7 Must-Visit Anime and Manga Locations in Tohoku in 2020

Anime and manga are a big part of Japanese culture and they are one of the reasons why people come here to the Land of the Rising Sun. If that’s your cup of tea; Akihabara, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, or Kyoto (where the Kyoto International Manga Museum is located) are probably on the top of your anime-themed itinerary for Japan.

However, Tohoku - the northeastern region of Japan - is also an area that is full of hidden anime and manga gems, but not many people know of them.

Here is a list of anime and manga locations in Tohoku to consider for 2020:

1. Ginzan Onsen (Spirited Away)

Located in the mountainous Yamagata Prefecture, Ginzan Onsen (or Silver Mountain Hot Springs) is one of Japan’s most well-known onsen because of its scenic traditional architecture that makes you feel you’ve just time traveled to the Edo period. Plus, it also served as an inspiration to one of the locations in Spirited Away.

For those who don’t know Spirited Away, it’s a popular anime movie created by Studio Ghibli (a famous animation studio in Japan) about a girl named Chihiro who entered a world of supernatural beings. Her parents were then turned into pigs by a witch and Chihiro tries to find a way to reverse the spell by working in the bathhouse owned by the witch.

Ginzan Onsen becomes even more magical when amber colored lights light up the wooden buildings at night.

HOW TO GET HERE:

Getting to Ginzan Onsen can be a bit challenging. From Yamagata Station, take the train going to Shinjo and get off at Oishida Station. Then, you need to take a bus which is available every 1 hour or more.

The most convenient way is to drive there.

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

If you want to stay in one of its ryokan (Japanese inn), it can be tricky since it’s popular. So, it is advisable to plan ahead to avoid inconvenience.

2. Mt. Zao, Takase Station, and Yamagata Station (Omoide Poro Poro: Only Yesterday)

Omoide Poro Poro is another Studio Ghibli movie that is based in Yamagata City. However, it’s not as popular as Spirited Away, but (I think) it’s one of the best “slice-of-life” stories ever created and it was also Japan’s highest-grossing film on the domestic market in 1991.

This movie is about Taeko, a 27 year old woman, who decided to go on a trip to Yamagata. This film depicts the ups and downs of Taeko’s childhood memories, which is a little similar to her adult struggles.

West side of Yamagata Station

Omoide Poro Poro featured a lot of places in Yamagata. The first one was in YAMAGATA STATION where she was picked-up and at that time the station was still small.

Inside the Yamagata Station during the '90s

The next one is in MT. ZAO, which she visited during summer. Yamadera (a mountain in Yamagata) was also mentioned, but it wasn’t shown in the movie if Taeko went there.

Mt. Zao

The last one is in Takase Station, where Taeko took a train to go back home. It was also the final scene of the movie and where she made (probably) the biggest decision in her life.

Only Yesterday is a funny and witty movie that triggers nostalgia and makes you ponder about your own experience.

3. Yonezawa’s Totoro No Mori (Tonari no Totoro: My Neighbor Totoro)

Yamagata loves Studio Ghibli a lot! This time it’s about Tonari No Totoro.

This movie is about two girls, Satsuki and Mei, who befriended a bear-like forest spirit named Totoro. The setting of this movie is in Sayama, Saitama; however, in Yamagata there is a tree that resembles the shape of Totoro that you could visit it in Yonezawa’s TOTORO NO MORI.

During spring and summer its leaves are green, but some of its leaves changes to a reddish-orange tone when autumn hits. Then in winter, sometimes the snow cover this leafy-Totoro and turning it white.

HOW TO GET HERE:

Yonezawa is a city which lies in the southern part of Yamagata. It’s quite a rural area so getting around there can be challenging if you don’t have a CAR. Driving there from Yonezawa Train Station takes about 19 minutes.

You could also go there by bike if you want a bit of exercise or by taxi if you don’t mind spending a lot of money.

ADDRESS:

587 Sumomoyama, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-1461

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

Yonezawa’s Totoro No Mori is not a popular tourist destination, so there aren’t that many things around except the houses. Hence, it’s advisable to bring your own water or snacks and  be respectful of the area to avoid disturbing its residents.

4. Bunshokan (Rurouni Kenshin)

Rurouni Kenshin is a manga turned anime which is about the greatest samurai during the Meiji Period named Kenshin Himura. He used to be an assassin, but when the war ended, he became a wandering swordsman and vows not to take another life again.

Since it was so popular, a live-action version of it was created and one of its scenes was in Yamagata City’s BUNSHOKAN. Although it is not a place featured in the manga or anime, I think it’s still worth it to be in this list because Bunshokan was constructed during the Meiji Era, the historical setting for Rurouni Kenshin.

This structure used to be a prefectural office, but now it is a museum storing nostalgic artifacts about Japan and information about what part of the building was used for the scenes in Rurouni Kenshin.

Scene from Rurouni Kenshin 2

HOW TO GET THERE:

From Yamagata Station, it takes 25 mins on foot or you could take the 100 yen bus in front of the station and get off at Bunshokan.

THINGS TO REMEMBER:

There are English pamphlets available. However, detailed explanations are only available in Japanese. Sometimes there are staff that could guide you around, but again they could only converse in Japanese.

ADMISSION:

Free

5. Sendai City (Wake up Girls!)

Japan has a lot of idol groups so it’s not surprising if they have a couple of anime or manga about it.

Wake up Girls! is an anime that revolves around the lives of 7 girls who are pursuing their dreams of becoming an idol. They are working together in a small production company in Sendai called “Green Leaves Entertainment.”

Illustration of Sendai Station in Wake Up, Girls!

There were a lot of places in Sendai that was featured in this anime, but the most prominent landmark is the SENDAI STATION and the shopping district called CLIS ROAD. Even if you’re not a fan or you haven’t seen the anime, roaming around Sendai is still very fun and interesting because there are so many things to do, especially for shopping or eating-out. It is also the largest city in Tohoku.

View from Sendai Station

HOW TO GET HERE:

From Tokyo, you can take a Shinkansen to Sendai which is about 12,000 yen and it only takes 2 hours. It’s a bit pricey, so if you are on a budget, you could take a bus from Tokyo Station or Shinjuku station. It takes about 6 hours and it costs about 4,000 - 8,000 yen.

It’s also close to Yamagata and Fukushima, so you could actually take the ordinary train to visit it. There are also buses available which is a little cheaper than the train fare.

6. Ishinomaki Mangattan Museum

Ishinomaki Mangattan is a manga (or comic book) museum located in Ishinomaki, Miyagi that is dedicated to Shotaro Ishinomori. Many of you might not know him, but he created the manga ‘Second Class Angel’ and produced ‘Cyborg 009’ and ‘Kamen Rider.’ He was also awarded a Guinness World Record for ‘most comics published by one author,’ in 2008.

This place features a lot of Ishinomori's creations because when he was a kid, he used to spend his free time in Ishinomaki. However, as time passed by, Ishinomaki lost its vigor so he wanted to make the city lively again by building Mangattan there.

In addition, this museum also has a videography corner that tells about life, a movie theater, a digital archive where you can watch DVDs or Blue-rays, a gift shop, a café where you can chill, a manga library, and a studio where you can make your own anime! Moreover, when you get to the entrance, you’ll see hand-plaques on its wall made of bronze from several manga artists. You can even shake hands with one of them.

Although Shotaro Ishinomori passed away in 1998, his legacy still lives on through his works and Ishinomaki; hence, if you wander around the city you’ll see a lot of statues of characters that he designed.

HOW TO GET HERE:

From Sendai Station, take the train bound for ISHINOMAKI. Get off at the last stop. It takes about 52- 86 minutes.

You could also take the MIYAKO bus from Sendai to Ishinomaki.

From the station, it takes around 15 minutes to get there on foot. When you see a building shaped like a flying saucer, you’ve made it.

ENTRANCE FEE:

Adults- 800 yen

Junior and Senior High School students- 500

Elementary Students- 200

7. Yokote Masuda Manga Museum

Masuda Manga Museum is the FIRST manga museum in Japan! Located in Akita, this museum features mostly the works of the Akita-native, Takao Yaguchi. One of his famous manga is Tsurikichi Sanpei (Fisherman Sanpei) which is about a boy named Mihira Sanpei who loves fishing. Aside from being published by Kodansha (a famous publishing company in Japan) Tsurikichi Sanpei was also turned into an anime that consists of 109 episodes.

Moreover, this museum is a good place to visit, especially for aspiring comic book artists because it has a lot of information about the process of making manga. Plus, original works from famous manga artists like Junji Ito (Tomie), Rumiko Takahashi (Inu Yasha), Monkey Punch (Lupin III), and etc. are exhibited here.

There are also artworks from comic book artists from Taiwan, Korea, China, and Malaysia.

HOW TO GET HERE:

From Akita Station, take the train bound for Innai, Yokote, or Yuzawa and take off at Yokote Station. The trip is about 60-70 minutes.

From there you can take a bus going to MASUDA. Once you get off from that station, it’s just an 8 minute walk to the museum.

ENTRANCE FEE:

Permanent Exhibitions and Pre-schoolers are FREE.

For Special Exhibition,

Adult- 800 yen

High School Student- 600 yen

Middle School Student- 400 yen

Elementary School Student- 200 yen

Tohoku might not be as lively as Osaka or Tokyo, but it offers a variety of knowledge and experience about manga and anime. So if you are visiting Japan in 2020 for anime or manga, be sure to pay a visit to one of these anime and manga locations in Tohoku.