Top 10 Anime Locations in Real Life

Creating beautiful anime sceneries is definitely no easy feat - it's not something one can whip up just with their imagination: they also need to find inspiration from real life as well. In this article, GoEMON will introduce you to 10 of the most beautiful sceneries that have inspired famous animes that you definitely should visit if you have the chance to be in Japan! 

1. Suga Shrine - Your name (君の名は)

Released back in 2016, Your Name has touched the hearts of hundreds of thousands of viewers from around the world. The movie is famous not only for its great storyline and amazing soundtrack but also for its amazing animation of real-life sceneries. 

At the end of the movie, the two main characters reunite at a long staircase with red handles. This scene was actually inspired by the staircase at Suga Shrine, Yotsuya. After the release of Your Name, this location became one of the hottest check-in locations, always packed with people wanting to take a picture. The best time of the day to take pictures here is around sunset. 

2. Omi-Jingu Shrine – Chihayafuru (ちはやふる)

Many of the scenes in Chihayafuru are inspired by real-life locations, one of which is the Omi-Jingu Shrine. The shrine stands out with its ancient architecture and blood-red color, which seems to glow under the sunlight. Located at the foot of the mountain on the west of Biwa Lake, Shiga Prefecture, Omi-Jingu Shrine is dedicated to the 38th Emperor of Japan - Emperor Tenji. 

3. Yakushima Island - Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫)

With a focus on exploring the complex relationship between humans and nature, many elements of nature are portrayed in the movie, such as the scenery of the forest, wild animals, lakes, mountains, and many more. The creators of the movie have chosen the subtropical island of Yakushima as their inspiration. Located off the coast of Kagoshima’s southernmost coast, Yakushima Island is famous as an incredibly diverse paradise island home to as many as 8 mountain peaks and lush scenery. 

Coming to Yakushima, you are sure to be blown away by the beautiful nature here, with magnificent waterfalls, rainforests (including an extensive cedar forest containing some of Japan’s oldest cedar trees), and beautiful beaches. You can also observe the many wild animals living here in their natural habitat. Another interesting fact is that the rain is very abundant here, to the point that there is even a saying that it rains 35 days a month on Yakushima Island. 

4. Chichibu Bridge - Ano Hana: The Flower We Saw That Day (あの日見た花の名前を僕達はまだ知らない)

To anime enthusiasts, “Ano Hana” is definitely not an unfamiliar name, especially those who are into melodrama works. The series follows the footsteps of a group of 6 childhood friends who were once inseparable, but then slowly drifted apart after one of them - a girl called Menma, passed away in an accident. One summer day; however, Menma suddenly appeared as a spirit, asking her friends to help her move on from this life by fulfilling an unfinished wish of hers. 

Appearing in the opening sequence many major scenes of the movie is the Chichibu Bridge. Located in Saitama prefecture, the bridge is a famous and must-visit location for Ano Hana lovers. 

5. Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama - Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し)

When it comes to Spirited Away, one of the most memorable details of the movie is undoubtedly the bathhouse where Chihiro - our main character, had to work while trying to save her parents. This location was actually inspired by a real-life spot called Dogo Onsen. Located in the main tourist center of Matsuyama on Shikoku Island, the Onsen is accessible via a 5-minute walk from the Dogo Onsen Tram. 

Legend has it that the water here was once able to cure the illness of an ancient god, and so people believe that the water here has healing properties and will help those who bathe in it have a healthier body.

6. Akihabara - STEINS;GATE

In STEINS;GATE, Akihabara acts as the main location where events in the series take place at. Akihabara is a neighborhood located in the Chiyoda Ward of Tokyo, Japan. It is one of the busiest streets in Japan, always filled with people and bustling with shops located one after another selling all sorts of Anime-related products and unique technology goods, available at extremely bargain prices. 

7. Yufuin - Kiki’s Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便)

Ghibli’s movies are famous for their amazing architectural designs, and Kiki’s Delivery Service is also no exception. The film revolves around the life of a young apprentice witch who just turned 13 called Kiki. Accompanied by her black cat, the young girl left home for the city where she opened a small bakery and learned how to support herself by running an air courier service. 

The bakery that appeared in the movie - Kiki’s Bakery, is actually real. It was inspired by a bakery of the same name in Yufuin Floral Village, which is a quaint mini-theme park located in Oita designed to resemble the Cotswolds area of England. Aside from visiting the real-life Kiki’s Bakery, there are also many things that you can do in the village, from observing and petting cute animals at the many enclosures and petting zoos available there, shopping for flowers and cute souvenirs, to just simply walking around and enjoying the peaceful scenery there. 

*Real life:

8. Nerima Cultural Center - Your Lie in April (四月は君の嘘）

Nerima Culture Center, or Towa Hall in the anime, is the location where Kaori and Kosei - the two main characters of the series Your Lie in April met for the first time, with Kosei catching a glimpse of Kaori when she was immersed in playing her harmonica. This special encounter was also what reignited Kousei’s love in music and in performing. Thus, it is one of the most significant locations in the series. It only takes around 5 minutes on foot to reach the Nerima Cultura Center from the nearest Nerima Takanodai Station, so if you are a fan of the series and happen to have the opportunity to visit Tokyo, this is the location you definitely cannot miss! 

9. Takamori-machi Forest - Into the Forest of Fireflies Light (蛍火の杜へ)

Into the Forst of Fireflies Light (Hotarubi no Mori e) is another famous Japanese movie that has captured the hearts of many viewers. The movie follows the friendship between a young girl named Hotaru and Gin - a strange young man who was always in a mask that she met in the jungle near her grandfather’s house. The forest is where the majority of the scenes take place at, which was actually inspired by the Takamor-machi forest located in Kumamoto Province. 

The best time to visit the forest would be from late spring to early summer. During this time, the weather is warm and humid and visitors will get the chance to see the spectacular night displays of twinkling stars created by hundreds and thousands of fireflies. 

10. Hida High School - Hyouka (氷菓)

Hyouka is another name that is no stranger to anime and manga lovers. The series follows the four members of the Kamiyama High School’s Classic Literature Club to solve the trivial yet intriguing mysteries that permeate their daily lives. The real-life model of Kamiyama High School in Hyouka is Hida High School, which is located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The school is not well-known in terms of academics or the rate of students passing university entrance exams but for its wide range of athletic and cultural clubs. 

Above is GoEMON’s list of the top 10 Anime locations in real life that manga and anime enthusiasts should definitely visit if they have the chance to be in Japan.

Have you gotten the chance to visit these spots before? Let us know in the comments down below! 

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