Anime and manga in Japan

Anime and manga are perhaps Japan's biggest pop cultural exports to the world. Anime refers to Japan's hand-drawn and computer animation industry while manga refers to Japanese comics and graphic novels. Anime and manga are popular around the world, and are a major drawcard for many travellers visiting Japan.

Akihabara

Understand

Terminology

In Japanese, the words anime (アニメ) and manga (Kanji: 漫画; Hiragana: まんが; Katakana: マンガ) are generic terms for all animated works and comics respectively. However, when used in English, they are used to refer specifically to works produced for the Japanese market. Also, in Japanese, the term otaku (オタク) is a derogatory term referring to someone who is obsessed with something to the point of eschewing social interaction, even though English speakers usually use it as a neutral term to refer to fans of anime and manga.

Destinations

• Mitaka. Home to the famed museum showcasing the work of Studio Ghibli. (updated Sep 2020)
• Odaiba. Has a huge store containing Gundam merchandise. In front of the store is a life-sized statue of the unicorn Gundam robot. (updated Sep 2020)
• Tokyo/Shibuya has shops that specialize in anime and manga.
• Tokyo/Nakano. Upper floors of Nakano Broadway building are packed with anime/manga related shops.

See

Museum

Mitaka no mori gibli museum

Go Nagai wonderland museum

Tōhoku

• 1 Yokote Masuda Manga Museum (横手市増田まんが美術館). (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Ishinomori manga-kan (石ノ森萬画館). (updated Nov 2020)

Kanto

• 3 Mitaka no mori gibli museum (三鷹の森ジブリ美術館). (updated Nov 2020)
• 4 Kawasaki-shi Fujiko-F-Fujio museum (川崎市藤子・F・不二雄ミュージアム). (updated Nov 2020)
• 5 Toshima-ku tokiwa-sou manga museum (豊島区立トキワ荘マンガミュージアム). (updated Nov 2020)
• 6 Tōei animation museum (東映アニメーションミュージアム). (updated Nov 2020)

Chubu

• 7 Niigata-shi manga house (新潟市マンガの家). (updated Nov 2020)
• 8 Niigata-shi manga anime information centre (新潟市マンガ・アニメ情報館). (updated Nov 2020)
• 9 Himi-shi shiokaze gallery Fujiko Fujio (A) art collection (氷見市潮風ギャラリー 藤子不二雄(A)アートコレクション). (updated Nov 2020)
• 10 Go Nagai wonderland museum (永井豪記念館). The building was destroyed by fire after the Noto Peninsula earthquake Jan 2024. Most things survived the fire in a fire-proof storing room. (updated Jan 2024)

Kinki

• 11 The Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum (宝塚市立手塚治虫記念館). (updated Nov 2020)
• 12 Kyōto international manga museum (京都国際マンガミュージアム). (updated Nov 2020)

Chūgoku

• 13 Aoyama Goushō furusato kan (青山剛昌ふるさと館). (updated Nov 2020)
• 14 Yumiko Igarashi museum (いがらしゆみこ美術館). (updated Nov 2020)
• 15 Takahashi-shi kibikawakami fureai manga museum (高梁市 吉備川上ふれあい漫画美術館). (updated Nov 2020)

Shikoku

• 16 Kami-shi Yanase Takashi memorial house Anpanman museum & Poem and Marchen gallery (香美市立やなせたかし記念館 アンパンマンミュージアム＆詩とメルヘン絵本館). Museum for the manga artist of Anpanman fame. "Poem and Marchen" was a magazine he served as the editor in chief. (updated Nov 2020)

Kyūshū

• 17 Kitakyūshū-shi manga museum (北九州市漫画ミュージアム). (updated Nov 2020)

Figure museum

• 18 Enkei gekijo Kurayoshi figure museum (円形劇場 くらよしフィギュアミュージアム). (updated Nov 2020)
• 19 Kaiyōdō figure museum kurokabe ryūyū-kan (海洋堂フィギュアミュージアム黒壁 龍遊館). (updated Nov 2020)
• 20 Kaiyōdō shimanto museum (海洋堂 シマント ミュージアム ビレッジ). (updated Nov 2020)
• 21 Bankyō figure museum (万協フィギュア博物館). (updated Nov 2020)

Other

• 22 Tokyo Skytree Town Campus, 8F solamachi, Tokyo Skytree Town 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, ☏ +81 3-6658-5888. 10:30-18:00. Future experience space of Chiba Institute of Technology. The full-scale MACROSS Frontier "Valkyrie VF-25F" is on display. Free. (updated Jan 2021)

Anime pilgrimages

Dōgo onsen

Anime pilgrimages (聖地巡礼, Seichi-junrei) are trips to locations that became the models for manga and anime. Some smaller cities consider anime pilgrimages as an effective way to boost tourism.

On the other hand, visiting general residential areas or places not intended for tourists might be a nuisance. Please be considerate of the neighbors when visiting.

A Certain Magical Index/A Certain Scientific Railgun (とある魔術の禁書目録/とある科学の超電磁砲 Written by Kazuma Kamachi)

• 23 Tachikawa. The city is the model of the Toaru series' main stage, Academy City, with elements from the monorail to parks being used in the anime. Though, apart from enjoying the similarity of street sceneries, Tachikawa is generally a satellite city of Tokyo. (updated Feb 2021)
• 24 Papal Palace, Avignon (Palais des Papes), Place du palais des papes. The palace where the Popes of Avignon ruled during a period when the Papacy was divided, with a Pope in Rome and another in Avignon. The Papal Palace is a key location during the Document of Constantine Arc of A Certain Magical Index III.  

Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人 Written by Hajime Isayama)

• Attack on Titan in HITA -Attack on Hita-, Hita City, Oita, ☏ +81 973-27-5041. The creator of Attack on Titan: A project in Hita City, Oita Prefecture, the birthplace of Hajime Isayama. (updated Jan 2021)
• 25 Oyama Dam (大山ダム), 2008-1 Nishioyama, Oyama Town, Hita City, Oita, ☏ +81 973-52-2445. Statues of Eren, Mikasa and Armin are set up in front of the dam wall, reminiscent of the world of the work. (updated Jan 2021)

Girls und Panzer (ガールズ&パンツァー, Directed by Tsutomu Mizushima)

• 26 Ōarai, Ibaraki (大洗町). The town where the anime is set. A classic example of a town boosting thanks to anime pilgrimage.  

Gundam (Universal Century) (機動戦士ガンダム Directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino)

• 27 Sydney. The Australian city known for being the first ever victim of colony drop. Other targets include Mid-Western America, Dublin and Lhasa. (updated Mar 2021)

Laid-Back Camp (ゆるキャン△, Written by Afro)

Read camping if considering camping during visiting.

• 28 Minobu (身延町). The town of where the anime is set.  
• 29 Mount Fuji (富士山). The mountain where Nadeshiko longed for. You may long for there as well.  

Love Live! (ラブライブ!)

The Love Live! franchise is a large multimedia project. Lots of places are shown in anime.

• 30 Kanda Shrine (神田明神). A shrine where the main heroines of Love Live! School Idol Project train, and Nozomi Tojo serves as a maiden there. 31 Takemura, the place that inspires Honoka Housaka's house, is another place to go.  
• 32 Numazu, Shizuoka (沼津市). The main setting city of the anime Love Live! Sunshine!!  

Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し Directed by Hayao Miyazaki)

• 33 Dōgo onsen (道後温泉), 5-6 Dogoyunomachi, Matsuyama City, Ehime. (updated Nov 2020)
• 34 Kanagu-ya (金具屋), 2202 Hirao, Yamanouchi Town, Shimotakai District, Nagano. (updated Nov 2020)

Touhou Project (東方Project, Created by Jun'ya Ota/ZUN)

Despite neither an anime nor a manga but rather a bullet-hell video game, the game has widespread influence among Japanese pop culture through doujin works, and there is a few animated works and countless doujin comics about the series.

• 35 Hakuba (白馬村). The birthplace of Jun'ya Ota/ZUN, also a famed skiing resort in Japan. (updated Feb 2021)
• 36 Joumine Shrine (Motomiya) (城嶺神社 元宮), 17566 Kamishiro, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano. A small Shinto shrine in Hakuba believed to be the real-life facade of the fictional Hakurei Shrine in Gensyoko. Note that the shrine is quite unnoticed and remote even on a local standard, and locals may not even know the shrine's existence, so you may need some time to find it. (updated Mar 2021)
• 37 Suwa-taisha (諏訪大社). A group of Shinto shrines in Nagano, which is the real-life basis of the Moriya Shrine in the series. (updated Mar 2021)
• 38 Moriya Shrine (洩矢神社). A Shinto shrine in Okaya, Nagano, which is the real-life basis of the Moriya Shrine (same pronunciation with different kanji) in the series. It is bigger than Joumine Shrine, and the shrine administration have publicly embraced Touhou fans visiting there. You should find plenty of placards with Suwako (or other Moriya-shrine related character) fan drawings left at there. (updated Jul 2021)
• 39 Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum (小泉八雲記念館 Koizumi Yakumo Kinenkan), 322 Okudani-chō Matsue city, Shimane, ☏ +81 852 21-2147. Apr-Sep 08:30-18:30, Oct-Mar 08:30-17:00. A museum dedicated to the Irish-Greek writer Lafcadio Hearn who subsequently migrated to Japan and changed his name into Koizumi Yakumo (小泉八雲). Zun admitted that he is related to Yukari Yakumo and Maribel Hearn in the series, and subsequently fueled the fanon that the two character are the same. Adults ¥300, children ¥150, 50% discount for foreigners.  

Your Name. (君の名は。Directed by Makoto Shinkai)

• 40 Tateishi kōen (立石公園), 10399 Kamisuwa, Ōuji, Suwa City, Nagano. (updated Nov 2020)
• 41 Keta-wakamiya jinja (気多若宮神社), 1297 Kamikita, Furukawa town, Hida City, Gifu. (updated Nov 2020)

Yuki Yuna is a Hero (結城友奈は勇者である, Directed by Seiji Kishi)

• 42 Kanonji (観音寺市). The city is the basis of the fictional city of Sanshu in the series, which in reality, is a small city in Kagawa Prefecture. (updated Dec 2021)
• 43 Seto Ōhashi Commemorative Park (瀬戸大橋記念公園). A park in Sakaide, Kagawa that offers good view to the 44 Great Seto Bridge . The park was the headquarters of Taisha in the series, and the bridge was destroyed and left intact for some 300 years since humanity retreated to Shikoku. No admission fee. (updated Dec 2021)
• 45 Marugame Castle (丸亀城). A traditional Japanese castle in Marugame, which witnessed the grueling fights of the original heroes in the series' prequel, Nogi Wakaba is a Hero. (updated Dec 2021)

Do

• 1 Universal Studios Japan, 2-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka. Events with the theme of anime and manga are frequently held. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Ai chikyu haku memorial park (愛・地球博記念公園), 1533-1 Ibaragabasama-otsu, Nagakute City, Aichi. The houses of Satsuki and Mei appearing in My Neighbor Totoro are reproduced in the park. Now Ghibli Park with the theme of Ghibli works locates in the memorial park site; Phase I part opened in 2022, Phase II part in 2023 and the final Phase III part in March 2024. (updated Feb 2024)
• 3 Fuji-Q Highland (富士急ハイランド), 5-6-1 Shinnishihara, Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi. There are areas and attractions themed by Naruto and Boruto's Konoha village. Also, Laid-Back Camp (Yurukyan) goods are sold here. (updated Nov 2020)
• 4 Tove Jansson Akebono Children's Forest Park (トーベ・ヤンソンあけぼの子どもの森公園), 1-893 Azu, Hanno City, Saitama. A park that reproduces the Moominvalley of Moomin, which was originally contributed by Tove Marika Jansson in Finland and animated in Japan. (updated Nov 2020)
• 5 Nijigen no mori (ニジゲンノモリ ("two dimensional forest")), 2425-2 Kusumoto, Awaji City, Hyogo. There are areas and attractions themed by Naruto and Boruto. (updated Nov 2020)

Cosplay

Cosplay (コスプレ, Cosupure) is hobbies and performances that you can enjoy by changing into anime or manga costumes. There are also shops you can change into a anime or manga costume and shoot.

• 6 Cospatio (コスパティオ), 1-2-7, Soto-kanda, Chiyoda, Tokyo (Exit the Electric Town South Exit and walk west. On the other side of the big street). This store sells cosplay clothing and items. You can find most things needed for cosplay here. (updated Sep 2023)

Buy

Manga and anime goods

Tokyo

• Akihabara (秋葉原) is the center of Japanese manga and anime culture. There are various shops from major shops to maniac shops.
• Ikebukuro (池袋) is there are women's comics and anime character goods stores.

Osaka

• Nipponbashi (日本橋) is the center of Kansai manga and anime culture.

Eat

There are restaurants with the theme of anime and manga. Please note that there are many stores for a limited time.

• 1 Pokémon Center TOKYO DX ＆ Pokémon Cafe, 2-11-2 Nihombashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 Otaru caffe × Hello Kitty, 1-2-32 Irifune, Otaru-shi, Hokkaido. (updated Nov 2020)

Respect

Many destinations (especially film and literature settings, and current and former celebrity homes) are private property. Some are off limits to the public and intrusion may lead to criminal responsibility. Even in public places that can be legally approached, excessive photography and other anime pilgrimage-related activities might disturb locals. This is especially true in Japan where people are expected to avoid causing troubles to others.

By Japanese copyright law, works of fiction enter public domain 70 years after the author's death, or 50 years after publication in case the work is created by an organization, which is the case for most anime works funded and produced by production committees (製作委員会). As a result most modern animes are proprietary. Businesses (including guided tours and merchandisers) might need a license to make profit from those franchises. While some franchises are more liberal towards fan works, you should still follow the guidelines given by the original creators and Japanese copyright law.

While widely circulated in neighbouring countries, unauthorized fansub is illegal in Japan, even if fansub participants have no intention to make money. While some anime producers condone such acts to raise popularity, Japanese police take frequent actions to clamp down unauthorized fansub. Note that claiming fair use is NOT a get-out-of-jail-free card, as the right to translate and redistribute is not included in the right of fair use.

Go next

• Scott Pilgrim locations