5 places in Japan inspired by manga and anime

I previously introduced you to 5 places in Tokyo featured in your favourite manga. But the connections between Japan and manga obviously do not stop at the capital. Today, I invite you to discover 5 places across Japan linked to manga and animated films, easy to incorporate into your trip to Japan.

Key facts

• Attack on Titan → Hita, Oita Prefecture, Kyushu
• One Piece → Kumamoto, Kyushu
• Princess Mononoke → Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture
• Spirited Away → Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama, Shikoku
• Your Name → Takayama and Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture

Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin

Although the manga began publication in 2009, it was mainly after its anime adaptation in 2013 that the series achieved the success it enjoys today. Attack on Titan follows Eren and his companions, who live behind enormous walls supposedly protecting them from mysterious man-eating Titans. After an attack turns their lives upside down, they join the army and gradually discover that the true history of their world is far more complex than they had imagined.

In Hita, in Oita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, the hometown of author Hajime Isayama, you can now find several places linked to the series, including a museum dedicated to Attack on Titan. The Oyama Dam, which stands 94 metres high, is particularly associated with the manga's universe: it evokes the walls protecting the inhabitants in the story and features statues of Eren, Mikasa and Armin as children.

One Piece

Created by Eiichirō Oda, One Piece is undoubtedly one of the best-known manga series in the world. It follows Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew in their quest for the legendary One Piece treasure, travelling through a world filled with islands, powers and adventures.

The author's home region, Kumamoto, on the island of Kyushu, has established the ONE PIECE Kumamoto Revival Project. The 10 bronze statues of the members of the Straw Hat crew are spread across several towns and villages in the prefecture, including two in Kumamoto City: Luffy and Chopper. This makes it a great destination to discover with the family!

My expert advice: As the statues are spread across several municipalities in the prefecture, seeing them requires a car or suitable transport planning. It is also a great opportunity to discover the different landscapes of the prefecture.

Princess Mononoke

Studio Ghibli is behind many animated films that, personally, rank among my favourites. Princess Mononoke is obviously one of them. The film tells the story of Ashitaka, a young prince struck by a curse who sets out to understand the conflict between humans and the spirits of the forest. He meets San, a young woman raised by a wolf goddess, as war breaks out between the forest's inhabitants and the humans seeking to exploit its resources.

If, like me, this film has stayed with you over the years, I can only recommend visiting Yakushima Island, in Kagoshima Prefecture. Its ancient forests, particularly those of Shiratani Unsuikyo, served as inspiration for the landscapes in the film. Yakushima is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you keep your eyes open, perhaps you will even spot the Kodama…

Spirited Away

Like Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away was directed by Studio Ghibli. It follows Chihiro, a young girl who becomes trapped in a world inhabited by spirits and supernatural creatures after her parents are transformed into pigs.

The iconic place that most strongly recalls the atmosphere of the film is Dogo Onsen, in Matsuyama on the island of Shikoku. The façade and architecture of Dogo Onsen Honkan are often presented as a source of inspiration for the bathhouse in the film. Between the baths and the building's architecture, you could almost imagine yourself in Yubaba's bathhouse.

Your Name

I already introduced you to this film in my previous guide. Although Mitsuha's town does not seem to exist in reality, its inspiration can be felt in many places across the Japanese Alps. Between Takayama, with its temples and landscapes, and Lake Suwa, in Nagano Prefecture, it is difficult not to draw a connection with some of the film's settings.

My expert advice: Including the Alps in your trip is relatively easy and, for example, allows you to create a natural loop if you arrive and depart from the same airport. However, I particularly recommend this option if you have three weeks available.

Discover Japan through manga with Shanti Travel?

As an expert, I make it a point to create the perfect trip for each of my travellers. And that trip can also be shaped around the iconic places featured in their favourite manga and anime.

Whether you want to follow in Luffy's footsteps, discover the landscapes of Princess Mononoke or explore the places that inspired Your Name, I can incorporate these stops into your itinerary while keeping your trip coherent with your interests.