Welcome to this week’s review of notable instances of public transit use and urban design, as well as discussion of place identity and culture, through anime currently broadcast or screening in Japan and simulcast internationally via the web. This review also documents seichijunrei (聖地巡礼 holy land pilgrimage) and butaitanbou (舞台探訪 scene hunting), which are pop culture tourism and place-based engagement induced by the use of real locations in show settings.
Media and General Interest
Sankei Shimbun published an article about anime tourism to multiple regions during Japan’s Golden Week and beyond for Hirune Hime ~Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari~, Kimi no Na wa. and Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni.
Yomiuri Shimbun published an article about fan exchange meetings in Kumano, Mie Prefecture for Nagi no Asukara.
Asahi Shimbun (article) and Mainichi Shimbun (article) published stories about a series of posters produced by Kan’onji, Kagawa Prefecture in collaboration with Yūki Yūna wa Yūsha de Aru. The posters promote locations featured in the work and generate revenue for the city.
Nagasaki Shimbun published an article about a project team established in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture to examine potential for anime tourism promotion to areas in the city and vicinity. Relevant works include Kantai Collection, Sakamichi no Apollon and Barakamon.
Gifu Shimbun published an article about a seminar at Taishō University in Tokyo on anime tourism, in which Hida official Yokoyama Rie discussed the city’s hands off approach to promoting its connection with Kimi no Na wa.
MyNavi News conducted an internet survey about desired anime seichijunrei locations. The article includes selected responses to the questions of location and reason for travel.
@hanara_striker is a Butaitanbou Community member and contents tourism researcher. He presented a seminar on machi okoshi (town revitalization) in the context of Tamako Market, held on-location at the series’ real world model, the Demachi Masugata Shōtengai in Kyoto. The seminar coincided with a Tamako Market dōjinshi event in the shopping district, and included participation of fans, shōtengai members and shōtengai president Inoue Atsushi.
Cafe Dream opened on June 1 at its new location around the corner from the old one in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture. Suzumiya Haruhi fans have been circulating through to christen the new space and deliver well-wishes to the owner:
新ドリーム記念すべき初日ありがとうございました。 pic.twitter.com/oDmInRZmnu
— シャミセン2号 (@lpmeuoqnC5GZs50) May 31, 2017
本日、西宮北口の喫茶店・珈琲屋ドリームの移転新装開店に。店構えは元のイメージを引き継ぎつつ内部は明るい南欧風に。店内の小物類がうまく配置され、木の看板も壁面に。祝い花が所狭しと。店の前にみくるちゃんの飛び出しも復活。ハルヒゆかりの団長席は、さすがに復元は無理だったようだ。 pic.twitter.com/mpgDnVVr3s
— ドリーム読書会 (@haruhidokusyo) June 1, 2017
6月1日に移転オープンしてから今日初めて珈琲屋ドリームに来ました。だいぶ賑わってます。元のイスやテーブルも健在。ちなみに小規模となり、ハルヒグッズのスペースは現在確保されておりません。 pic.twitter.com/W94wOiQHly
— きーぼー (@keyboar) June 2, 2017
今日は無事、珈琲屋ドリームさんが開いていました。今日のリベンジ成功。
店内はテーブル席が22席、カウンター席が5席というところ。
裏メニューのメロンクリームソーダは健在でした。 pic.twitter.com/Bg3YYQ3fAz
— 鴨野橋蔵 (@kamono370) June 2, 2017
移転開店、おめでとうございます!#珈琲屋ドリーム pic.twitter.com/GH0eBjBjds
— 生徒会長@それでも待ち続ける! (@seitokaicho_14) June 2, 2017
Sakura Quest
(サクラクエスト Sakura Kuesuto)
Fan Pilgrimage Update
@miyaken46 made a pilgrimage to Nanto, Toyama Prefecture and Yuwaku Onsen, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture for Episodes 1/5/7.
@y_n_erobia made a pilgrimage (tweet 1, tweet 2, tweet 3, tweet 4) to Nanto for Episode 6 through Episode 8.
@doramatadoraemo made a pilgrimage (tweet) to Nanto for Episode 7.
Episode 9
Cafe used as third place
During this exchange with other patrons at the cafe, the team learns of Manoyama residents’ affection for sōmen—thin wheat noodles.
With the insight that sōmen’s popularity is likely related to the large amount of wheat grown locally, the team finally hits on an appropriate theme for the planned C-class gourmet exhibition.
Using local foodstuffs and integrating rather than competing with the shōtengai event soothes the nerves and meets approval of shōtengai head Oribe.
Local community groups are invited to participate.
Jōhana Station (城端駅)
Tourism board head Kadota, usually the source of misinformation and turmoil, gets a sudden moment of clarity and wisdom as he explains the historical origin of local use of konbu: It isn’t harvested in Toyama Bay and Manoyama is not near any ocean, but the konbu was brought to the region during routine stops by ships from Hokkaidō on their trade route along the Sea of Japan coast. This story and the claim that Toyama Prefecture has the highest per capita consumption of konbu in Japan are pulled from real life. To my memory, this is the first time Sakura Quest has referred to Toyama by name.
Oribe having a change of attitude toward the tourism board is a key inflection point. Hopefully we’ll see a more collaborative relationship between the two going forward.
The Eccentric Family 2
(有頂天家族2 Uchōten Kazoku 2)
Fan Pilgrimage Update
@ye_bi_su made a pilgrimage to Kyoto for Episode 8.
@tesra1141 has an interesting theory about the background we see in Episode 7, in the scene where Jurōjin’s train rises above the city and harbor. He thinks, despite the inclusion of Kōbe Port Tower and Hotel Ōkura Kobe, that the land forms, coastline and lights resemble a vista of Lake Biwa viewed from Hieizan that has been inverted horizontally, rather than Osaka Bay viewed from Rokkō-san, as context would suggest:
有頂天家族2 第7話で六甲山から大阪湾を眺望するようなシーンが有ったけれど・・・あのシーン画からすると琵琶湖の比叡山からの画を反転させていたのじゃないかな？？ pic.twitter.com/kksjPp4map
— テスラ (@tesra1141) June 2, 2017
The week in Uchōten Kazoku stuffed animals participating in Shimogamo Jinja functions:
本日6月1日は貴布禰神社の例祭です。 pic.twitter.com/DUWBlX3jGY
— 下鴨神社 (@kamomioyajinja) June 1, 2017
慰労会に呼ばれました。 pic.twitter.com/wpschiJoGs
— 下鴨神社 (@kamomioyajinja) June 2, 2017
今日は梅奉納の御奉仕を手伝いました。
最後に梅を分けて貰いました。 pic.twitter.com/GybPPquxYm— 下鴨神社 (@kamomioyajinja) June 6, 2017
Shimogamo Jinja apparently has real tanuki terrorizing its grounds:
アライグマを捕まえようとしていた罠に、間違って捕まってしまいました。 pic.twitter.com/T4vaA9s2h5
— 下鴨神社 (@kamomioyajinja) June 6, 2017
—which didn’t go unnoticed by P.A.Works president Horikawa Kenji:
下鴨神社にはアライグマが棲んでいることに驚き！ https://t.co/CWZYoMit7s
— 堀川憲司 (@horiken2000) June 6, 2017
Episode 9
Kyoto Tower (京都タワー)
Kyoto Station (京都駅)
Bon Bon Cafe (ボンボンカフェ) in Demachi
Kamo River delta (鴨川デルタ)
Bon Bon Cafe
Seven Eleven Kyoto Aoibashi Teramachi shop (セブン-イレブン 京都葵橋寺町店)
View of The Shard and other London skyscrapers from Parliament Hill in Hampstead Heath
Coffee Tsutaya (珈琲 蔦家), at the corner of Rokkaku-dōri (六角通) and Higashinotōin-dōri (東洞院通)
Chōhō-ji (頂法寺), commonly referred to as Rokkaku-dō (六角堂)
Tsuki ga Kirei
(月がきれい)
Fan Pilgrimage Update
@touyoko_com made pilgrimages to Tokyo Dome City in Bunkyō Ward, Tokyo Metropolis for Episode 7; and Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture for Episode 8.
@Surwill compiled a combined Street View tour and on-location pilgrimage to Kawagoe for Episode 5 through Episode 8. Check out Wilhelm’s post for good background information on many of the locations in Episode 8.
Akane’s voice actress Kohara Konomi visited Hikawa Jinja, but was disappointed to find there are no wind chimes at present:
いかがでしたか？心臓がいくつあっても足りないぐらいドキドキしましたね…先日は風鈴がありませんでしたが、小原さんのお店まわりの際、立寄らせて頂きました！抱えているべにっぽは、9.27発売のBD/DVD BOXの早期予約でゲット出来ますよ！ぜひ！じゃっく#月がきれい pic.twitter.com/SodhwEAVYD
— 「月がきれい」アニメ公式 (@tsukigakirei_tv) June 1, 2017
The show’s official Twitter account notes that the wind chimes will be available beginning in July:
TOKYO MXでの第８話「ヰタ・セクスアリス」放送をご覧下さった皆さん、ありがとうございました。川越氷川神社の「縁結び風鈴」は７月から始まります。詳しくは↓https://t.co/0F8MY3WEKZ
川越氷川神社への直接のお問合せは、なるべくお控え下さい。#月がきれい pic.twitter.com/GCWQGFXbs3— 「月がきれい」アニメ公式 (@tsukigakirei_tv) June 1, 2017
Director Kishi Seiji shared his photographs of the wind chimes from the location hunt at the shrine:
8話やOPで登場した川越氷川神社の縁結び風鈴のロケ写真。
本編の絵も混ぜて掲載。
幻想的。
今年も行けたらいいなぁ。#月がきれい #恋テロ pic.twitter.com/x31adRdCqS— 監督 岸誠二(チームティルドーン所属) (@kishiseiji) June 2, 2017
Episode 8
Kawagoe Kumano Jinja (川越熊野神社)
Rokkenmachi (六軒町), Kawagoe
Kashiya Yokochō (菓子屋横丁)
Akane and Kotarō visit several souvenir shops in the historic warehouse district Kurazukuri no Machinami (蔵造りの町並み). The first is Kaji Omachi-dō (鍛冶小町堂).
All of these scenes feature detailed and faithful renderings of the interiors of the shops. If it wasn’t clear before, it ought to be pretty obvious at this point that Tsuki ga Kirei is not afraid to dip into heavy tourism promotion for Kawagoe. But it’s really wonderful artwork, nonetheless.
Fuyūsha (布遊舎)
Kawagoe Tsubaki no Kura (川越椿の蔵)
Kaji Omachi-dō
Fuyūsha
Hikawa Jinja (氷川神社)
Hikawa-bashi (氷川橋)
Hikawa Jinja
Renkei-ji (蓮馨寺)
Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend Flat
(冴えない彼女の育てかた♭[フラット] Saenai Hiroin no Sodatekata Furatto)
Fan Pilgrimage Update
@touyoko_com made pilgrimages to Nishi-Waseda, Shinjuku Ward; Nishiogikita, Suginami Ward, Minami-Ōtsuka, Toshima Ward; and Nishitōkyō for Episode 7; and Takada, Toshima Ward (all Tokyo Metropolis) for Episode 8.
@ssslocation made pilgrimages to (updated gallery 1) Ariake, Koto Ward for Episode 6; and (updated gallery 2) Takada, Toshima Ward for Episode 8.
Episode 8
Grade level railroad crossing on the Toden Arakawa Line (都電荒川線), near the Gakushūinshita tram stop (学習院下停留場) in Takada, Toshima Ward, Tokyo Metropolis
Other Current Season Pilgrimage
@Bf109K1 made a pilgrimage to Kumamoto Prefecture for Natsume Yūjin-chō Roku.
@ssslocation made a pilgrimage to Shinjuku Ward and Tachikawa, Tokyo Metropolis for Re:CREATORS Episode 9.
@kimchi_fuji made a pilgrimage to Tachikawa and Hino, Tokyo Metropolis for Frame Arms Girl Episode 9 and Episode 10.
@ssslocation made a pilgrimage to Tachikawa for Frame Arms Girl Episode 10.
@ssslocation made a pilgrimage (updated gallery) to Hikifune, Sumida Ward; and Shinjuku for Seikai Suru Kado Episode 8.
Past Season Pilgrimage
@aga3104_keyaki made a pilgrimage to Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture for the Gabriel DropOut OVA.
@rimatai made a cycling pilgrimage to Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture for Long Riders!
@Bf109K1 made a pilgrimage to Kumamoto Prefecture for Natsume Yūjin-chō Go.
@yamagishi made a pilgrimage to Colmar, France for Gochūmon wa Usagi Desu ka??
@_lrdr made pilgrimages to Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture and Chōfu, Tokyo Metropolis for The Idolmaster.
3 comments
Linda says:
Jun 7, 2017
We must vow never to call it the Sakura Tram, the way some of us who live in DC still don’t call it “Reagan” National Airport.
Michael says:
Jun 7, 2017
Yep, thanks for noticing. That will be the official policy of this blog.
Linda says:
Jun 7, 2017
#resist :)