Anime tourism has evolved from a niche hobby into a global cultural phenomenon, inviting enthusiasts to step straight out of the viewing room and onto the real-world streets that inspired their favorite stories. To mark World Tourism Day, Japanese media outlet Anime! Anime! recently conducted a reader survey asking fans which anime settings they most want to visit for an authentic pilgrimage experience.
Claiming a three-way tie for first place with roughly six percent of the vote each are Sora yori mo Tooi Basho (A Place Further Than the Universe), Bungo Stray Dogs, and Maebashi Witches. This eclectic trio spans everything from grueling Antarctic expeditions to atmospheric literary battles in Yokohama and community-driven magical realism in Gunma Prefecture.
From Antarctic Ice to Yokohama Streets
Madhouse's acclaimed 2018 original series Sora yori mo Tooi Basho captured the hearts of viewers with its breathtaking depiction of high school girls journeying to Antarctica. Fans responding to the survey voiced dreams of tracing that epic 14,000-kilometer route, noting the unmatched allure of witnessing penguins and the aurora borealis firsthand.
