ATT.JAPAN × JapanUp! magazine

“Pilgrimage to Sacred Places,” to visit places which appear in and are connected to manga and anime series is what all anime fans must do! Why don’t you visit the “sacred sites” of the latest hot series?

*When you are on your “pilgrimage,” please be careful not to bother neighborhood people and other visitors.

The popular TV anime series “BOCCHI THE ROCK!” that aired in 2022 is set in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo. is music anime is about a lonely girl, Hitori Goto, who loves playing guitar and happens to join a band called “Kessoku Band.”

You can see many scenes with what are assumed to be modeled on real places, such as Shimokitazawa Station, Shimokitazawa Ichibangai Shotengai shopping street, Honda eater, Village Vanguard, and Dongurihiroba Park.

In 2024, “BOCCHI THE ROCK! THEATER COMPILATION Re:” and “BOCCHI THE ROCK! THEATER COMPILATION Re:Re:” are scheduled to be released in spring and summer, respectively. Go on a Shimokitazawa tour and enjoy the places to prepare for watching the movies!

https://bocchi.rocks

©はまじあき/芳文社・アニプレックス

The manga series “HAIKYU!!” about volleyball in high school in Shonen Jump, which has been made into a popular TV anime series, is set in the Tohoku region. One of the modeled locations is Kamei Arena Sendai (Sendai City Gymnasium) in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture.

In August 2023, in commemoration of the appointment of Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama, the main characters of the series, as Sendai tourism special envoys, a monument with an all-new illustration by Haruichi Furudate, the original writer of the series, has been installed and publicly unveiled. This gymnasium offers a facility tour about four times a month (reservation is required in advance).

In the series, there are also many places similar to the scenery of Karumai Town, Iwate Prefecture, the hometown of Furudate. Fans visit many places in the town, which appear in the episodes of the series, such as Karumai High School, which resembles Hinata’s Karasuno High school, the area around the Yukiya River, which resembles the place where Tetsuro Kuroo and Kenma Kozume of Nekoma High School were practicing volleyball during their childhood, Karumai Shokudo eatery, and Takesawa Store.

In February 2024, the latest movie “HAIKYU!! the Movie: The Battle at the Garbage Dump” was just released. It may be the perfect time to visit Sendai City and Karumai Town!

https://haikyu.jp

Kochi Prefecture in the Shikoku region is one of the settings for the animation film “BELLE (2021)” by Mamoru Hosoda.

The film depicts the growth of one high school girl, Suzu, who lives in a country town in Kochi Prefecture. Joining virtual world “U” on the internet, which is called “another reality,” where more than 5 billion people gather, she becomes “BELLE,” the diva of “U”, finds a precious being, and strives to develop her life while overcoming difficulties and conflicts, offering an example of courage and hope.

The river that appears frequently on her way to school is modeled after the Niyodo River. The place where Suzu stands still during an important scene of the film is Hakawa Park, and the memorable place that appears in a reminiscence scene is Yasui Gorge, a scenic spot which has become known worldwide under the name of “Niyodo Blue.”

Many other beautiful places richly endowed with nature in Kochi appear in the film. On the official tourism website of Kochi Prefecture, a guide map for the locations featured in the film is available.

https://ryu-to-sobakasu-no-hime.jp

“BELLE” (special edition) [Blu-ray] 9,680 yen (tax included)
Disk content:
BD Main Part Disk + UHD-BD (Dolby Vision® & Dolby Atmos®)
Main Part Disk + 2 Privilege Disks Produced / Sold by VAP Inc.

Hakawa Park

“GeGeGe no Kitaro” is the popular Japanese manga series which has been beloved by people in Japan for 56 years. In 2023, a movie adaptation, “THE BIRTH OF KITARO THE MYSTERY OF GEGEGE” was released as a movie in commemoration of the centennial of the birthday of Shigeru Mizuki, the author of the series, and became a blockbuster hit.

Here are two spots you want to visit now because we are about to have a new Kitaro boom!

©Mizuki Productions

Mizuki Shigeru Museum (Tottori Prefecture)

“Mizuki Shigeru Museum” in Sakaiminato City, Tottori Prefecture, widely known as the hometown of Shigeru Mizuki, has reopened in April 2024 after major renovations.

It serves as an exhibition facility where you can learn about various themes, such as his major works, yokai specters, and war experiences, by following the turbulent life of Shigeru Mizuki.

★JR Sakaiminato Sta. → 10 min walk

Mizuki was not only a manga artist but also a specter researcher who inherited the yokai folklore culture of ancient Japan and passed it on to the present time. You can appreciate the depth of the world of unique specters, while viewing his major works and collections.

His other important works, in addition to his yokai -related works, are his autobiographical works depicting his experiences when he was a conscript during the Pacific War. His war experiences are displayed along with his autobiography.

Moreover, exhibitions of original drawings are scheduled to be held regularly, making the museum a place you can enjoy new discoveries every time you visit.

Kitaro Chaya (Tokyo)

Chofu City, Tokyo, where he lived for a long time, is the second hometown of Mizuki. In front of the gate of Jindaiji Temple in Chofu, there is a 60-odd year-old wooden building surrounded by trees, called “Kitaro Chaya.” At Yokai Kissa cafe in the building, you can enjoy unique dishes inspired by yokai characters, such as “Nurikabe Miso Oden.” Yokai Gallery displays valuable paintings of yokai by Mizuki as well as Japan Map of Yokai. Yokai Shop “GeGeGe no Mori” sells cute yokai goods and snacks. Don’t forget to check out limited items only available here!

★Chofu Sta. or Tsutsujigaoka Sta. (Keio) → about 10 min by bus | 10:00–17:00 (Last Order 16:30) / Closed on Mondays

①Opening of a New Area at Ghibli Park!

At “Ghibli Park” in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture, which represents the world of Studio Ghibli films, a new area called “Valley of Witches” has opened on March 16, 2024.

The area encompasses buildings of which designs are based on the worlds depicted in “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” “Howl’s Moving Castle,” and “Earwig And the Witch.” With the buildings you can see in the films, you will be able to feel as if you are actually wandering into the world of Ghibli.

Furthermore, the area also has a restaurant, a shop, and fair rides, such as Carousel and Flying Machine, which look like the vehicles or animals you can see in Studio Ghibli films. *For ticket details, please check the official website.

https://ghibli-park.jp/en/about/valleyofwitches.html

②Completion of Nintendo Museum in Kyoto

Rendering of Nintendo Museum

Nintendo has successfully developed various kinds of hardware, such as Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), along with many game software titles, such as the “Super Mario” series and “The Legend of Zelda” series. Nintendo Museum exhibiting Nintendo products is due to be completed in Uji City, Kyoto, by autumn 2024 (the inauguration day is TBA).

The museum is located in a renovated factory of the company, serving as a high-profile place to offer information about “monozukuri” (“producing things”) by the world-class gaming company.

About att.JAPAN

The magazine att.JAPAN is for non-Japanese visiting from overseas and those residing in Japan. This quarterly magazine written in English, Mandarin, and Korean offers a wide range of information about Japan—from travel and sightseeing to various aspects of traditional culture and the latest trends. The magazine is distributed at major airports, hotels, and tourist information centers throughout Japan.

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JapanUp! magazine

Anime Place 2024

Mizuki Shigeru Museum (Tottori Prefecture)

Kitaro Chaya (Tokyo)

①Opening of a New Area at Ghibli Park!

②Completion of Nintendo Museum in Kyoto

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