Places Anime Fans Should Visit in Japan

Japan is every anime lover’s dream destination. Japan is where they make anime — nowhere else in the world can make anime. In fact, fans get seriously upset when people call a show “anime” if it was made in other countries.

Think about Avatar. It’s not anime, no matter how much it looks like anime.

Japanese culture is also featured big in anime. Shinto shrines, crowded streets, theme parks, cafes, and shopping centers.

If you plan to visit Japan and don’t know where to go, I’d love to share some of the best places for anime fans to go! Whether it’s Akihabara or just Tokyo in general, I know about Japan!

How do I know about Japan? Well I wrote a book about it!

I’ve also gone to Japan every single year for nearly a decade.

Check the list below for the best places in Japan an anime fan like you should add to your itinerary.

Ghibli Museum

Studio Ghibli is the world’s most famous animation company, is known for award-winning films including “My Neighbour Totoro,” “Princess Mononoke,” and “Spirited Away.”

Even people who don’t know what “anime” is tend to know of a Ghibli movie!

The famous Ghibli Museum is situated in Mitaka, Tokyo, 30 minutes away from the Shinjuku Station.

You can opt to buy tickets online in advance since last-minute booking can be difficult due to the museum’s high demand and limited capacity. If you don’t have time to book in advance, there are also several websites that can provide last-minute booking services.

You can visit the Ghibli Museum for an inside look at Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films’ history and creative production. Photography and videography are restricted inside the museum, but this would allow you to have a genuinely interactive experience.

Toei Animation Museum

Japan’s animation began at Nerima City. And near it is the Toei Oizumi Animation Studio, creators of Dragonball, Sailor Moon, and One Piece.

The studio launched a museum in 2018 showcasing rare Toei items, including storyboards and celluloid photos. Moreover, the museum’s main attraction is a sixty-year-old panel of icons. You get details on the series and sometimes video snippets when you tap them!

You can take pictures of the museum’s life-size statues and cutouts of your favorite characters while in here. The museum’s courtyard also includes blackboards where you’re allowed to draw something before you leave to see more of Tokyo!

Pokémon Center TOKYO DX

Some people have loved Pokémon for a few years now. It’s still very much in our minds that the whole world was crazy about Pokémon Go.

If you love Pokémon, you will be happy to know that there’s a Pokémon Center store that sells games and other things you’d like.

In total there are 14 Pokémon Centers in Japan, with five located in Tokyo. And Tokyo DX is the biggest Pokémon center that opened in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. The first permanent Pokémon Cafe has also been set up at this center.

The Pokémon Center is where to go if you’re looking for official and original Pokémon video games, cards, and other merchandise. Along with the store, there is a teaching area where people can learn how to play the Pokémon card game, which is open to the public.

Akihabara

Akihabara, also recognized as “Anime Heaven,” “Anime City,” or “Anime Town,” is the world’s largest anime shopping district. It is the best place for people who like anime and manga to meet other people who like them, too.

People who like anime will find a lot of retailers that offer and sell anime figures and other things. Prices for these could range from a few hundred yen at shops like Surugaya or Lashinbang to more than $100,000 at some showcase shops or for some new and rare merchandise.

Before you buy anything, check out as many stores as you can. There are a lot of stores. You can often find the same thing at a lower price in a different store. It is especially true for pre-owned items, which are often as good as new and sometimes even new because they haven’t been opened yet. Before you buy anything, check the prices.

Nakano Broadway

Nakano Broadway, located just a few minutes away from Nakano Station, is a shopping neighborhood that provides an incredibly wide assortment of anime and manga items spanning decades and generations.

You can find anime and manga stores here, as well as maid cafes. If you’re looking to buy anime posters, electronics, and Gatchapon, a Japanese toy capsule, then this is the perfect place for you. You can also play some arcade games while Nakano Broadway or look for retro video games.

Nakano is weird — it’s a normal mall that happens to have a lot of anime stuff in parts of (especially the third floor). You can also enjoy shopping for business suits, regular clothes, and even stop for lunch.

Tokyo Anime Center

Tokyo Anime Center is a place where people can learn about Japanese anime and have new experiences through real and virtual objects. It used to be in Akihabara but then transferred to Shibuya MODI 2F in Shibuya.

There is an exhibition space that hosts shows for a limited amount of time throughout the year. There is also a store that sells anime merchandise and goods related to the shows and original products. Talk shows, workshops, and lectures are also held at the location.

Producers, writers, and voice actors are all there to talk about their work and share their knowledge.

Sanrio Puroland

People who love Hello Kitty, Rilakkuma, and Pompompurin will surely love this location. Sanrio has made a lot of characters that people love both in Japan and around the world. People can go to Sanrio Puroland, which is their only amusement park. There are themed sights and games and stores, restaurants, and cafes there.

There are a lot of special events that happen all year, like Halloween and Christmas. You can find your favorite characters in special costumes and get unique gifts. The amusement park is inside and can be visited even when it’s rainy outside.

Otome Road

You can find an anime street called Otome Road in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. It’s also called “Maiden Road,” yet it’s not a real street.

Otome Road is for girls who do like anime and manga. People who like the yaoi genre will find this a paradise.

Because Otome Road is the street where I have seen the most cosplayers, this otaku spot is unique. Snap photographs with people who look like your favorite anime characters when you go to this street of dressing up as your absolute favorite characters.

Odaiba

In the 1980s, the Japanese authority wanted to make the island where people could live. It was only when the bubble burst that no one could manage to pay the rent. Eventually, hotels, shopping malls, and museums opened up, making it one of the most popular attractions to visit in Japan.

Mecha fans love Odaiba because of the Unicorn Gundam statue situated just outside DiverCity and the Gundam Base store inside the mall. The headquarters of Fuji Television can also be seen here.

From their futuristic observation deck, you can look out over Tokyo. The place is also home to Tokyo Big Sight, which hosts conventions like AnimeJapan and Comiket since it is so spacious.

Captain Tsubasa Town

Many people find this place is a hidden gem. There is a whole town in Tokyo called “Captain Tsubasa Town.”

If you’re a fan of Captain Tsubasa, you must go to this place. It is one of the best places to go. Here it’s possible to take snaps with Kojiro Hyuga, Taro Misaki, Genzo Wakabayashi, and Ozora Tsubasa, as well as many other people. You’ll have a great time here, and it’s free!

Walking around the town, you’ll see nine bronze statues of Tsubasa characters. A Captain Tsubasa-themed restaurant also serves good food at affordable prices. You can also buy Captain Tsubasa merchandise from SOLUM Store.

Tokyo Disney Resort

It’s not okay to talk about animation without mentioning the world’s largest animation-themed resort, which happens to be in Tokyo. The Tokyo Disney Resort includes the Disney theme parks: Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. It will be easy for you to get to this location since they’re next to each other.

Even when you dislike animation or Disney movies, you will have a fantastic time at this park. Tokyo Disney Resort has spacey parks several themed activities, including roller coasters, kid-friendly rides, and shops and cafes. There are also unique events and performances you can participate in throughout the year.

I normally dislike theme-parks due to the long lines, but something about this park just tugs at my heartstrings. Also I always go during the less-busy season, and that helps a ton.

J-World

Located in the Namja Town plaza in Ikebukuro is a theme park for Naruto, One Piece, and Dragon Ball fans. Inside, you can find many games and other things based on manga. People who love Naruto can show their ninja skills while others can look for the dragon balls and save the world.

J-World Kitchen also offers a unique dining experience. They have a lot of food, drinks, snacks, and desserts based on the manga characters. Try Naruto’s favorite ramen or Dragon Ball loco moco plates at the end of the day after having a good time. There is also a gift shop at J-World Tokyo that sells manga goods that are only sold there.

They now have Cos-Play services to go along with all of the other great games and attractions J-World has! If you want to dress up as a character from Dragon Ball or One Piece or Naruto or Gintama, you can pay to do so.

Go enjoy anime places in Japan!

Without a doubt, manga and anime are Japan’s most important cultural exports. The locations cited above can serve as solid evidence of this. You can use this list to reference when traveling to Japan to have a full-blown anime experience.

—

About the author: Ryan Kopf has been to Japan every year for nearly a decade as a tourist and on business.