As a country with a long history and unique culture, Japan has many tourist attractions, both for those seeking the old-classic Japanese experience and those hoping to experience modern, high-tech Japan. Many anime and manga fans dream of visiting Japan to take pictures of famous locations from the anime and manga, as well as to see those places firsthand. Here are eight must-see places in Japan that anime and manga fans must 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 states from Ghibli films, rooms filled with production cells that explain the animation process behind the films, and an official Ghibli memorabilia shop. The museum is suitable for both children and adults and has a cafeteria and a coffee shop inside. Because it is very popular with both Japanese and tourists, people are encouraged to secure their tickets by applying beforehand through the museum’s website.
lucky star shrine – The town of Kuki 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 sanctuary offers Lucky Star merchandise such as themed Ema, 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 and around Nagano was extensively depicted in the anime series Onegai Teacher and Onegai Twins. The lake isn’t located near any large or major landmarks, so it may be a bit of a turnoff 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 manga and anime series and can be found in the city of Shiogama in 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 fans of anime and manga will remember from the famous series Card Captor Sakura and Magic Knight Rayearth. Tokyo Tower offers a great view of Tokyo and houses several shops. It is a popular tourist spot that attracts Japanese and foreigners alike. 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 sanctuary was built on the side of the mountain. Those who climb the mountain will reach a viewpoint from which they will be able to 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 that houses nothing but manga! Visitors to the museum are free to read any of the thousands of manga volumes found 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 organizes 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 they are designed to resemble locations from 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.