Now that the state of emergency declaration has been extended! The second installment of a report by a writer who loves to travel, looking back with photos. 3 "Pilgrimage to the Holy Land Pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Anime"! Akiba Research Institute Writers' Selection of Anime Samurai, Vol. 10

In 2020, the entertainment industry as well as the tourism industry was hit hard by the new coronavirus.

Then came the year 2021. Early in the new year, a state of emergency was declared again in the Tokyo metropolitan area and other areas where the number of infected people is on the rise, as it was in April last year. The flow of people has been restricted, and as a travel lover, I too am feeling very sad.

While praying for the early recovery of Corona, I would like to share with you again some of the highlights of the "holy lands" of anime productions, along with a travelogue!

We hope that the text and photos will give you a taste of the travel experience.

Natsuiro Kiseki

A TV anime that aired from April to June 2012, this is a science fiction (a bit like Fujiko F. Fujio's) work featuring four junior high school girls living in Shimoda City, Shizuoka.

One day, their hearts are torn apart, but by making a wish on a stone called "Oishi-sama," the four girls experience various miracles.

In the summer of 2012, I went on a pilgrimage to the holy place with three friends from junior high school, all of whom are male, for a trip to a hot spring. The four members of the voice-over unit "Sphere" play the main cast, and as I had covered their first one-man live performance "Sphere 1st Stream: Sphere and Anime Concert" in 2009, I was eager to make a pilgrimage to the holy place, so I pushed hard for my friends to go (laugh). I was so eager to make a pilgrimage to a holy place that I pushed my friends to do so (laughs).

I know this is a bit off topic, but as a self-proclaimed "train rider," I was very excited to see the "Resort 21" (or "express train," if you just hear the name). However, I would have liked to take the "Resort 21" (which is operated as a local train, so an express ticket is not required) to enjoy the scenery, but I took the car. It was fun, though, to sit indoors with a group of casual friends and engage in silly and geeky talk (......).

The day of the trip, however, it was unfortunately raining. To get back on track, we went shopping at "Lawson" in front of Izukyu Shimoda Station and enjoyed the announcements of the four main cast members at the "Shimoda Ropeway". If the weather had been better, I would have been able to enjoy the spectacular view, but that is all I could do.

In the midst of all this, my friend and I reenacted the biggest mission for me: the four of them descending the railed stairs used in the key visual of the film. I happened to entrust my beloved SLR camera, which is moderately priced, to a nearby tourist (not recommended, as both the person taking the picture and the person handing over the camera get nervous), and we took a commemorative photo. I think I was in the position of Yuka Hanaki, played by Haruka Tomatsu.

That night we spent a relaxing time at the hotel's hot spring. I must say, Izu's hot springs are the best!

Reel Romanesque

An "anime promoting pilgrimages to sacred places" set in "Hinomoto," a country that has lost most of its railway lines due to the great railway closure, in which "Railrood," a puppet module for controlling rolling stock, plays an active role.

The "Railrood Summit" is held in Kumamoto Prefecture's Goichiyoshi City in Kusu (modeled after Hitoyoshi City in Kumamoto Prefecture), which has become a sacred place for railroad revival through tourism promotion, and Railroods from all over Japan take up the challenge of developing goods. It is the best anime work for those who love trains and pilgrimages to sacred places.

On December 26 and 27, 2020, an event was held on the "Moka Railway" running from Shimodate Station to Motegi Station in Tochigi Prefecture, where the "SL Suzushiro" train ran. The rare SL with the headmark of "Suzushiro" played by Uesaka Sumire ran on the train, and Chihiro Kamijo, who plays Shirogane (1st day), and Mai Nagai, who plays Kakaa (2nd day), rode on the train and had a talk show moderated by Progress Leopard, who was in charge of the original plan and series composition.

Blessed with fine weather on both days, we were able to spend a wonderful time listening to the voice actors' talks while enjoying a comfortable train ride, and we also had time to enjoy local delicacies (Motegi Station is famous for its soba noodles).

Above all, it was a lot of fun to see residents and visitors waving to us from the train line. The windows were open for ventilation while the train was running, but even the smell of "soot" coming into the seats made the trip more enjoyable.

Incidentally, the event participants who boarded the train together seemed to be a mix of "anime fans," "railroad fans," and "both," or a mixture of each "attribute.

For dinner, we enjoyed plenty of delicious food and drinks at a tavern near Mashiko Station, which is also famous for "Mashiko-yaki" (Mashiko pottery), where we stayed for the day. The inn had an open-air bath, but we were unable to use it due to frozen water pipes in winter. ......

It was warm enough to roll up my arms in long sleeves during the day, but it was so cold at night that I did not dare to take a bath in the open-air bath (laugh).

I put on a yellow helmet and took a picture of a SL train parked in a garage. It was like a project of the "Ta-Li Club," and I was very excited. Speaking of "Ta-ri Club," Ms. Sumire Uesaka, who plays Suzushiro, has also appeared in the show. In a very broad sense, can we say that you co-starred in ...... (laugh)?

Ochibore Fruit Tart

Ochibore Fruit Tart" also aired from October to December 2020. It is the story of a high school student, Ino Sakura, who moved to Tokyo from Okayama Prefecture to become an idol, and her roommates, unsuccessful talents, who are engaged in idol group activities to ensure the survival of their dormitory.

This work is set in Koganei City, Tokyo, which is a very easy place for me to make a pilgrimage to as I live in the Tokyo metropolitan area, so I was able to visit the city with an easy mind.

The car window was also familiar to me because I took the route I use to go to "MetLife Dome (Seibu Dome)," which I often visit to watch baseball games and cover live performances.

We started up "Tec-Tec Life," a location-based game that was released last year, and moved around while painting the map. Time is used effectively.

The locations where the works are set are mainly around Higashi Koganei Station and Musashi Koganei Station on the JR Chuo Line.

Conversely, the clusters of sacred sites make them very easy to visit, so they are also recommended for beginners of pilgrimages to sacred sites.

This time, since the pilgrimage also included an interview, I was able to ask for help from the person in charge of the collaboration project, who is working hard every day to promote the local community.

Some of the stores with pop-ups of the characters appeared in the film, while others, upon learning of the popularity of the collaboration project, raised their hands and said, "We want to follow in their footsteps! (laughs).

(Laughs.) The stores' hours of operation and type of business vary widely, and we were not able to talk to all of the employees, but they were all very kind and helpful. And I bought a batch of western sweets as souvenirs to take home.

In the evening, there was a media preview of Tokorozawa Sakura Town (near Shin-Tokorozawa Station on the JR Musashino Line), which was just about to open, and I covered a number of the new facilities. It was, coincidentally, a "one-day KADOKAWA Day.

The stores and facilities with character pop-ups are within walking distance from Higashi-Koganei Station and Musashi Koganei Station.

Extra
petit milady (Yokohama - Amagasaki - Osaka)

The last part is a report on the event of "petit milady," a popular voice actress unit consisting of Aoi Yuki and Ayana Taketatsu.

The event to celebrate the release of their 5th album "Howling! was held on January 12 and 13, 2019.

The first day was held at Aeon Cinema Minato Mirai in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, the second day was held at Amagasaki Q's Mall in Hyogo Prefecture, and the third day was held at Animate Nihonbashi in Osaka Prefecture.

After the first day's event, we recorded some brief comments and took some photos, and then went home. I think the clock had already struck 23:00.

The next day, I boarded the first Tokaido Shinkansen "Hikari" train bound for Hiroshima at 6:00 a.m., as Shin-Yokohama Station was the nearest station to my home. Since the train departs from Shin-Yokohama Station first, I can sit in a non-reserved seat even during the peak season, so I use this very convenient train to watch the Hiroshima Carp baseball game at Mazda Stadium and to go home to my parents' house in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The train arrives at Shin-Osaka a little after 8:00 am. We change to the Tokaido Line to Amagasaki Station for location scouting, arriving a little after 8:30 a.m. Having finished the preliminary inspection of the event site early, we decide to take a stroll in front of the station.

Amagasaki is the birthplace of comedian Downtown. As it was actually the first time for me to land in Amagasaki, I was looking forward to seeing the town.

Walking toward the south from the station, I found a quiet residential area. Walking through a strange town in the morning sun is a nice experience.

On the other hand, although it may not be so unusual now that the town has become a Corona disaster, there are stores where you can have a drink in the morning, and I found it to be a town full of attractions.

After covering the performance from 1:00 p.m. (it was outdoors), I returned to the inn I had reserved in front of JR Shin-Imamiya Station because the next event was to be held at "Animate Nihonbashi" in Osaka from 6:00 p.m. I arrived at 3:00 p.m., I believe.

I arrived at the inn around 3:00 p.m., which was about halfway through the day, so I decided to take a walk around the station again.

There was a budget business hotel in front of the station that I used to stay at when I was a student, but I had never taken the time to walk around the area, only staying there for the night.

Going in the other direction, we soon found ourselves in Shinsekai, famous for Tsutenkaku Tower, and Shinsekai, famous for Mr. Tomatsu's gag (?). I had many opportunities to go sightseeing or have a meal at Abeno Harukas, which is the largest building in Japan, so I decided to visit the so-called "Airin area" on this day.

Of course, I have a fair knowledge of the area, so I left my SLR camera and other expensive items behind and left the inn light. My impression was ...... "as expected" (laughs).

After finishing my stroll, I walked to Animate Nihonbashi. Actually, the distance between Shin-Imamiya and Nihonbashi is not that long, and it is just a good exercise.

After finishing the interview without incident, I went to the arcade district of Namba for a "light drink" with an acquaintance who had met me there. Incidentally, Namba is just a stone's throw away from Nihonbashi.

The next morning. At Shin-Osaka Station, I bought a "551 Hourai" steamed meat bun, a standard Osaka souvenir, and boarded the Shinkansen. Incidentally, I had an interview with a certain voice actor in the evening, and he was very pleased when I brought the steamed meat buns to the interview site.

It's always a good souvenir for a good time!

Fans waiting for the event. When will we see this kind of scene again? ......

＜Writer's Introduction

Atsushi Saeki

Atsushi Saeki

Atsushi Saeki is an editor and writer for the portal site "Repotama! a portal site introducing information on anime, voice actors, games, idols, and more.

While I was shocked at the news of the discontinuation of the "Moonlight Naru" train, I absorbed a lot of "iron" during my coverage of the "Reel Romanesque" Mooka Railway at the end of the year, and I think I can do a little better. I hope to go to Mazda Stadium to see a Hiroshima Carp game this year. ...... Preferably using the "Seishun 18 Ticket".

By the way, my railroad-related treasure is the business card of Mr. Yusuke Minamida of HORIPRO (a manager with a wealth of railroad knowledge who is well known to those in the know), whom I had the pleasure of greeting during a previous interview. My favorite railway-related YouTuber these days is Saionji, a current university student.