Let's go on a pilgrimage to sacred places of popular anime such as "Yakunara Mug Cup", "The Form of Unknown", and "Doremi" in winter!　Report: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Gifu Prefecture!

Little by little, more and more tangible events and live performances are becoming available, and people are now able to travel to distant places. Some of you may be interested in going on a "pilgrimage to sacred places" to visit the stages of anime and movies.

This time, we focused on Gifu Prefecture, which has been the setting for many popular and talked-about works, and went on a pilgrimage to the holy places in the prefecture for two days and one night on a certain day in November 2021.
The information about Aragusu Shrine (Hie Shrine) was partially incorrect on January 6, 2022, and has been corrected.

Itinerary

(Day 1)

Nagoya Station - Takayama Station - Explore Takayama City (using JR Express)

Takayama Station - Ogaki Station (using JR Express)

(Day 2)

Ogaki Station - Explore Ogaki City - Hiryugamine Temple (by car)

Niryuhine Temple - Tajimi City (by car)

Tajimi Station - Nagoya Station (using JR)

■Day 1

Depart Nagoya Station at 8:30 am. There was little sign of autumn when we left Nagoya, but as we took the train north from Gifu Station, we could see the color of the mountain surface changing.

We then arrived at Takayama Station at 11:00 am. Takayama is home to the "Ojamajo Doremi" 20th anniversary movie "Witch Apprentice wo Sagashite," the blockbuster movie "Kimi no na wa. If you go further, you can also access Shirakawa-go, a popular tourist attraction and the model for a certain famous film.

JR Takayama Station

↑JR Takayama Station was the model for the movie "Witch Apprentice wo Sagashite" (Searching for a Witch Apprentice). The weather was fine, making it a perfect day for a pilgrimage to a holy place.

Takayama Festival Yatai Kaikan

↑Takayama Matsuri Yatai Kaikan, which the main characters visited in the movie "Witch Apprentice wo Sagashite" (Searching for a Witch Apprentice). Many magnificent yatai were on display.

It was early November when I visited, but the weather was fine and the daytime temperature was warm enough to make me sweat. I also saw students on a school excursion touring the streets along the way, and I could feel firsthand that the world is gradually returning to its normal life.

From here, I would like to introduce a place that appears in the anime "Hyouka," centering on the Miya River that runs through the city center.

↑The morning market "Miyagawa Asaichi Street" is open almost every morning. Despite being a weekday, it was crowded with many people.

On the narrow street along the Miya River that runs through the middle of the town, a morning market was held even on weekdays, and the stalls were lined with fresh produce, mainly locally grown vegetables. And around the Aragusu Shrine (Hie Shrine), a short distance from the station, the autumn leaves were at their peak, creating an awe-inspiring atmosphere that is hard to describe.

↑Fujimiya, a famous store for Mitarashi dumplings. Tourists were lined up for dango while the photo was being taken.

↑upThe coffee shop "Bag Pipe. In the filming of "Hyouka," it appeared under the name "Pineapple Sandwich. Unfortunately, the seats where the main characters were sitting were occupied by other people, so we could not take pictures of the interior.

↑Takayama Ramen "Yayoi Soba". It was introduced as "Asuka Soba" in the "Hyouka" story. In front of the store, students on a school excursion were rubbing their stomachs and chatting with each other after having enjoyed the ramen.

Aragusu Shrine (Hie Shrine)

↑This is the shrine where the anime "Hyouka" was set. Located a short distance from Takayama Station, it is a relaxing spot away from the bustling streets.

On that day, the leaves were beautifully changing colors, and I recall being excited when the cab driver who showed me around told me, "This is the best time to see the leaves during the week, and you are lucky to be here.

Although not directly related to the sanctuary, we were able to see a live show at Dekonaruza, a facility where visitors can enjoy traditional performing arts of Takayama. The 45-minute show included a performance using Japanese drums, a performance using a fan, and a lion dance. If you visit Takayama, be sure to stop by.

Dekonaruza" performs traditional performing arts handed down in Takayama. We enjoyed the 45-minute performance.

<Performer's comment

I hope to spread the charms of Takayama not only to domestic audiences but also to people living abroad, and literally "dekonaru" (grow up)!

On the next page, we will report on the second day of the event!