“Seichi junrei” (聖地巡礼) — literally “pilgrimage to a sacred place” — is what Japanese fans call the practice of visiting real-world locations that inspired or appeared in a favorite anime or manga. What started as a grassroots fan hobby has grown into a recognized part of Japan’s tourism industry: local governments now publish official location maps, and some shrines run limited-edition collaboration goods with anime studios. Here are three real, verifiable spots in and near Tokyo where you can experience it, based on official tourism board and shrine sources rather than a single fan account.
Information accurate as of July 2026. Hours, admission policies, and collaboration goods change often — confirm details on each location’s official website before visiting.
1. Kanda Myojin Shrine (Chiyoda)
Kanda Myojin (also called Kanda Shrine) sits a short walk from Akihabara and is one of the clearest examples of a real shrine leaning into its anime fame rather than avoiding it. According to Tokyo’s official tourism board, the shrine appears as a setting in Love Live! and is listed on the “Anime Tourism Seichi 88-sen,” a curated list of 88 real locations around Japan tied to anime works — a list that also includes nearby Steins;Gate references. In recent years Kanda Myojin has run official collaboration charms and ema (wooden prayer plaques) with titles including Love Live!, Sword Art Online, and Is the Order a Rabbit?, sold through the shrine’s own EDOCCO shop alongside standard omamori.
- Address: 2-16-2 Sotokanda, Chiyoda City, Tokyo
- Access: About 5 minutes on foot from Ochanomizu Station (JR Chuo Line or Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line), or roughly 7 minutes from Akihabara Station
- Hours: Shrine grounds open 24 hours; prayers are typically offered 9:00–16:00 and the charm shop around 9:00–19:00
- Admission: Free
2. Washinomiya Shrine (Kuki, Saitama)
Washinomiya Shrine is arguably where the modern seichi junrei boom began. It served as the real-world model for the fictional Takanomiya Shrine in Lucky Star, and after a Japanese magazine published a route guide from Akihabara to the shrine in 2007, fan visits multiplied fast enough that Washinomiya became a widely cited case study in anime-driven tourism. It’s just outside Tokyo proper but easy to fold into a day trip — the shrine still displays Lucky Star ema drawn by visiting fans, and even has character-themed manhole covers on the grounds.
- Address: Washinomiya, Kuki City, Saitama Prefecture
- Access: About 8 minutes on foot from Washinomiya Station (Tobu Isesaki Line); roughly 1 hour from central Tokyo
- Hours: Shrine grounds open 24 hours
- Admission: Free
3. Suginami Animation Museum (Suginami City)
This one is less about a filming location and more about understanding the industry behind the shows. Housed inside the Suginami Kaikan community building, the Suginami Animation Museum is a small, free museum dedicated to the history and craft of Japanese animation as a whole — not tied to a single studio or franchise, which makes it one of the only museums of its kind in Japan. Exhibits cover production process, dubbing, and sound design, with a workshop space and rotating exhibitions, including memorial retrospectives for notable animation figures.
- Address: 3F Suginami Kaikan, 3-29-5 Kamiogi, Suginami City, Tokyo
- Access: About 20 minutes on foot from Ogikubo Station, or a short bus ride from Ogikubo Station (bus stop 0 or 1) to the Ogikubo Keisatsusho-mae stop
- Hours: 10:00–18:00, last entry 17:30; closed Mondays (open if Monday is a national holiday) and Dec 28–Jan 4
- Admission: Free
More seichi junrei to come
These three only scratch the surface. Japan’s official “Anime Tourism Seichi 88-sen” list runs to dozens of locations nationwide, and shrines, museums, and city governments continue to strike new anime collaborations every year. We’ll keep adding verified pilgrimage spots to this category as we cover more neighborhoods.
Planning a trip that combines a few stops like these? Our route and budget planner tool is being expanded to include pilgrimage locations — check back soon.
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