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Top: Aki Hamazi/Houbunsha/CloverWorks (1), Makoto Shinkai/CoMix Wave Films/Toho (2), Gege Akutami/Shueisha/Jujutsu Kaisen/MAPPA (3)
Bottom: Sara Delgado
Are you a fan of anime and looking to plan the perfect day out in Tokyo? We’ve got you covered with 11 real-life anime locations.
If you’ve been a fan of anime for a while and have been planning a trip to Japan, then you’d surely be familiar with the concept of anime pilgrimages, where fans find routes matching the settings from their favorite shows and movies to real-life locations.
Now, the thing about anime pilgrimages is that they are often centered on one single title, so if you like more than one with a passion, you’re going to need multiple days to ensure you can do them all. If you are looking for a route that will cover multiple titles while hitting all the landmarks — in Tokyo, specifically — you’ve come to the right place.
Last month, Teen Vogue traveled to Tokyo for the Crunchyroll 2025 Anime Awards, and we crafted the perfect one-day itinerary based on real-life anime locations. (If you want to spend more time at each location, you can easily split it into two days.)
Related: The Best Anime Shows to Stream Right Now
“Anime is at the forefront of a lot of trends in entertainment. It’s the blurring of lines between film, TV, music, and fashion,” Gita Rebbapragada, Crunchyroll’s Chief Operating Officer, tells Teen Vogue. With anime tourism booming, now travel has also been added to that list.
“[Anime] is a portal into a different culture,” Rebbapragada adds. “It gets people really interested in Japanese culture or [simply] exposed to it, especially young people. It’s so incredible the way that [anime] just opens hearts and minds to other cultures and other ways of living, eating, and looking, and all of that.”
Before making the trek to Japan, Rebbapragada emphasized it’s important to brief and educate yourself on traditions when it comes to table manners, gift-giving, and beyond, especially if you are planning to stay with a Japanese family at any point during your stay. With that as a preface, let’s get into this anime-inspired Tokyo itinerary.
1. Azabu-Juban station and surroundings (Sailor Moon)
Top: Naoko Takeuchi/ Toei Animation Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
We suggest starting the itinerary in the morning in the Azabu-juban area of Tokyo, in the Minato ward of the city. If you were a fan of the original Sailor Moon series or any of its predecessors, you’ll surely recognize many locations from this area, as it’s where most of the show takes place. (Creator Naoko Takeuchi famously lived in this area, though it’s referred to as just Juban in the manga and anime.)
Though it’s right in the center of the city, this area has an off-the-beaten-track feel, as it is mainly residential. To find the exact Metro exit featured in Sailor Moon, make sure you look for Exit 4 of the Azabu-juban station. After you’ve snapped your picture, wander around the area and visit the many cute family-run businesses. Then make your way east through Patio Street to find another Sailor Moon landmark at Patio-Juban: The Statue of Kimi-chan.
Top: Naoko Takeuchi/ Toei Animation Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
The statue of Kimi-chan and its surrounding patio are key locations in various Sailor Moon seasons. The statue is tinier than it appears and has a little donation box for UNICEF, which fights to protect children’s rights all over the world.
The statue is inspired by Ujō Noguchi’s popular poem “Akai Kutsu (Red Shoes),” which is also a children’s song. It represents a girl who, with the blessing of her mother, was adopted by American missionaries and bound for a better life in the US. However, ultimately, Kimi-chan fell ill with tuberculosis and was left behind, later passing away in an orphanage in the Azabu area without her mother even knowing it. The statue is supposed to be “a symbol of the strong love between mother and child.”
2. Hikawa Shrine (Sailor Moon)
Top: Naoko Takeuchi/ Toei Animation Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
From the statue of Kimi-chan, if you walk up Daikoku-zaka Street, you’ll find the Azabu Hikawa Shrine, where Rei (a.k.a. Sailor Mars) famously lives. From the moment you see the shrine’s gates, you’ll immediately be transported into the anime.
If you are going to venture in, make sure you follow shrine etiquette and are respectful, as people come to pray here. You’ll find signs on how to wash your hands and mouth for cleansing before praying, as well as a guided prayer list. Just remember to bow before entering the torii gate, and as you exit, with your head turned to the main entrance for the latter.
Fans of Sailor Moon are more than welcome. In fact, you can leave your mark with a Sailor Moon-inspired ema (絵馬) — a.k.a. a small wooden plaque — where you can leave your worships and wishes.
As you make your way to Akasaka Station, or if you continue to explore the area, keep an eye out for any spotting of Tokyo Tower, which is right around the corner and also heavily featured in Sailor Moon.
Top: Naoko Takeuchi/ Toei Animation Bottom: Sara Delgado
Top: Naoko Takeuchi/ Toei Animation Bottom: Sara Delgado
3. Hibiya Park (Death Note)
Top: Tsugumi Ohba/ Takeshi Obata/Shueisha/Toshiki Inoue/Madhouse Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
A 15-minute train ride on the Chiyoda line from Akasaka Station is Hibiya Park, which is featured in a lot of people’s seminal anime: 2006’s Death Note. In particular, the park appears during episode seven of the show’s only season. Get off at Kasumigaseki Station, like Light and Naomi Misora do, and make your way to the park to see some familiar buildings.
To find this exact location, you’re going to want to look for the Seagull Square, which is top, bottom left of the park’s map. Wander around the park a little bit more to see the many other breathtaking fountains and vegetation all around it, and maybe even stop to grab a drink in one of the cafés nestled in the park to soak up the scenery.
After you’ve explored the park, you can head to the Imperial Palace nearby if you want more greenery or head into Tokyo Station for some shopping and a quick bite. (There are lots of amazing ramen places inside the station’s lower levels, not to mention plenty of stores for the likes of Ghibli, Pokèmon, Nintendo, Crayon Shin-chan, and more.)
4. Nakamise shopping street (Demon Slayer)
Top: Koyoharu Gotoge/SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
After you’ve explored the area around Hibiya Park or Tokyo Station, take the Ginza metro line up to Asakusa for 30 minutes or hop on a taxi to save some time. Asakusa is the oldest area in Tokyo, and here you’ll find a real-life location for Demon Slayer, which is set in the Taishō era (i.e., 1912–1926).
Of course, a century has passed, so a lot has changed in Asakusa, but this is the exact market where Tanjiro meets Muzan for the first time in episode seven of season one. Just as Tanjiro is shocked by the number of lights and people, so will you. For an aerial view of the market to match the show’s, go to the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, which is open every day from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., and head up to the Observation Deck on the eighth floor. (The center also offers free guided walking tours of Asakusa in English during the weekends.)
After you’ve seen the Kaminari-mon gate, the street, and beyond from above, head back down and make sure to roam around the stalls, grab a daifuku (custard or red bean) or a matcha or taro ice cream, and buy some souvenirs.
Top: Koyoharu Gotoge/SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable Bottom: Sara Delgado
End your visit by visiting the Sensō-ji, which was completed in 645 and is the oldest temple in Tokyo. Again, be respectful and follow signs and make sure you take no pictures of the main statue where prayers are held, as it’s considered disrespectful, but feel free to take pictures of the surroundings. You can also buy some omamori (お守り)— a.k.a. amulets — as you make your way out for any wishes you might have, or buy a paper fortune.
If you’ve got some time to explore, you can head west to Tokyo Sky Tree for a bird’s-eye view sightseeing opportunity or head east to Ueno Park, one of Tokyo’s largest.
5. Suga Shrine staircase (Your Name)
Top: Makoto Shinkai/CoMix Wave Films/Toho Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
From the Asakusa area, we recommend taking a taxi to the Suga Shrine staircase for a quick pit stop. The Suga Shrine staircase is the most iconic location in Makoto Shinkai’s beloved movie Your Name, and you’ll surely bump into other anime fans while there, no matter what time of the day it is.
After you’ve seen the stairs and taken your mandatory pics, make sure to pay a visit to the shrine next door. You can also leave an ema here, buy omamori, or donate to the shrine’s protection. You can walk around the area and towards the Yotsuya Station if you want to see even more locations from the movie.
6. Shinjuku (Tokyo Ghoul)
Top: Sui Ishida/Shueisha/Pierrot/Tokyo MX Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
From Yotsuya Station, take the Marunouchi Line for three stops (roughly five minutes) and get off at Shinjuku. Exit the metro station and look for the JR Shinjuku East Exit Station Square — or, if easier, the Miraion Lion Square — to find a key spot from Tokyo Ghoul, where Touka and Kaneki have one of their first meetings in season one.
Now, Shinjuku is overwhelming, be warned. There are so many shops, both inside and outside the station, so you can buy whatever your heart desires. There are also plenty of flagship stores around the area if you want to do some tax-free shopping. If you are looking for something with an edge, the BEAMS in this area sells traditional Japanese homewear as well as independent artwork from local artists.
7. Kabukicho (Tokyo Ghoul)
Top: Sui Ishida/Shueisha/Pierrot/Tokyo MX Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
A short walk from Shinjuku, you’ll find another Tokyo Ghoul location: Kabukicho. Kabukicho is famously where Kaneki wanders around when his ghoul instincts first kick in. It’s a shopping area filled with loads of restaurants, stores, and arcades, so make a pit stop to play some claw machines and potentially win some anime merch.
Top: Sui Ishida/Shueisha/Pierrot/Tokyo MX Bottom: Sara Delgado
The famous Godzilla head statue is also in this area, so make sure to look for it and grab a picture or video if you can catch its loud roar or neon blue breath. (It is a bit dark, but you can see it in the pic above, just look for Tom Cruise’s poster and go up a little.)
8. Harajuku (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Top: Gege Akutami/Shueisha/Jujutsu Kaisen/MAPPA Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
From Shinjuku, take the JR Yamanote line for two stops and take the east exit to find the very station where Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, and Satoru Gojo gather to head to meet Nobara Kugisaki for the first time.
Top: Gege Akutami/Shueisha/Jujutsu Kaisen/MAPPA Bottom: Sara Delgado
You’ll recognize the sights immediately. If you’ve got time to spare, you can walk straight down from the exit towards Omotesando and find flagship stores aplenty (including Nike and POP MART), or head up and visit the oasis that is the Meiji Jingu shrine right next door, which in turn is connected to Yoyogi Park, also one of the city’s largest.
9. Takeshita Street (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Top: Gege Akutami/Shueisha/Jujutsu Kaisen/MAPPA Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
If instead of wandering around, you want to continue your Jujutsu Kaisen pilgrimage, if you take a left while exiting the station, you’ll soon stumble upon the iconic Takeshita Street, where shopaholic Nobara makes her proper first appearance. Take a selfie in front of the screens of the central arch and then wander inside for sensory overload.
Top: Gege Akutami/Shueisha/Jujutsu Kaisen/MAPPA Bottom: Sara Delgado
Do like the characters in the show and grab a snack – waffles, matcha, ice cream, tanghulu, you name it. Wander through the themed cafes, costume shops, and more, and keep walking all the way into Harajuku Street if you want some luxury second-hand shopping and flagships from the likes of adidas, Stüssy, Neighbourhood, and more, where you can surely snag up some Japan-exclusive pieces.
10. Shimokitazawa (Bocchi the Rock!)
Top: Aki Hamazi/Houbunsha/CloverWorks Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
With a 20-minute subway ride on the Chiyoda line from Harajuku, you’ll find Shimokitazawa, a neighbourhood that’s growing in popularity thanks to its incredible selection of vintage shops and underground spots.
A short walk from the metro station is Village Vanguard, an all-in-one shop featured in Bocchi the Rock!. Aside from Bocchi merch galore, you’ll find Japanese fashion, magazines, stickers, books, manga, accessories, toys, home goods, CDs, and more inside this shop. You’ll literally want to check out every single corner.
Top: Aki Hamazi/Houbunsha/CloverWorks Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
If you make your way around all the many vintage stores in Shimokitazawa, you’ll find the location that inspired the Starry, called the Shelter, in real life. Though the place discourages people from taking photos on the stairs, especially during opening hours, on social media, they put out a call encouraging people to support the business, so make sure to check out the opening hours and lineup in advance and head in the evening to enjoy a bit of live music. Who knows? You might even discover your next favorite band if you pay them a visit!
11. Shibuya (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Top: Gege Akutami/Shueisha/Jujutsu Kaisen/MAPPA Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
From Shimokitazawa, you can take the Inokashira Line for four stops into Shibuya to end the day — or days.
Shibuya is the place most people conjure up when they think of Tokyo, and for good reason, it’s emblematic and iconic. There’s the famous scramble crossing, the statue of Hachiko. You can visit plenty of stores here, including Tower Records and a 24-hour Mega Don Quijote if you ran out of time to buy snacks, cosmetics, souvenirs, or literally anything you can think of.
You’ll see the nighttime scenes from the Shibuya arc in Jujutsu Kaisen, though with less violence. There are so many spots featured in the manga and show that if you want to check them all off, you’re probably better off going on a photo tour around the area, but if you just want a general vibe, the crossing and the Shibuya Mark City mirrored entrance should suffice.
Top: Gege Akutami/Shueisha/Jujutsu Kaisen/MAPPA Bottom: Sara Delgado
Location (Google Maps)
To find the Shibuya Mark City entrance, go up Dougenzaka Street from the scramble and find the Akiko Yosano monument. Once you are around this area, you can shop around, eat in the back alleys where there are plenty of options, each smelling better than the other, or head up to Shibuya Sky for one last glance at the city from above — this time in nighttime mode. (Just be warned, it is windy and tickets sell out in advance!)
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
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