Short answers, pulled from the story.
Seichi junrei describes a specific form of pop-culture tourism where fans visit real-world locations featured in anime, manga, or games. This practice distinguishes itself from traditional religious pilgrimages by focusing on secular narratives rather than spiritual devotion.
The boom arrived in 2007 with Lucky Star's depiction of Washinomiya Shrine near Kuki, Saitama. This event fronted internet-powered discussion and practice of seichi junrei.
A 2016 report by Juroku Research Institute estimated tourists visiting Gifu for anime tourism contributed 25.3 billion yen to the local economy. These visitors engaged with works like A Silent Voice, Your Name, and Rudolf the Black Cat.
Pilgrims sometimes act in bizarre ways that are suspicious in the eyes of local residents unfamiliar with the work. Some fans broke into the grounds of Nishinomiya Kita High School in Hyogo Prefecture and painted graffiti on the school grounds.
The Anime Tourism Association published 88 Japanese Anime Holy Places to Visit starting the 26th of August 2017. This list has been published annually since then.