TV, Anime, Film & Locations
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TV, Anime, Film & Locations
Table of Contents
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Movie Lots
There are three significant movie lots you can visit in Japan. Each lot has outdoor sets that look like old merchant shops and Samurai homes where period movies and TV series are filmed. Because these movie lots are still operational, you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of some actors in Samurai and ninja costumes. During your visit, you can rent various costumes and become an Emperor or Ninja for a day. One movie lot, called Toei Kyoto, also functions as a theme park that primarily caters to tourists.
Recommended Resources
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Studio Sedic Open Set Yamagata (Reservation only in Japanese)
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TV Shows
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Midnight Diner (Netflix): This small restaurant, “Meshiya,” was built in a sound studio. But in the story, it is supposed to be in Shinjuku Golden Gai where there are hundreds of bars and late night diners. You can immerse yourself in the world of “Midnight Diner.”
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Terrace House. If you’re a fan of this reality show, you can visit the places where Haruka, Shohei, Kenny, Kaori hang out and went on dates: Mission Parkour Park, Shibamata Taishakuten Temple, Chawari Tea House in Meguro,Tokyo Language only icon needed. Seven Clover in Shibuya, Tokyo, Captains Helms, Ebisu Garden Place, Dot.Eater and Bar in Ebisu, Tokyo.
TV stations
There are many TV Stations in Japan that allow for the public to tour behind the scenes. For families, many of the stations have fun kids activities.
Recommended Resources
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Fuji TV in Odaiba Tokyo
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TBS in Akasaka Tokyo No studio tour w/o apply ahead of time but enjoy the shopping area anytime
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NTV Shiodome in Tokyo: No studio tour/show tickets without applying ahead of time but you can enjoy the shopping area and Hayao Miyazaki’s famous big clock
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NHK Osaka BK Plaza TV Studio experience in Osaka
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NHK Broadcasting Corporation Museum in Atago Tokyo
Movie Locations
Are you interested in Japanese films? All or parts of the following films were shot in Japan.
Hollywood Movies
Lost in Translation: Filmed in Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Park Hyatt
The Fast & The Furious Tokyo Drift: Filmed the racing scenes in Harajuku, Shinjuku, and Shibuya with special effects.
Those two films and Resident Evil-Afterlife were shot in the famous Shibuya scramble crossing. Other significant films in Japan are Memories of Geisha, The Wolverine, Inception, Snowden, G.I Joe: Rise of the Cobra, Babel, The Last Samurai, and 007 Skyfall.
JW Web Magazine shows you the exact locations.
Japanese Films
Shoplifters: Filmed at Nihon University Surugadai Campus, inside Kominato Railway train.
This movie was produced as part of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, was the winner of the Palm d’Or, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Perhaps the most memorable scene is the family going to the beach. It was shot at the Ohara Beaches in the Chiba prefecture.
Departure: Filmed in Sakata City in Yamagata prefecture. Departure is an Oscar-winning movie in the Best Foreign Language film category in 2009. In this movie, Daigo plays his cello at the river bank with the Chokaizan mountain in the background. This scene was filmed at the Gekkogawa River Park in Yuza.
The Twilight Samurai: Many scenes were shot in the Shonai region in Yamagata prefecture.
The film was nominated for The Oscar for Best Foreign Language film at the 76th Academy Awards. It won 12 Japanese Academy Awards. Seibei’s and his colleagues' homes are Matsumoto and Iwahashi family residences in Kakunodate, Akita
Battle Royal is based on Hachijo Kojima island, Tokyo
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Kikujiro: They shot many scenes in the Asakusa area of Tokyo. The Sakurabashi Bridge over the Sumida River is seen in the film's opening and ending scene.
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Drive My Car: at the top: This Academy Award winner in foreign language film was shot in Hiroshima. You can visit Oogonsan mountain, Grand Price Hotel Hiroshima, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Orizuru Tower
Manga & Animation
Anime Pilgrimage
What a fun way to explore Japan is through animation! Many scenes in Japanese animation films are based on real-life locations. How many sets do you recognize?
Recommended Resources
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Anime Tourism Association for all the anime & manga locations.
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Chichibu Anime Trilogy: The Flower We Saw That Day, Her Blue Sky, and The Anthem of the Heart are called “Chichibu Anime Trilogy,” and based in Chichibu City in Saitama Prefecture, where the author, Mari Okada is from. Anime News Network has a great Chichibu Anime guide. Check out Chokotabi website of Saitama Prefecture for more information.
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Your Name: The main characters finally meet one another on the stairs of Suga temple in Shinjuku, Taki and Miki meet at the café
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National Art Center Shinano-machi Station pedestrian bridge and Yotsuya Station in Tokyo. Check out ToFuGu for more locations.
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Wolf Children is based in Kamikochi in Toyama Prefecture.
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In This Corner of the World is based in Kure City, Hiroshima prefecture.
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A Silent Voice is based in Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture
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Love Live! Sunshine! Is based in Numazu City in Shizuoka Prefecture
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Slam Dunk: manga & animation based in Kamakura City in Kanagawa Prefecture.
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Garden of Words: the dramatic meeting with Yukino and Takao took place in the pavilion in Shinjuku Gyoen
Ghibli Studio Films
Matcha has a good list of places for Hayao Miyazaki fans. Here are some examples and more.
Several places inspired this feature animation. A number of these locations are a town called Jiufen in Taipei, Dogo Onsen Honkan in Matsuyama, Kagawa, and the Edo Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
The model of the iron-making plant is in Shimane. The inspiration for the forest is Aomori, Akita, and Yakushima Island, Kagoshima.
Sayama Hills in Saitama/Tokyo. You can visit Kurosuke’s house
The story is based in the neighborhood of Seiseki Sakuragaoka station in Keio Line. Once you get out of the station, you see the information board that tells you the central locations featured in the animation.
When Manie Was There is inspired by Kushiro Wetlands National Park
Animation/Manga Museums, shops, cafes, and trains
Recommended Resources
​Here are lists of places to visit. There are many fantastic Animation theme parks/Manga museums outside of Tokyo, too.
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Ghibli Park , Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture: One of the most anticipated theme park. Sol Life has a great video of her visit to the park.
- Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, TokyO: If you don't have time to visit Ghibli Park, go to this museum. you can immerse yourself in the world of ghibli. Be sure to get totoro cream puff at Shiro-Hige puff factory for delicious cream puffs, bu by Miyazaki's brother.
- Naruto-Nijigen no Mori, Awaji city, Hyogo Prefecture. Paolo has a great video of his visit to the them park.
- Universal Studio Japan, Osaka City. This famous theme park in Japan always offers fun animation-related attractions in addition to Super Nintendo World, such as Demon Slayer (Kimetsu No Yaiba) and Detective Conan 4D Live show.
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Manga Town: Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture: In 1995, the Mayor of Ishinomaki City and Shotaro Ishinomori came up with the “Manga Land Concept.” Shotaro was born in Miyazaki Prefecture and spent lots of time in Ishinomaki City in his youth. He was one of the most famous manga artists in Japan. His work includes “Cyborg 009” and “Kamen Rider,” “Robocon,” to name a few. In the Museum you can enjoy the exhibits of his work and participate in events and workshops.
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Fujiko Fujio Museum Kawasaki City, Kanagawa
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Kita Kushu Manga Museum in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture.
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Go Nagai Wonderland Museum in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
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The Tezuka Osamu Museum Takarazuka City, Osaka Prefecture.
Anime Characters shops
Tokyo Station Character Street
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Pokemon Center in Tokyo.
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Pokemon Center in Osaka, and Kyoto.
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Ghibli boutique for adult fans. Order online and have them ship to your hotel if you’re not going to Tokyo. For young fans, they can purchase toys at the Ghibli store/Donguri Kyowakoku at Tokyo Station Character Street.
Comics, Anime Scripts, toys and more
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Japan-Guide has excellent lists for recommended shops.
Manga Anime Trains
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Pokemon With You Train: Pokemon runs between Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture: Omunomu has a great video of the train ride.
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Hello, Kitty Shinkansen runs between Shin-Osaka and Hakata.
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Doraemon Light Rail runs in Takaoka City, Toyama.
This English Language Film School Website
has additional information for movie and animation fans on where to visit while in Japan.
