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
Kitauji High School OB Wind Ensemble
Kyoto Shimbun published an article about the first performance given by a volunteer concert band created this year by fans of Hibike! Euphonium. 420 attended the performance at the Uji Cultural Center, and the band plans to give its second concert in 2017 December.
Shimogama Uchōten event
Kyoto Shimbun published an article about a promotional event for the second season of Uchōten Kazoku to be held at Shimogamo Jinja on 2017 January 12, the first time an anime-related activity will have been hosted on the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the work, Shimogamo is used as the home for the protagonist family of tanuki.
Hida seichi sake
Mainichi Shimbun published an article about brisk business experienced by a local sake shop in Hida, Gifu Prefecture selling “seichi sake” to fans visiting for Kimi no Na wa. Kuchikamizake (口噛み酒), spontaneously fermenting alcohol from rice and saliva, plays a role in the film. The special item sold at the Hida shop is ordinary rice wine, but is sold in packaging inspired by objects in the film.
Saga Yūri!!! on Ice collaboration
Saga Prefecture (press release) will enter a marketing collaboration with Yūri!!! on Ice to promote tourism to the show setting in Karatsu, as well as sales of local specialty products and anime goods. Media coverage: Mainichi Shimbun, Dengeki Online, Netorabo, Biglobe News, Jiji, animate Times, Comic Natalie
Kagawa Udon no Kuni pilgrimage map
The Kagawa Prefecture Tourism Association is releasing official Udon no Kuni pilgrimage maps, organized by episode.
Sound! Euphonium 2
(響け！ユーフォニアム2 Hibike! Yūfoniamu 2)
Fan Pilgrimage Update
@ye_bi_su (post) and @keihi49 (post) made pilgrimages to the Nagoya Congress Center in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture for Episode 12.
@touyoko_com made a pilgrimage (updated: post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4) and to Uji, Kyoto Prefecture through Episode 11.
@ewi made a pilgrimage to Uji for multiple episodes.
@taiyaki0628 made a pilgrimage to Kyoto and Uji for multiple episodes.
Episode 12
Kameyama Junction (亀山ジャンクション) on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture
[Credit: @tesra1141, Twitter]
Nagoya Congress Center (名古屋国際会議場) in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
Hibino Station (Nagoya) (日比野駅 (名古屋市))
Century Hall (センチュリーホール)
The Great Passage
(舟を編む Fune o Amu)
Episode 11
Enoshima Electric Railway (江ノ島電鉄) in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
Inamuragasaki Station (稲村ケ崎駅)
[Credit: @teo_imperial, Twitter]
Otonashi River (音無川), just west of Inamuragasaki Station
[Credit: @teo_imperial, Twitter]
Munatsukizaka (胸突坂) in Hongō Kikuzaka (本郷菊坂), Bunkyō Ward
Tadon-zaka (炭団坂) in Hongō, Bunkyo Ward
[Credit: @teo_imperial, Twitter]
March comes in like a lion
(3月のライオン Sangatsu no Raion)
Fan Pilgrimage Update
@Roan_Inish made pilgrimages to (post 1) Akashichō for Episode 2; (post 2) Tsukiji for Episode 9; (post 3) Shinkawa and Sendagaya for Episode 10; and (post 4) Tsukuda and Shinkawa for Episode 11.
@Surwill compiled a Street View tour of locations in Tsukuda, Tsukishima, Shinkawa and Sendagaya through Episode 10.
Episode 11
Kamejima River flood gate (亀島川水門)
Tsukuda (佃)
Tsukuda
Shinkawa (新川)
Tsukuda
Tsukuda
Tsukuda (small) Bridge (佃小橋)
Tsukuda
Tsukuda
Torii marking beginning of the approach to Sumiyoshi Jinja (住吉神社)
Tsukuda
Poco’s Udon World
(うどんの国の金色毛鞠 Udon no Kuni no Kin’iro Kemari)
Episode 12
長崎ノ鼻, Takamatsu (高松), Kagawa Prefecture
Chikiri Jinja (ちきり神社) in Busshōzan (仏生山)
Yashima (屋島)
Takamatsu-Kotohira Electric Railroad (高松琴平電気鉄道)
Uehara-ya head shop (上原屋本店) in Ritsurin-chō (栗林町)
Yuri!!! on Ice
(ユーリ!!! on ICE Yūri on Aisu)
Episode 12
Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona
Tuchkov Bridge (Ту́чков мост) in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Other Current Season Pilgrimage
@SSEBTBM883 made pilgrimages to (new post) Ginzan Onsen in Obanazawa, Yamagata Prefecture; and (updated post) Tokyo inner wards for Girlish Number.
@mo_om921 made a pilgrimage to Kichijōji, Musashino, Tokyo Metropolis for Occultic;Nine.
Past Season Pilgrimage
@keihi49 made a pilgrimage to Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture for Love Live! Sunshine!!
@mikehattsu made a pilgrimage (post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4) to Takayama, Gifu Prefecture for Hyōka.
@mikehattsu continues his pilgrimage (post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4, post 5, post 6, post 7) to Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, including the Yuwaku Bonbori Matsuri, for Hanasaku Iroha.
2 comments
q87dt says:
Dec 30, 2016
Thanks for another great article.
It’s a little sad that is already the second to last Euphonium episode. I really liked the show and how they used all these unknown places (well, at least to me..) in Uji. The Nagoya part was a bit special for me, because I’ve visited the congress center last year. Maybe it’s a bit “off-topic”, but I’d like to share some information about the statue in the inner courtyard.
In the anime the statue looks like it is solid and made out of stone, but in reality it is made out of plastic. The horse legs are just to thin to support the whole weight of the horse and horseman if it were made out of stone or copper. According to the official congress center website, the design is based on drawings created by Leonardo da Vinci (http://www.nagoya-congress-center.jp/english/shisetsu/kiba.html).
Fune wo Amu:
Maybe it’s already common knowledge, but the place in your 6./17. picture is located near Inamuragasaki Station too. Its a small pedestrian rail-road crossing, located aproximately 20-30m to the west of the Otonashi River bridge mentioned in your article. Unfortunately Google Streetview doesn’t provide good images for this place. From the next street you can only see the wall in the left corner of your picture and the railway signal.
Michael says:
Dec 31, 2016
That is hilarious, actually, and very much on topic. That’s the kind of thing very few people would ever think about, but when you start digging into the details of the built environments we create, you find all sorts of funny things.
Fune wo Amu: I figured that was probably the case. Was in a rush and didn’t get around to checking. Thanks for that.
And Happy New Year!!