pokémon games. In total there are 7 Pokémon Centers in Japan. The Tokyo Pokémon Center is located in Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo.