Have you ever wondered which real-life anime locations in Japan served as the inspiration for your favorite series? If you are an anime fan, you may have daydreamed about traveling to Japan to see these fictional locations. Regardless, if you enjoy anime and Japan, this list of anime places you can visit in Japan will help you find what you are looking for.
You’re not alone, however! A lot of us have always wanted to visit these well-known Japanese locations because we are so enthralled with the beautiful—and sometimes bizarre—landscapes that are portrayed in anime. We will visit well-known anime locations in this blog, including the actual Demon Slayer location and other real-life anime locations.
This post is for you, whether you are thinking about taking your next big trip or are just curious about the real-world equivalents of your favorite anime locations. Join us on this exciting expedition to discover the homes, haunts, and adventures of your favorite anime characters! Which real-world locations most closely resemble the fascinating worlds shown on screen has been determined by the knowledgeable staff at Japan Rail Pass after they have painstakingly gone through the extensive canon of Japanese anime!
Which Real-Life Anime Locations Are There?
Seichijunrei, or real-life anime, are actual places that have appeared in anime. It is customary in Japan to visit these locations; many anime fans liken the experience to a holy pilgrimage. Any anime that takes place in Japan or other real-world countries will almost certainly feature some real-world locations. The following is a list of all the real anime locations I have visited in Tokyo; you can use the map above to see the precise locations of each listed location!
The Point Where Anime and Real Life Collide
Has anyone ever exclaimed, “Wow, that looks like a familiar place”? or, having watched an anime, “I would love to visit that location!” Still, you are not by yourself. The settings of many anime are derived from real-life anime locales in Japan. Fans of anime travel to Japan from all over the world because of the way that reality and anime collide there.
How Anime Often Draws Inspiration from Real-World Locations
Anime creators frequently draw inspiration from their environment to create the engrossing worlds we see in their works. The fact that anime is more common in real life and features scenes ranging from serene rural settings to bustling cityscapes might surprise you. These well-known locations in Japan give the fantasy authors canvases to paint their stories, lending them a touch of realism.
The actual location of Demon Slayer, for example, is more than simply the author’s fantasy. You can go there, interact with it, and have your own experience. This also applies to several other anime real-world locations. Through anime, these once-ordinary places are turned into amazing settings full of intrigue, mystery, and adventure. For more renowned anime real-life sites in Japan, read the first section of this page.
The Significance of These Places in the Background of Their Individual Anime
These real-life anime locations serve as more than just the settings for the adventures of the characters. They frequently have profound meaning within the anime’s narrative. For example, the real-life Demon Slayer locations are not just any old locations—they are integral to the story and character growth.
The next time you’re organizing a vacation to Japan for anime, keep in mind that you’re entering the world of your favorite characters and experiencing the same sights, sounds, and even feelings they experienced. You’re not simply seeing anime locations. Who knows? Perhaps you will even find yourself on a brand-new journey! Are you prepared to see these anime locations in real life now? Now let’s get started!
Famous Japanese Anime Locations
Enthralled with anime, you are undoubtedly excited to plan a trip to Japan and see the real-life anime locations that served as inspiration for your favorite series. Let us examine some of these popular anime locations that have made the transition from large-scale film to the real world. Also, by going to this list of anime locales, you can view the whole collection of actual locations where anime has been influenced.
Your Name
1. The Yotsuya Station
This is where Taki and Okudera-senpai get together before their date. There are a ton of real anime settings for Your Name in this scene all over the station; the two I like best are highlighted above. Because the JR Chuo Line stops at Yotsuya Station, it is a very convenient place to visit! Through my exploration of the station, I found all of these locations quite easily and quickly.
2. Steps to Suga Shrine
Taki and Mitsuha meet on the steps of Suga Shrine after Your Name. Being able to visit this location is amazing, and it truly does feel like you are in an anime! This actual anime location might be the most popular and well-known anime setting ever. These stairs are easily accessible from Yotsuya Station and are worth seeing after the previous location.
3. Shinanomachi Footbridge
There were three instances of this spot in Your Name, each with a different character and time of day. The anime did a good job of showing how time passes and how Taki and Mitsuha are connected, even though they can not physically meet because they are in different places.
4. Gaien-Meijijingu Crossing
Similar to the Shinanomachi Footbridge site, Your Name has this actual crossing twice. This is done to illustrate how time passes and how Taki’s mood changes over time as a result of his obsession with Mitsuha. The area itself is rather peaceful, and in the fall, breathtaking foliage can be seen! From this location, you can walk to the previous item on this list.
Tokyo Revengers
5. River Tama
In one of the first episodes of Tokyo Revengers, when Takemichi initially meets Mikey and Draken, this real-life anime site was included. Going during the evening on a clear day will allow you to see how true-to-life the anime appears! I happened to catch this spot on an ideal day—the clouds even seem to be in a comparable orientation.
6. Parthenon, Tama
Tokyo Revengers included Tama Parthenon as a venue during Takemichi’s very first battle. The anime showed some various settings around these stairs since the scenario is rather lengthy. The creator of Tokyo Revengers based the anime locale on this real-life place, even if the two locations have somewhat different aesthetics.
7. Shibuya Bridge
Another place from the real-life anime Tokyo Revengers is Shibuya Bridge. Later on in the anime, when Takemichi and Chifuyu went to speak with Baji, it was mentioned. This genuine bridge near Shibuya is where they have their talk! Certain elements have changed, but I believe this is because the setting is set in the past, and the author most likely recreated the place exactly as it was in that year!
Death Note
8. Subterranean Shinjuku Station
In Death Note, Shibuya Station serves as a real-life anime place where Light travels to assassinate Raye Penber. This is the spot at Shinjuku Station where the sequences with Light behind Raye took place, before Raye’s last journey to the metro line and death. Since Death Note is now a very old anime, several elements have tragically changed even though the anime locale is quite faithful to the real-life place. The Lotteria store and logo, for instance, have undergone changes, which has caused the anime and real life to seem less realistic. You can still see, however, how the two align and how true to reality the anime has made the place!
9. Park Hibiya
One of the places Light and Naomi go through together before he murders her is Hibiya Park. I only found one place that I was certain was in the anime, however, I’m sure other spots in the park are included in the series. Although it is difficult to tell in this photo, the actual monument and the one shown in the anime are almost similar in appearance! The vicinity of Kasumigaseki Station
Light and Naomi go through Kasumigaseki Station after visiting Hibiya Park, finally arriving at Light’s dad’s workplace, the Metropolitan Police Department. The actual Metropolitan Police Department, which is located next to Kasumigaseki Station, is the police agency that is portrayed in the anime! Being able to trace Light and Naomi’s path together and finally arrive at Light’s father’s actual workplace is very great! To experience being in the anime, I suggest going on a foggy day.
Steins;Gate
10. Kaikan Radio
Since Steins Gate was the building that the time machine crashed into in the first season, Radio Kaikan made many appearances throughout the series. Many of the important characters, including Kurisu, Okabe, and Mayuri, are seen standing in front of the structure. When visiting Akihabara, many people like to stop at Radio Kaikan.
11. The Kanda Fureai Bridge
In Steins Gate, Kanda Fureai Bridge also served as a real-world animation setting. Throughout the anime, many characters make repeated appearances at the bridge and its surrounding areas. The aforementioned images demonstrate how true to reality the anime is!
12. The Akihabara Crossing
In Steins; Gate, this actual anime setting is used in a scene when Okabe and Mayuri are strolling around Akihabara together. Even though the anime just shows a short scene of this site, it’s astonishing how true to reality it seems!
Together We Weather
13. Station Tabata
Tabata Station appears frequently in Weathering With You, suggesting that there are many anime locations nearby. The top 5 that I could find are listed above, but there may be more! If you truly want to feel like you’re in the anime, it may be preferable to go while it’s pouring, as I did on a clear blue day!
Demon Slayer
14. Tochigi’s Ashikaga Flower Park
The Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi, a real-life locale from Demon Slayer, is the first item on our list of real-life anime pilgrimage sites. Fans of the show will be able to identify this location by its gorgeous wisteria trees, which are prominently featured in the anime. Wisteria trees are revered and said to be able to fend against demons in Demon Slayer. These trees are a symbol of protection and sanctuary in the story since the heroes often take cover under them. The sight of wisteria trees in full bloom will welcome you when you physically visit this Demon Slayer location. The scene is so captivating that it may make you think you’ve walked into a Demon Slayer episode. One of those anime real-life locations that you have to see to believe.
Higurashi
15. Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture
When They Cry Picture yourself entering the world of your favorite anime and being in the same environment as your favorite characters. When you go to Japan for an anime convention, you may do just that. Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture is one of the authentic anime destinations in Japan that you may visit. It is a key setting in the anime series Higurashi: When They Cry. The main location of the anime series, Hinamizawa, is a fictitious town that draws influence from Shirakawa-go.
Shirakawa-go’s natural beauty, historic buildings, and peaceful rural location are all highlighted in the anime, which makes it the ideal setting for the dramatic and suspenseful plot of the program. Entering this real-life anime location feels like entering a scene from the movie Higurashi: When They Cry.
Shirakawa-go is well known for its breathtaking natural beauty and is a World Heritage site. You may learn about Japanese rural life as you tour the village’s ancient farmhouses, some of which are accessible to the public as museums. The town is transformed into a fanciful winter paradise throughout the winter, complete with snow, that seems like it belongs in a fairy tale.
Spirited Away
16. Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture’s Dogo Onsen
If you’re an anime fanatic organizing a trip to Japan, you’re undoubtedly excited to see authentic anime locations there. Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, an important setting in the well-known anime film Spirited Away, is one such locale that brings anime to life. In Spirited Away, the bathhouse is a magical portal that connects the worlds of spirits and humans, a haven for mythical creatures to rest and regenerate.
One of the most well-known anime locales is Dogo Onsen, which reflects this ethereal beauty with its centuries-old history and traditional Japanese architecture. You will enter a realm as enchanted as the one portrayed in Spirited Away when you visit this anime location in person. The onsen, or hot spring, is housed in a structure with a traditional Japanese architectural design. Its exquisite woodwork carvings and ornate embellishments transport visitors back to the opulent Edo era of Japan.
Bungou Stray Dogs
17. Chinatown in Yokohama
However, the experience is more than just eye candy. You almost feel as if the stresses and anxieties of the day slip away as you bathe in the hot springs, much as the characters do when they visit the bathhouse to rejuvenate in the anime. Thus, if you’re organizing a vacation to Japan for anime, don’t forget to include Dogo Onsen on your itinerary. Whether you’re an anime enthusiast or simply like the way anime and real life collide, a trip to Dogo Onsen will undoubtedly stand out as a highlight of your tour of well-known Japanese locales.
You may fully immerse yourself in one of the biggest Chinatowns in the world when you visit Yokohama. It provides a delectable fusion of Chinese food and culture in the heart of Japan. Walking down its beautiful streets, which are embellished with lanterns, archways, and brilliant decorations, will make you feel as though you’ve entered a scene from Bungou Stray Dogs. Yokohama Chinatown is a culinary lover’s heaven. Chinese cuisine is abundant and includes dim sum, noodles, Peking duck, and dumplings.
How Should One Proceed While Accessing the Site?
However, the experience is more than just eye candy. You can almost feel your concerns and stress from the day go by you relax in the hot springs. Similar to how the characters in the anime visit the bathhouse to unwind.
Thus, if you’re organizing a vacation to Japan for anime, don’t forget to include Dogo Onsen on your itinerary. Whether you’re an anime enthusiast or simply like the way anime and real life collide, a trip to Dogo Onsen will undoubtedly stand out as a highlight of your tour of well-known Japanese locales.
Conclusion
After our trip to Japan, it’s clear that animation and reality are smoothly blended. Actual anime sites in Japan are lively, real manifestations of Japanese culture, not simply story backgrounds. Famous Japanese places have been maintained in anime culture. The serene Hibiya Park from Death Note, the beautiful Shirakawa-go from Higurashi: When They Cry, and the legendary Dogo Onsen from Spirited Away all provide a unique real-life experience.
If you’re an anime fan who’s always wanted to visit these famous anime locations. I encourage you to attain it. Haroun Khan of Japan Rail Pass says, “Exploring Japanese anime locations in person is a fantastic experience that lets fans enter the worlds they’ve loved on screen.” These sites are active parts of Japanese culture, not just backgrounds. Exploring them may give you the same surprise and thrill as your beloved characters and create lasting memories. Why delay? Start planning your anime holiday to Japan today! You can contact us in case of any confusion, and we will help you.
