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— CH. 1 · DEFINING THE SACRED SITE —

Seichi junrei

~5 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
6 sections

  • The word 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. Fans treat these ordinary places as sacred because fictional stories have imbued them with emotional significance. A location becomes a seichi when it serves as a setting, background, or inspiration for a favorite series. Sometimes the connection is direct, such as a place sharing its name with a character. Other times, the link is figurative, like a sports stadium holding strong memories for all kinds of fans. The term seichi junrei-sha identifies enthusiasts who engage with this practice. Additional terms exist to describe related activities, but the core concept remains the transformation of public space through fan imagination.

  • Early examples of anime location tourism appeared before 1974 with Heidi, Girl of the Alps depicting the Swiss Alps. Maienfeld, Switzerland became a destination for viewers inspired by the show's scenery. NHK's World Masterpiece Theater time slot produced many other series that inspired outbound overseas tourism. Dog of Flanders and Anne of Green Gables followed similar patterns of international travel driven by animation. Domestic Japanese examples emerged later with Ashita no Joe and Rumiko Takahashi's Urusei Yatsura. The 1991 OVA of Kyūkyoku Chōjin R stands out as an early work that did not hide location names. It incorporated real places into the narrative in a metafictional way, creating destinations by fans. The Tenchi Muyo! series linked fictional locations to their real-world names, appealing to audiences as seichi. Sailor Moon served as another origin point for this type of activity when media did not directly encourage location hunting. Please Teacher! aired in 2002 as an early TV anime triggering seichi junrei. 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.

  • Local governments utilize anime settings to boost regional economies through tourism spending and merchandise sales. 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. The number of hatsumōde visitors to Washinomiya increased from 90,000 in 2006 to 470,000 in 2008. Fans contribute to annual festivals at Washinomiya and parade a mikoshi showcasing amateur illustrations of Lucky Star characters. Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture developed Shigeru Mizuki Road lined with statues of yōkai illustrations. Himi, Toyama Prefecture followed this formula with a statue-lined road and themed train. In 2009, a life-size RX-78-02 Gundam was installed in Odaiba. Within 52 days of its opening, visitor numbers exceeded four million. Another full-scale Gundam opened December 2020 at Gundam Factory Yokohama with moving limbs and a ticketed observation deck. The facility closed the 31st of March 2024 after a drone and firework show.

  • 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. Similar problems occurred on the grounds of Numazu, Shizuoka school modeled in Love Live! Sunshine!! Free! graffiti appeared at Arasuna Shrine in Iwami, Tottori. After COVID-era restrictions ended, Slam Dunk fans visiting a rail crossing on the Enoshima Electric Railway blocked car traffic completely. Security guards were assigned to monitor the crossing during peak times. The Kamakura Police Station received upwards of 100 police reports regarding the crossing in 2023. Shelter, the live house venue featured in Bocchi the Rock!, witnessed fans trespassing to take photos at the base of a staircase. Fans attended concerts without paying for tickets or otherwise trespassing on property. A post was made to encourage proper behavior on the anime's official website. Persona 5 developers Atlus made a post regarding fan behavior causing inconveniences when visiting a laundromat in Sangenjaya. Shirakawa Village created an official manga to serve as a manners guide for Higurashi When They Cry fans.

  • Artist and critic Yohei Kurose describes how real-life scenery inserted into animation creates a discrepancy that gives reality to the work. Art historian Aby Warburg proposed the concept of formulae of emotions which Kurose applies to this method. Literary critic Ryota Fukushima argues that seichi junrei is a form of pseudo-historical imagination giving imaginary origin to authentic history. Critic Yuichi Murakami stated that seichi exist between reality and fiction, becoming landscapes when projected onto fiction. Tourism and religion scholar Ryōske Okamoto relates Lucky Star's Washinomiya Shrine to power spots of Japanese new spirituality. Hokkaido University associate professor Takayoshi Yamamura authored a triangular model arguing a nearly mutual relationship between fans, producers, and local authorities. The practice transforms physical spaces into emotional landscapes through fictional narratives. Fans replicate choreography from ending themes or purchase guitars featured in series like K-On! to connect with the source material emotionally.

  • Smartphone applications have emerged to facilitate official butai tanbou and seichi junrei with support for maps and AR photography. Sony Music Solutions Inc developed an app featuring Love Live! Sunshine!! locations in Numazu, Shizuoka before it went defunct in 2023. GOGA, Inc created another tool delivering VR photography footage shot on a RICOH Theta camera. This Android app has not been updated since 2021. A three-episode short anime called KoiTabi: True Tours Nanto was available through a mobile app supporting AR photography. The app is no longer available. Anime Seichi Tabi aired as a program hosted by Johnny's talent Toshiya Miyata on NHK in 2022 and 2023. Some seichi junrei-sha record vlogs or travelogues of their expeditions. Videos uploaded to video sharing site Niconico Douga using the phrase seichi junrei date back to 2007. 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.

Common questions

What is seichi junrei and how does it differ from religious pilgrimages?

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.

When did the boom of seichi junrei begin with Lucky Star and Washinomiya Shrine?

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.

How much money did tourists contribute to Gifu's economy through anime tourism in 2016?

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.

Why do some fans trespass at Nishinomiya Kita High School and other locations?

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.

What is the purpose of the Anime Tourism Association list published starting the 26th of August 2017?

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.

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All sources

78 references cited across the entry

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