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Japan’s anime pilgrimages give economic boost to local towns

S

Subpar Scrub

Banned
StoOgE said:
I mean, honestly this isn't just Japan.

Bridges of Madison county still has people visiting to see the bridges.
Click to expand...

There is something to be said about the accuracy of these places as depicted by Japanese anime and games media. Through playing persona 5 and akibas trip I was able to easily navigate Shibuya and Akihabara without a map, even going to specific stores and areas in both... like that's pretty insane.
 
Boss Doggie

Boss Doggie

all my loli wolf companions are so moe
You know this thread made me wonder - what about the tokusatsu scenery, I wonder if they're popular destinations too.
 
H

Hycran

Banned
When I was in the emperors garden in Tokyo I tried to find the exact bench Kirito and Asuna sat on. Then I realized anime wasn't real and stopped.
 
S

SmartBase

Member
GifGafIsTheBestGaf said:
some day

5qa7lhZ.gif


believe!
Click to expand...

I used to live right near where this takes place, it's quite nice.
 
F

FrankCanada97

Roughly the size of a baaaaaarge
Prince Edward Island seems to be particularly popular with Japanese tourists because of Anne of Green Gables.
 
P

PetriP-TNT

Member
M

Megalosaro

Banned
I don't think it's too odd.

But then again, I made a pilgrimage out to Kofu because of a novel about Takeda Shingen I read in the 7th grade.
 
T

TacticalHotdog

Member
StoOgE said:
I mean, honestly this isn't just Japan.

Bridges of Madison county still has people visiting to see the bridges.

I think any semi-popular movie worldwide that casts an idealistic situation (as in Your Name, where the small town is filled with likable characters, with fun festivals, slower pace of life than Urban centers, etc) that are beautiful is going to have people wanting to go see it in real life and try and experience some of that.
Click to expand...
Also there are a lot of people who visit Chernobyl because of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. or CoD4
 
T

teruterubozu

Member
StoOgE said:
I mean, honestly this isn't just Japan.

Bridges of Madison county still has people visiting to see the bridges.

I think any semi-popular movie worldwide that casts an idealistic situation (as in Your Name, where the small town is filled with likable characters, with fun festivals, slower pace of life than Urban centers, etc) that are beautiful is going to have people wanting to go see it in real life and try and experience some of that.
Click to expand...

Of course. Anime in general has brought millions of foreigners to Japan.
 
M

Mr Git

Member
They had a themed bus going from Shinjuku to Hida. I was there a few months ago and saw it a few times.
 
D

disappeared

Banned
Not gonna lie, Non Non Biyori really got me nostalgic for some of the small towns I visited in the Oita prefecture way back in 2003.

Such a good slice-of-life show.
 
P

PSqueak

Banned
I like how they try to frame this as a "freak anime shut in thing!" that japan is trying to cash on, meanwhile the IRL owner of the Breaking Bad house has to beg for people to not chuck pizzas at her roof.
 
M

MikeHattsu

Member
Foxy the Fox said:
I only would like to visit the K-ON school.
Click to expand...

That's one of the places that's had the most success in getting visitors:
http://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2014/04/k-on-school-part-2.html

ep1-01m33s.jpg

ep1-01m33s.png
Click to expand...

Since it's no longer used as a school fans had left lots of K-On goods there, and there's events taking place several times a year:
http://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2014/04/k-on-school-part-1.html

36.jpg

28.jpg
Click to expand...



Another place that's not on the list is the onsen town where Hanasaku Iroha takes place. They've even begun hosting a festival at the local shrine that was made up for the anime:
http://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2016/12/hanasaku-iroha-bonbori-festival-2016.html

ep26-01m24s.png

DSC16345.jpg
Click to expand...
 
F

Foxy the Fox

Member
MikeHattsu said:
That's one of the places that's had the most success in getting visitors:
http://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2014/04/k-on-school-part-2.html



Since it's no longer used as a school fans had left lots of K-On goods there, and there's events taking place several times a year:
http://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2014/04/k-on-school-part-1.html





Another place that's not on the list is the onsen town where Hanasaku Iroha takes place. They've even begun hosting a festival at the local shrine that was made up for the anime:
http://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2016/12/hanasaku-iroha-bonbori-festival-2016.html
Click to expand...

That's great.

Is there a way to visit anime studios? Like sending mails or stuff like it?

I guess that being foreign might give us more chance to have a tour than locals.
 
M

mdubs

Banned
This also reminds me of the number of people who travel to New Zealand because of Lord of the Rings (it's definitely on my agenda).
 
I

Iva Demilcol

Member
Ha, so now they have a modern version of Hiroshige's pilgrimages but with anime?


This is actually pretty interesting. When I was living there I tried to visit all locations depicted in SMT's spinoffs and other games locations inspired by real places like in TWEWY and Jet Set Radio. It was nice.
 
M

Meier

Member
RetroDLC said:
I went to Hakone because of Evangelion, it's a beautiful place to visit, and I'll be visiting it again next year. I'm glad to see real life locations get benefits from use in media.
Click to expand...

How funny. I haven't watched EVA since 1999 or so and clearly forgot there was any relation between the two. My wife and I went to Japan for our honeymoon and spent a day in Hakone in hopes of seeing Fuji (it was too humid unfortunately). Wish I'd remembered the Evangelion connection! I loved taking the little switchback train and experiencing a much more small town feel for a day.
 
A

a Master Ninja

Member
marimorimo said:
Whenever I go to Hakone, there is always a corner reserved for Evangelion-themed goods in most of the souvenir shops.

I didn't even realize that Eva was set in Hakone until then.
Click to expand...
This exact thing happened to me last year. I was like, what's the deal with all this stuff?
OuZQban.jpg

rjyud02.jpg

iloOWaR.jpg
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Those postage stamps finally clued me in.
NekoFever said:
Anime pilgrimages? Jeez, have some dignity. Go to Dobuita from Shenmue while you're in Japan like me.
Click to expand...
Fuck, now I want to do this.
 
Kite

Kite

Member
Foxy the Fox said:
That's great.

Is there a way to visit anime studios? Like sending mails or stuff like it?

I guess that being foreign might give us more chance to have a tour than locals.
Click to expand...
Studio Ghibli has a museum and Kyoto Animation used to have tours, but now only has a store last I checked.
 
I

InfiniteBento

Member
I would give up my soul just to walk the locations of animes I've seen all throughout my existence.

Here's to hoping I'll see Japan some day before I die.
 
J

jstripes

Banned
RetroDLC said:
I went to Hakone because of Evangelion, it's a beautiful place to visit, and I'll be visiting it again next year. I'm glad to see real life locations get benefits from use in media.
Click to expand...

I went to Hakone before I knew what Evangelion was. Such a nice landscape.
 
W

Wood Man

Member
disappeared said:
Not gonna lie, Non Non Biyori really got me nostalgic for some of the small towns I visited in the Oita prefecture way back in 2003.

Such a good slice-of-life show.
Click to expand...

I came to post something similar. Non Non Biyori reminded me of a little town I stayed at (forgot the name.) But it was so charming and the locals were awesome. Plus they got me drunk. Good times, good people.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Someone should do a Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders vacation that starts in Japan then leads through Asia and ends in Egypt.

tumblr_inline_n2tjsto7bW1r53rlu.gif


Now that's an anime pilgrimage.
 
T

Trouble

Banned
StoOgE said:
I mean, honestly this isn't just Japan.

Bridges of Madison county still has people visiting to see the bridges.

I think any semi-popular movie worldwide that casts an idealistic situation (as in Your Name, where the small town is filled with likable characters, with fun festivals, slower pace of life than Urban centers, etc) that are beautiful is going to have people wanting to go see it in real life and try and experience some of that.
Click to expand...

I went camping on the Olympic Peninsula a few years ago and coming from the East you basically have to go through Forks, WA (of Twilight fame). There was a middle aged lady taking a selfie in front of the 'Welcome to Forks' sign as we drove up. It's literally a one stoplight town, but half the stuff there is twilight related now. I'm sure the locals fucking love that.
 
F

foxuzamaki

Doesn't read OPs, especially not his own
MikeHattsu said:
That's one of the places that's had the most success in getting visitors:
http://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2014/04/k-on-school-part-2.html



Since it's no longer used as a school fans had left lots of K-On goods there, and there's events taking place several times a year:
http://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2014/04/k-on-school-part-1.html





Another place that's not on the list is the onsen town where Hanasaku Iroha takes place. They've even begun hosting a festival at the local shrine that was made up for the anime:
http://mikehattsu.blogspot.com/2016/12/hanasaku-iroha-bonbori-festival-2016.html
Click to expand...
I need to go.
 
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