niponica NO.33

2022 NO.33

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Journey Through Japanese Literature

Visit Anime Locations in Real Life

Anime fans are making the trek to destinations that appear in popular films and television series.
If you pay a visit to one these places, you may even find yourself in one of your favorite scenes.

Hyouka

Miyagawa Asaichi Market Street (Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture)

Produced in 2012, the mystery series Hyouka features a group of four high school students who solve mysteries that unfold around them. Set in Gifu Prefecture’s Takayama City, where the author of the original novel, Yonezawa Honobu was born, the series carefully depicts the atmosphere of the town and its traditional buildings in great detail. The photo shows the site of the morning market, Miyagawa Asaichi Market Street on the bank of Miyagawa River, which flows through the city center.

©Yonezawa Honobu/KADOKAWA CORPORATION/Kamiyama Koko Kotenbu Alumni Association

Chihayafuru

Omi Jingu Shrine (Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture)

Airing in 2011, the television series centers on the world of karuta, traditional Japanese competitive card games.
It follows a young protagonist, who aims to become the highest-ranking female karuta player, and explores her relationships and conflicts with friends. The detailed focus on such Japanese traditions as waka poems and kimono are part of the series’ appeal. The setting is Omi Jingu, a shrine dedicated to Emperor Tenji―an emperor deeply associated with karuta. The shrine still hosts karuta tournaments today.

©Suetsugu Yuki/KODANSHA LTD/VAP/NTV

Laid-Back Camp (Yurukyan)

Lake Motosuko (Minobu Town, Yamanashi Prefecture)

Produced in 2018, the series is a gently unfolding depiction of a group of high school girls as they camp and go about their daily lives in Yamanashi Prefecture. The natural scenery and townscapes around Yamanashi Prefecture are depicted beautifully, and the story introduces all things camp-related, including camping etiquette and how to use the gear. The Koan Campsite overlooking Mount Fuji and Lake Motosuko is pictured here.

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (Anohi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai)

Old Chichibu Bridge (Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture)

The story of five former friends overcoming conflicts to reunite when the ghost of their childhood friend appears to them. The work is set in Chichibu City in Saitama Prefecture and features many of the city’s actual buildings and landscapes. The photo shows the old Chichibu Bridge, a city symbol that opened in 1931.