Eight must-see places for anime and manga fans visiting Japan
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 those hoping to experience modern, high-tech Japan. Many anime and manga fans dream of visiting Japan to take pictures of famous anime and manga places, as well as seeing those places first-hand. 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 will want to visit the Official Studio Ghibli Museum located in Mitaka City in Tokyo. The museum offers giant dolls and the state of Ghibli movies, rooms full of production cells that explain the animation process behind the movies, and an official Ghibli memorabilia store. The museum is suitable for both children and adults and has a cafeteria and cafeteria inside. Because it is very popular with both Japanese and tourists, people are encouraged to secure their tickets by requesting them through the museum’s website beforehand.
Lucky Star Shrine – The city of Kuki in Saitama is the backdrop 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 shrine organizes a grand celebration with some motifs from the Lucky Star series.
Onegai Teacher and Onegai Twins locations – Lake Kizaki in and around Nagano was widely depicted in the Onegai Teacher and Onegai Twins anime series. The lake is nowhere near any large or important landmarks so it may be a bit off the beaten path for some, but the lush forest and traditional town near it are well worth it for anime fans and fans. non-anime fans alike. The lake and its surroundings offer many attractions such as forest tracks, traditional Japanese shops, lake activities and many other tourist attractions.
Kannagi Shrine – Kannagi – Crazy Shrine Maidens manga and anime fans may want to visit Hanabushi Shrine. The shrine served as the backdrop for the Kannagi anime and manga series and can be found in Shiogama City, Miyagi Prefecture. The sanctuary is very humble and simple. Those who visit may find Ema with drawings from the Kannagi series hanging in or near her.
Tokyo Tower – a Japanese monument that anime and manga fans can 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 both Japanese and foreigners. The Tokyo Tower is located in Shiba-Koen, Minato, Tokyo.
Bakemonogatari Shrine – The Inari Shrine located in Kyoto was used as a backdrop for some episodes of the Bakemonogatari anime series. 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 into the mountainside. 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 turned into a museum containing nothing but manga! Visitors to the museum can freely 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 hard-to-find historical manga research reference room. The museum also organizes exhibitions on the history of manga and comics around the world.
Pokémon 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 locations from the Pokémon TV series and games. At these centers you can purchase 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.