Anime & Manga

Nakano san - One of the 23 districts of Tokyo.

Yuru-Chara - This is the parallel world (^^)

Nyangostar - Born in Aomori-ken.

Funassyi - Born from pear in Funabashi, Chiba.

Kumamon - Born in Kumamoto, Kyushu.

Anime 88 spots all over Japan - This is the Seichi Junrei. Taito-ku has 4 of them!

Rilakkuma - Just opened in the First Avenue Tokyo Station. Not Ralikkuma ;p

COPiC - Not only fine art design but for Manga and Animation, let's color your life with 358 choice, yes, every single day has different color to paint (^^)

Kyoto Animation - Life is filled with sadness but more with happiness!

TokyoTowerRED - Virtual Reality and more ....... Virtual Insanity?

NAMJA TOWN in Sunshine City, Ikebukuro - The town also has anImate cafe if you are not gint to Akihabara, Sendai, Nagoya, Osaka, Okayama and Fukuoka.

Tetsujin 28 go - You may confuse if this was Gandum!? Of course not! This is the iron man no.28, personally observed much "stronger" than the one in Odaiba, Tokyo. Located in once devastated by Hanshin-Awaji earthquake, this is the hope of standing up again from ground-zero.

Tezuka Osamu - After all, he is the God of Manga in Japan. Universal floating energy? Inner-Child? Urim and Thummim? Let's find out during our life time. It is not too late, we are still breathing alright, our responsibility is everywhere until we take the last breath, and happiness is always within ourselves.

City Hunter and Angel Heart - Hojo Tsukasa sensei is one of the best manga story writer. Let's visit Shinjuku where Shinkai Makoto sensei also loves.

Natsuiro Kiseki (izu peninsula) - Now you can ride on izu-kyu-train with them! Manga wrapped train with their voice announcement are cute and awesome.

Kimetsu no yaiba
First time in Asakusa? (welcome to my town!)

Kimi no suizou wo tabetai (I'd love to eat your Pancreas!)
Hakata, Fukuoka / Kimi-Sui

KonoSekainoKatasumini (Thanks for your finding me, at the very corner of the world)
Kure, Hiroshima / Yamato Museum

Kiminonaha (Kiminonawa, Your name is)
Hida Furukawa, Takayama, Gifu
One in thousand two hundred years? Have you met your spiritual partner in this life time?

Byousoku 5 centimeters (5 Centimeters per Second )
Iwafune station in Tochigi-ken and Tanegashima in Kagoshima-ken
Same as Kiminonaha, produced by Shinkai Makoto who studied literature at Chuo University.

Hanasaku Iroha (i-ro-ha)
Yuwaku Onsen, Kanazawa / Map
Hana-iro has the onsen ryokan story. Kanazawa also has Kenrokuen and 21st century museum.

ANOHANA (Anohi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi ha Mada Shiranai)
Chichibu, Saitama / Map
Not far from downtown Tokyo. Had lost loved one recently? Let's meet Menma there.

FMA or FA (Full Metal Alchemist) or HagaRen (HAGANE no RENKINJUTSUSHI)
Makubetsu, Hokkaido
She says her story is "give me a break, but let's enjoy" in her very fist comic book. Although, truth is that's what's happening in the universe (only if you could believe in it, it ain't no more fictions), and you may enjoy The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, too. Death and Live are in One. Good always win over Evil, actually they are also in One.

DEATH NOTE
How many pages could you remember of your previous life? Do you sometime see "strange" dream, do you remember some of the dream of your young age, usually less than 10-year-old? Hope you find your own "notebook" to clear karma so that you will be able to step forward, in the end, you would not need to come back to "class room" or this world.

CLANNAD
Sayama, Saitama / Map
Best crying animation. Let's visit west of Saitama to enrich our life, shall we! The full After Story Song is here for todos. Vamos!

SAKURA TAISEN
Asakusa, Tokyo / Map
This is one of the most famous game in Japan made by SEGA. If you could catch the opening of the original version, come to Japan to see the Sensouji Temple in Asakusa, you'll be alive in the games! TV official page is also available.

SAIKANO (SAISHUHEIKI-KANOJO)
Otaru, Hokkaido / Map
This is the final love story of the earth. How can Shuuji love Chise, the normal high school student whose body is transformed into an ultimate weapon of war? Held in beautiful canal town of northern island. The house the couple live is Shibetsu station of JR Hokkaido.

KANNAGI : CRAZY SHRINE MAIDENS
Sendai, Miyagi / Map
Jin made a Zen statue out of the shrine sacred tree. The goddess, Nagi, was born out of the wooden masterpiece. Miyagi is one of the prefecture which is hit by tsunami on March 11th, 2011. School comedy, but deeply related to Japanese spiritual fact. Kanpachi is the spin-off comic out of Kannagi.

CRAYON SHINCHAN
Kasukabe, Saitama / Map
The kindergarden boy, Shinchan = Shinnosuke Nohara, is living in Kasukabe-shi , Saitama-ken, about 35km north of Asakusa. The trouble making boys and girls are based in real life there, and you may find their house, families, park, school and daily activities.

SAILOR MOON
Azabujuban, Tokyo / Map
The kawaii girl, Usagi Tsukino, transforms into a warrior in sailor outfit and tries to vanquish ghosts terrorizing Tokyo (story based on Azabujuban). Not only manga animation, but here you'll meet 5 cuties.

DIGIMON ADVENTURE
Digimon is an adventure story in imaginary digital world, Tokyo. Seven children start first adventure one summer, followed by Digimon Zero Two.

TOARU KAGAKU NO RAILGUN (including S)
Tachikawa and Tama-Center, Tokyo
Set in a university town of Tokyo where 80 percent of the whole population (2.3 million) are students, one of whom, a super power girl, Mikoto Misaka, can wield bolts of electricity, and she solves cases throughout the city. Tachikawa is 40 minutes JR Chuo Line ride from Tokyo central station, Tama Center is 40 minutes KEIO ride from Shinjuku station.

THE MELANCHOLY OF HARUHI SUZUMIYA
Nishinomiya, Hyogo / Official
A kawaii young student, Haruhi Suzumiya, together with Kyon, found a secret circle at their school called SOS-dan. Aliens, time-travelers from the future, and people with supernatural powers, the series is said to take place in Nishinomiya City in Hyogo Prefecture. There are many spots throughout the city idential to places seen in the anime and manga, such as the high school, the Shukugawa Park, and the path along the river bank. Been there? Haruhi Negai (Hope) completed (^^)

PONYO
Tomonoura, Hiroshima / Map
Ponyo was created when Miyazaki Hayao san enjoyed staying few months there in the small village port, not far from Onomichi, which actually related to JiuFen in Taiwan (Sento Chihiro no Kami Kakushi) if you combine this Asian trips with Taiwan and Japan together in one candy. Mecca for bicycle riders, please ride Shimanami Kaido.

TRUE TEARS
Nanto, Toyama / Map
The animation is originally made (not based much in the same named game) by P.A.WORKS in Nanto, Toyama-ken, north of Takayama or Shirakawago or Gokayama. If you cannot meet Shinichiro Nakagami, a boy main character in the story, or Noe, Hiromi, Aiko, Nakagami san, still you can feel the town there in reality. ANA has 6 round trips everyday from Tokyo Haneda Airport. Noh theater just 10 minutes walk from the Toyama Airport is highly recommended apart from the animation. Many of the scenes in the anime feature beautiful shots of the scenery in Toyama.

SUMMER WARS
Ueda, Nagano / Map
It is not special talented person who save the world, but just a normal person who you encounter in everyday life. The story is about Jinnouchi families along with Kenji, Takashi, Natsuki and Kazuma, officially held and supported by the real town called Ueda in Nagano-ken. JR East has Shinkansen access from Tokyo and Ueno. You may hit this page (JR East Nagano Branch) for the local information, please. Global crisis, internet space, time journey, Sanada samurai and more, but the highlight is the entrance to the Jinnouchi family's residence, the Higashi-Koguchi Yagura gate of Ueda Castle. On your way to Yudanaka Onsen where monkeys are enjoying onsen life, you will be also relaxing in authentic Japanese style house (now guest house with nice modern restaurant) at Kura.

LUCKY STAR (LAKI SUTA)
Kasukabe, Satte and Washimiya, Saitama / Map
Welcome to Japan already, please pay a short visit at the shrine illustrated in the story. Ryouougakuen school is actually this school in reality called Kasukabe Kyouei High School (good combination trip along with CRAYON SHINCHAN). Hiiragi families are living in the shrine called Washinomiya Shrine which is 5 minutes walk from Washinomiya station on Tobu Line, about 50 minutes train ride direct from Asakusa (Tokyo Skytree Line and Isesaki Line is directly connected with through-train service). The story is about the laid-back everyday lives of 4 cute unique spirited girls, Konata Izumi, Tsukasa Hiiragi, Kagami Hiiragi and Miyuki Takara. Reminds you those good old days in your local high school, you bet. As family name tells, Tsukasa and Kagami are sisters at Hiiragi house (their father is the priest of the shrine). Together with Kasukabe city (due to Crayon Shinchan, the other animation), this Kuki city is also well known by anime-otaku (anime-fan).

GHIBLI MUSEUM
Kichijoji or Mitaka, Tokyo / Lawson on-line reservation in English or JTB Sunrise Tours
No more ticket is available at Lawson convenience store. On-line reservation requires phone number in Japan. Sales is limited/regulated/monitored at one phone number. Studio Ghibli (pronounce as Jibli, J as in Jeep, a bit of Japanese language lesson?). Kazenotani no Naushika, Tonari no Totoro, Mononoke Hime, Tenkuno Shiro Rapyuta, Hotaru no Haka, Majo no Takkyubin, Omohide Poroporo, Mimi wo Sumaseba, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, Ponyo, Arrietty and more! They are not only manga animation but the universal spirits in them! No time to visit Tokyo, but would love to work in animation at Toyota (Kaizen and Just-In-Time) in Nagoya? Ride on the "Cat Bus" and find the way! Perfect location inside Inokashira-koen park and zoo.

GHIBLI PARK
Nagoya / JTB Sunrise Tours