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 sacred site pilgrimage) and butaitanbou (舞台探訪 scene hunting)—on this website referred to collectively as anime pilgrimage—which are forms of place-based engagement induced by the use of real locations in show settings.
Media and General Interest
Karatsu Yūri!!! on Ice seichijunrei
Nishi Nippon Shimbun published an article about seichijunrei to Karatsu, Saga Prefecture for Yūri!!! on Ice.
Hida Kimi no Na wa. inbound tourism
Chunichi Shimbun published an article about pop culture tourism by inbound visitors from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Mainland China and other countries to Hida, Gifu Prefecture for Kimi no Na wa.
Hida tourism promotion
Daily Shincho published an article about marketing budget proposals by the Hida city government, including 15 million yen for advertising on regional high-speed buses, to extend interest in Kimi no Na wa. induced tourism. The winter is anticipated to depress visitor numbers, while at the same time the premiere of the film overseas is expected to drive more non-Japanese visitors to the city.
Anime tourism
Nikkan Gendai published an article about anticipated challenges of the Kadokawa Anime Tourism 88-Stop Pilgrimage campaign.
Sound! Euphonium 2
(響け！ユーフォニアム2 Hibike! Yūfoniamu 2)
Fan Pilgrimage Update
@ye_bi_su made a pilgrimage to Uji, Kyoto Prefecture for Episode 10.
@ewi made a pilgrimage (updated post, new post) to Uji through Episode 10.
Episode 10
Mimurodo Station (三室戸駅)
This week, both Eupho and 3-gatsu no Lion feature many detailed shots of railway assets. In Eupho especially, the inclusion of tight shots on small details in the stations and trains, and use of on-site ambient recordings, make these spaces feel just as alive as the rest of the settings.
Todō Senior High School (莵道高校)
Seven Eleven Uji Ōbaku Park shop (セブンイレブン宇治黄檗公園店)
Prefectural Uji Park intersection (府立宇治公園前交差点)
Uji Bridge (宇治橋)
Keihan Uji Station (京阪宇治駅)
Keihan Uji Line (京阪宇治線)
Prefectural Uji Park intersection
Kisen Bridge (喜撰橋)
Uji Bridge
Todō Senior High School
March comes in like a lion
(3月のライオン Sangatsu no Raion)
Fan Pilgrimage Update
@Roan_Inish made a pilgrimage to Asakusa, Taitō Ward, Tokyo Metropolis for Episode 8.
Episode 9
Rei once again travels his commute along the sotobori (外堀) to Sendagaya. Each time he makes this trip, the art uses a different color palette or emphasizes different details that mirror his state of mind.
Sparks and grinding sounds in a tight shot of the pantograph reflect the tension in Rei’s thoughts.
Sendagaya Station (千駄ケ谷駅)
Hatanomori Hachiman Jinja (鳩森八幡神社)
Japan Shōgi Association (日本将棋連盟) in Sendagaya (千駄ヶ谷)
Asakusa (浅草) side of Sumida Park (隅田公園), along the Sumida River
One shot of this embankment was slipped into Episode 8, though sandwiched between shots of Rei and Nikaidō walking through Tsukishima, and then over the Chūō Bridge, which wouldn’t be possible if the setting maintained real world spatial relationships. In general, 3-gatsu no Lion accurately reflects these relationships, so that almost seems like it was a mix-up.
Yuri!!! on Ice
(ユーリ!!! on ICE Yūri on Aisu)
Fan Pilgrimage Update
@Surwill compiled a Street View tour (and a few firsthand captures) of locations in Japan, Europe and the United States through Episode 10.
Episode 10
Barcelona, Spain
Left: Barcelona Princess Hotel
Right: Diagonal ZeroZero
All of the locations this week were identified by Vienna-based @Surwill, who began writing about anime settings this year in a weekly column for Crunchyroll. If you’re interested in seichijunrei and butaitanbou, particularly in the occasional Europe based settings, you definitely should be following him.
Foreground: Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona
Phichit poses in front of the Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família one of several architectural works by Antoni Gaudí featured in this episode. Gaudí is synonymous with Catalan Modernism and most of his works were built in Barcelona. Still unfinished Sagrada Família is considered his masterwork and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Barcelona Princess Hotel
Sagrada Família
Foreground: Observation tower atop the Arenas de Barcelona
Near background: Plaza de España and Venetian Towers
Far background: Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
Passeig de Gràcia is a high-end shopping district and major avenue in Barcelona, and the location of several noted architectural works.
Casa Batlló, designed by Gaudí and an UNESCO World Heritage Site
Otabek and Yuri Plisetsky escape to Park Güell, orginally designed by Gaudí as a high-end housing development but converted to a municipal park. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The mosaic salamander is popularly known as “el drac” (the dragon).
Sala Hipóstila
Back on Passeig de Gràcia, this is Casa Milà, also Gaudí, also an UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was the architect’s last civil work.
Fira de Santa Llúcia Christmas Market
Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Barcelona Cathedral)
Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona
Poco’s Udon World
(うどんの国の金色毛鞠 Udon no Kuni no Kin’iro Kemari)
Episode 10
Takamatsu (高松), Kagawa Prefecture
Flip Flappers
(フリップフラッパーズ Furippu Furappāzu)
Episode 10
A mirrored image of Prefectural Route 202 (国道202号線), just south of Nagasaki Station in Nagasaki (長崎)
[Credit: @teo_imperial, Twitter]
Bread from Romio bakery, a small business in Kōriyama (郡山), Fukushima Prefecture. Flip Flappers director Oshiyama Kiyotaka is from neighboring Motomiya, which was featured along with Kōriyama in the setting of Episode 7.
WWW.Wagnaria!!
(WWW.WORKING!!)
Episode 11
Other Current Season Pilgrimage
@touyoko_com made a pilgrimage to Aomi, Kōtō Ward; and Shibuya, Shibuya Ward (both Tokyo Metropolis) for Uta no Prince-sama Maji Love Legend Star.
@SSEBTBM883 made a pilgrimage to Ukyō Ward, Kyoto City for Keijo!!!!!!!!
@fureshima (post) and @ssslocation (updated gallery) made pilgrimages to Kichijōji, Musashino, Tokyo Metropolis for Stella no Mahō.
@ssslocation made a pilgrimage to Shinjuku, Daikanyama, Kioi, Akasaka and Takadanobaba (all Tokyo inner wards) for Girlish Number.
Past Season Pilgrimage
@lilysis08mai made a pilgrimage to Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture for Love Live! Sunshine!!
@SSEBTBM883 made a pilgrimage (new post, updated post) to Mito, Hitachinaka and Omitama, Ibaraki Prefecture for Momokuri.
@Surwill compiled a Street View tour of Fukue-jima, Gotō, Nagasaki Prefecture for Barakamon.
@mikehattsu made a pilgrimage to Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture for Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso.
@mikehattsu made a pilgrimage (post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4) to Nagareyama, Chiba Prefecture and (post) to Musashino, Tokyo Metropolis for Futsū no Joshikōsei ga Rokodoru Yattemita.
@mikehattsu made a climbing pilgrimage (post 1, post 2) to Mount Takao in Hachiōji, Tokyo Metropolis for Yama no Susume.
@touyoko_com made a pilgrimage to Ebisu, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo Metropolis for Uta no Prince-sama Maji LOVE 1000%.
@mikehattsu made a pilgrimage to Washinomiya Jinja in Kuki, Saitama Prefecture for Lucky Star.
