"This Is a Must-See"...Tourism Industry in Japan Hits 4-Trillion-Won Jackpot

The Anime Pilgrimage: 1.4 Million Foreign Visitors a Year Seek Animation Locations in Japan
Rising Trend of "Anime Migration" Among Enthusiastic Fans

The so-called "pilgrimage" of visiting animation background locations in Japan has become a key driver of regional economies, producing an economic impact worth 470 billion yen (approximately 4.1 trillion won) annually.

Photos of tourists visiting the stairs near the Suga Shrine in Sugacho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, the background location of the animation "Your Name." TikTok.

Japan’s Anime "Pilgrimages" Become a 4 Trillion Won Market... Fierce Competition Among Local Governments to Attract Tourists

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on September 14, 10 years have passed since the box office success of the 2016 animated film Your Name made the term "pilgrimage" popular, landing it in the top 10 buzzwords of that year.

Before this term became established, the phenomenon known as "pilgrimage" began in the 1990s with passionate fan cultures around series such as "Sailor Moon." It has since developed into a tourism industry nurtured on a national level.

In the case of "Sailor Moon," a representative early pilgrimage destination is the Azabuhikawa Shrine in Minato City, Tokyo, which served as the model for the shrine where a character works as a shrine maiden and features a torii gate identical to the one in the series.

Based on data from the Cabinet Secretariat, it is estimated that 1.4 million foreign visitors enter Japan annually for the purpose of pilgrimages. Of these, just the amount spent on purchasing merchandise amounts to 38 billion yen (about 331.5 billion won), and when including related expenses such as accommodation, food, and beverages, the total domestic consumption generated is expected to reach 470 billion yen (approximately 4.1 trillion won).

Photos of tourists visiting the background locations of the animation Your Name can be easily seen on social media. TikTok capture

As a result, Japanese local governments are proactively working to attract these pilgrimage locations.

Gunma Prefecture subsidizes up to 20 million yen (about 174 million won) for expenses such as accommodation for animation production staff, and Fukuoka City also offers financial support of up to 10 million yen (approximately 87 million won) per production.

Yuuwaku Onsen in Kanazawa City holds an actual recurring festival inspired by the fictional event in the anime "Hanasaku Iroha," attracting 15,000 tourists annually.

Tourists continue to visit Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, famous as the setting of 'Slam Dunk.' TikTok capture

Beyond Tourism: Regional Relocation and the Side Effects of Overtourism

The trend of relocating one’s residence to these background regions—dubbed "pilgrimage migration"—has emerged beyond simple tourism.

Numazu City in Shizuoka Prefecture, which serves as the setting for the animation "Love Live! Sunshine!!," has organized relocation consultation events for fans in hopes of boosting settlement; it is reported that 10 people have already moved there so far.

However, there have also been negative side effects as tourist numbers have surged. For example, at the railroad crossing in Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, which is known as a setting for the manga "Slam Dunk," the overwhelming influx of visitors has led to issues such as trespassing, giving rise to problems of overtourism.

Professor Takeshi Okamoto of Kinki University, a tourism studies expert, emphasized, "It is important to establish a virtuous cycle by reinvesting tourism revenue into measures that address overtourism."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.