With Japan being the motherland of anime, it’s unsurprising that many real-life locations have inspired our favorite anime scenes. Recently, the phenomenon of people visiting anime-inspired places, or locations dedicated to anime, has been gaining popularity. This trend is known as an anime pilgrimage.
So what are the top places to visit in Japan for anime fans? From straightforward Pokémon parks to a staircase in Tokyo that referenced the tear-jerking Kimi no Nawa (Your Name), let’s discover the landmarks from your favorite anime series!
Anime-Themed Destinations in Japan
First on our list are themed destinations dedicated to a specific anime or manga, whether it’s a themed gym or a themed park. If you are a big anime fan, try to also see what phrases from your favorite anime you can actually use in Japan.
1. JB Sports Gym For Hajime No Ippo Fans
The JB Sports Gym is owned by the writer of Hajime no Ippo, and is designed based on the famous Kamogawa gym from the series. It’s a boxing gym offering lessons for professionals and aspiring professionals. As in the anime, the gym accepts only professionals or aspiring professionals.
The gym is designed to look just like the Kamogawa gym and has Hajime no ippo posters, with even a life-size statue of Takamura, one of the characters of the show. If you are just like the titular character, Makunouchi Ippo, and are serious about boxing, you can join the gym as a full-time professional boxer. You must be committed to attending practice 6 times a week to become a professional boxer.
There are also visitor training sessions available for approximately ¥3,800, while a gym membership is available. Luckily, it is free to just tour the site! But keep in mind that the visitor training doesn’t include sparring, mitt work, or instruction from the head coach. You can also “sightsee,” which means you can tour the gym and watch a training session for free.
Location: JB Sports 3−11−19, Umejima, Adachi City, Tokyo 121-0816
Price: Free (for sightseeing), ¥8,000 – 10,000 for gym membership
Website: Official website here
2. PokePark Kanto
PokePark Kanto is the first-ever permanent Pokémon theme park, and it just opened on February 5, 2026. It’s located in Inagi City, just on the outskirts of Tokyo, and the grand opening conveniently coincides with the series’ 30th anniversary. The park is a brand-new addition to Yomiuri Land, Tokyo’s largest theme park, boasting over 40 attractions and a water park.
Longtime fans probably already know the park’s name is an homage to the first generation’s fictional region, Kanto. There are over 600 Pokémon scattered across the park for fans to discover. The whole area is divided into 3 main areas:
- The Entrance Plaza
- Pokémon Forest, which spans more than 1,600 feet, features diverse terrain, including tunnels and rocky trails, and Pokémon waiting to be discovered.
- Sedge Town, which includes attractions, shops, and a cafe.
The park offers 3 ticket options that grant access to specific areas. The Town Pass allows access to PokePark and timed entry to Sedge Town. The Trainer’s Pass allows full access to Sedge Town, plus timed entry for the Pokémon Forest. Lastly, the Ace Trainer’s Pass offers the most benefits, with unlimited access to the Pokémon Forest and Sedge Town, plus perks such as special seating at shows and priority lanes on rides.
Location: Yumiuri Land Park 4015-1, Yanokuchi, Inagi City, Tokyo 206-8725
Price: Varies depending on the day.
| Town Pass | Trainer’s Pass | Ace Trainer’s Pass |
| ¥4,700 | ¥7,900 | ¥14,000 |
| ¥5,000 | ¥8,500 | ¥15,000 |
| ¥5,500 | ¥9,400 | ¥16,500 |
Website: Official website here
3. Nijigen no Mori
Nigigen no Mori is a must-visit for not only anime fans but also Godzilla fans visiting Japan, featuring five different theme parks. Awajima Park in Hyogo Prefecture offers immersive experiences in anime, video games, and manga, while allowing you to move your body and enjoy the beautiful nature of Hyogo.
The five attractions you can visit include:
- Attack on Titan:
This is a limited-time event where you are immersed in a world of Attack on Titan. The nighttime event features a walk through a 1.2 km forest transformed into the Attack on Titan world via projection mapping and sound engineering. The daytime event will include a stamp rally, with more details to be released shortly.
- Crayon Shin-chan Adventure Park:
This attraction features challenging Samurai-themed athletic courses with obstacles to climb and overcome. There are also ziplines, museums, photo spots, and more.
- Godzilla Interception Operation:
This is the first park to feature a life-size, 120-ft-tall Godzilla structure. You are sent on a mission to make sure it doesn’t wake up. You can zip-tie into its mouth, play a shooting game where you shoot “Godzilla cells,” visit the Godzilla museum, and visit special effect photo studios. For kids theres a miniature city playground for them to pretend to be giant monsters!
- Naruto & Boruto Shinobi Village:
You can experience being a shinobi where you complete challenges, go through mazes, and solve puzzles. There’s also a ramen shop that imitates the ramen you can find in the show.
Read our blog to learn Japanese by watching Naruto!
- Dragon Quest Island:
In this attraction, you get to partake in a real-life RPG where you can choose from 5 occupations, interact with creatures, get clues from local residents, and ultimately restore world peace. Depending on your ticket, you can also participate in side quests.
You can buy tickets for each park separately or buy a combo ticket for multiple parks. Each attraction offers different tickets that grant access to specific areas or events. For more details on prices, we recommend visiting the ticket page of their main website.
Location: 2425-2, Kusumoto, Awaji, Hyogo 656-2301
Price: Varies by attraction
Website: Official website here
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4. Ghibli Park
The Ghibli Park allows you to immerse into the world of Ghibli, with 5 different areas offering different atmospheres from the Ghibli Movies. The park is spread out across the Moricoco Park, or the Aichi 2005 Expo Commemorative Park, which is over 18 acres. The park is located in Nagakute, Aichi, and can be accessed via the Aichikyuuhakukinen koen Station. The park has around 5 different areas, including:
- Ghilbli’s Grand Warehouse:
Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse is a large indoor area where you can immerse yourself in recreated scenes, structures, and themes from Ghibli films, such as the ruined gardens from Castle in the Sky. There are a variety of displays, walk through exhibtis, and production materials to explore. You can also watch exclusive short films that are only available there or at the Tokyo Ghibli Museum.
- Hill of Youth
The hill of youth includes stunning buildings and sets brought to life from different Ghibli movies. The area features the elevator tower designed based on the time period and aesthetics of Howl’s Moving Castle, the World Emporium (an antique shop from the Whisper of the Heart), and the Cat Bureau (a cat-sized building) from the Cat Returns.
- Dondoko Forest
This area is based on the beautiful forest and traditional home of the titular characters in My Neighbor Totoro. You traverse a long staircase to the top of a mountain, where you will find Mei and Satsuki’s house that transports you to the world of Totoro. Behind the house, you will find a large wooden playground for children to explore.
- Mononoke Village
Inspired by the mountain village landscape of the Emishi Village and the Irontown in Princess Mononoke, this area captures the movie’s fantastical and serene imagery. The theme park features a traditional village settlement with a traditional charcoal burner’s hut and an iron forge bellows you can actually try working.
- The Valley of Witches
The Valley of Witches is inspired by the witches of the Ghibli world, featuring areas from Kiki’s Delivery Service, the wastelands from Howl’s Moving Castle, and a stunning European-style cityscape with buildings from various Ghibli movies. There are also rides and attractions in the area.
Location: Inside Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, 1533-1 Ibaragabasama, Nagakute, Aichi
Price:
| Adults | Children (age 4 – 12) | Toddlers (age 0 – 3) | |
| Weekdays | ¥7,300 | ¥3,650 | Free |
| Weekends and Holidays | ¥7,800 | ¥3,900 | Free |
Website: Official website here
5. Tokyo Polytechnic University Suginami Animation Museum
The Tokyo Polytechnic University Suginami Animation Museum was established to commemorate and highlight the animation studios based in Suginami. The Sugnimai area is home to big animation studios that created some of the most popular works ever made, such as Bandai Namco (famous for Cowboy Bebop and Gundam), Bones (known for Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood), Madhouse (known for Ninja Scroll and Perfect Blue), and MAPPA (currently animating Jujustsu Kaisen).
Anime fans should not miss this hidden gem, as the museum offers a deep dive into the history of anime in Japan, how it works, and its future. You can even learn how to make your own animation, either by tracing pre-made cell sheets or drawing your own from scratch, and you can experience how to dub an actual anime.
The museum often hosts exhibitions, talks, and workshops that invite animators to share insights and teach animation. Keep checking the website for updates on exhibitions or workshops, and definitely stop by if you are interested in the process of animation and even trying your hand at it. The best part about this museum is that it’s completely free!
Location: Suginami Kaikan 3rd floor, 3-29-5 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
Price: Free
Website: Official website
Real-Life Locations From Famous Anime Scenes
Anime doesn’t just inspire amazing places like theme parks or even boxing gyms. It also draws inspiration from real-world locations. Some of these spots are absolutely stunning and really highlight the skill of animators who capture their atmosphere so beautifully.
1. Kimi no Wa Stairs
The famous Kimi no Wa stairs are located at Suga Shrine, about a 10-minute walk from Yotsuya Station. The whole walk to the famous red-railed stairs is filled with images that directly influenced the artwork from the movie. The stairs have the best views early in the morning for clearer photos and fewer crowds.
Location: 5-banchi Sugacho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0018
2. Jujutsu Kaisen Tokyo Locations
Jujutsu Kaisen directly animates common locations across Tokyo, most of which are found in Shinjuku and Shibuya. Let’s check out some of the most notable locations you should stop by in Tokyo:
Shibuya 109: An iconic landmark known for multiple battles in the anime, and was one of the areas that was destroyed in the show.
Shibuya Mark City: This area near Shibuya Station was where the most powerful sorcerer, Satoru Gojo, was sealed in the prison realm.
The “Break-Up” KFC in Shinjuku: The KFC outside the West Exit of Shinjuku Station is where the powerful “break-up” scene between Satoru Gojo and Geto Suguru unfolds.
3. Karumai High School
Karumai High School, located in Iwate Prefecture, inspired Kurasuno High School in Haikyuu, an anime series centered on volleyball. The school’s gymnasium, exterior, and even the surrounding area directly inspired the high school in the iconic series. If you’re in the area, you can view the exterior of the school, but please note that the school is generally not open to the public.
Location: Dai 9 Chiwari-34-1 Karumai, Kunohe District, Iwate 028-6302
4. Spirited Away’s Onsen House
The grand, elaborate onsen house that served as a key setting in the award-winning film Spirited Away drew significant inspiration from the Dogo Onsen house in Ehime Prefecture. The Dogo Onsen house is the oldest public hot spring in Japan, dating back around 3,000 years. It’s located in a charming onsen town with shops and traditional streets, where guests often walk around in yukatas.
Location: 5-6 Dogoyunomachi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842
Conclusion: Visit One of These Stunning Places for Anime Fans
Try visiting one of the anime-themed or inspired places on this list and see how it compares to your favorite anime. But this list is very much non-exhaustive, so try seeing if you can find other places that inspired your favorite anime scenes. Don’t forget to read our guide on learning Japanese with anime!
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If you want to really explore some of the top spots for anime fans more deeply, we highly recommend learning Japanese with us at Coto Academy. We offer professional Japanese teachers who specialize in helping you learn natural, everyday Japanese. Our classes are small, allowing our teachers to focus on your specific needs and abilities.
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FAQ:
What are some of the best places to visit in Japan for anime fans?
Some of the most popular spots include Ghibli Park, anime shopping districts like Akihabara, and theme-park style attractions such as Nijigen no Mori. Museums and character-focused attractions, like the Fujiko F. Fujio Museum, are also great for fans.
Are anime locations in Japan real places you can visit?
Yes. Many anime are inspired by real-life settings—towns, shrines, train stations, and landscapes. Fans often visit these “pilgrimage sites” (聖地巡礼, seichi junrei) to see the locations that appear in their favorite series.
Do I need tickets in advance for anime theme parks and museums?
In many places, like Ghibli Park and other anime-themed museums, reservations are required, and tickets may sell out weeks ahead, especially during holidays or weekends. It’s best to check official websites before planning your visit. But the Suginami Animation Museum doesn’t require reservations and is free.
When is the best time to visit anime attractions in Japan?
Weekdays are usually less crowded than weekends and national holidays. Spring and autumn are popular travel seasons, but visiting early in the day can help you avoid long lines at shops and exhibits.
Are anime attractions enjoyable if I don’t speak Japanese?
Generally, yes. Major attractions often provide English signage, and staff are accustomed to international visitors. Even where language support is limited, visual exhibits, merchandise, and themed environments are easy to enjoy.
Can I buy exclusive anime merchandise at these locations?
Yes. Many anime parks, museums, and specialty stores sell limited-edition items you can’t easily find elsewhere, which is one of the highlights for many visitors.
Is it okay to take photos at anime attractions?
Photography rules vary. Outdoor displays and public areas are often fine, but some museums or exhibitions prohibit photography inside. Always look for signs or ask staff before taking pictures.