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Anime in Real Time

Most anime have their locations in various parts of Japan. Look into the locations where your favorite anime was featured!

Princess Mononoke

First released in Japan in 1997, Princess Mononoke is one of the most notable films written and directed by famed Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.

Shirakami Mountains
Many of the landscapes seen in the film were inspired by ancient forests of the Aomori region. Sketching sessions were held in the Shirakami Mountains so that animators could visually represent genuine Japanese scenery.

Yakushima Island
This island, situated at the southern end of the Osumi Peninsula in the Kagoshima prefecture, was also a great inspiration for Miyazaki. As a major setting featured in the film, Yakushima Island is artistically represented throughout many scenes.

Spirited Away

Miyazaki returned in 2001 with the well-received animated film Spirited Away. Claiming many positive accolades, Spirited Away became one of Miyazaki's most popular films.

Hot springs
Onsen, or Japanese hot springs, are widely featured in Spirited Away. The character Chihiro visits one of the most recognizable onsen in the film, the Dogo Hot Spring, which is located in central Ehime.

Onmyoji

This film recounts the tales of Abe no Seimei, a notable practitioner of onmyodo, or Japanese esoteric cosmology. The film was later turned into a manga series by Reiko Okano.

Kyoto
The ancient capital city of Japan was largely the setting for these works. A shrine dedicated to Abe no Seimei lies here in Kyoto, where every autumn the Seimei Matsuri festival is held.

Sailor Moon

This internationally famous anime series follows the adventures of Usagi Tsukino, a young girl who moonlights as a special warrior destined to save planet Earth. With films, TV episodes, and manga readily available throughout the world, Sailor Moon has been an anime staple since 1991.

Azabu Juban
Sailor Moon manga artist Nakao Takeuchi resides in this southern area of Tokyo. She also used Azabu Juban as a primary setting for the Sailor Moon series.

Roppongi
This social center of Japan also serves as a popular setting within the Sailor Moon series. It is often referenced as a place where the girls in the series hang out.

Higurashi no naku koro ni

This Japanese murder mystery-themed video game series first released in 2002. Anime, manga, and novel series soon followed as the stories, characters, and plotlines became increasingly more popular.

Shirakawa go
Hinamizawa is the primary fictional setting of this series. The artistic rendering of this location is largely based on the city of Shirakawa in Gifu, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.