Anime Spots in Kyoto! 8 Pilgrimage Places for Otaku (Manga Lovers)
While it's not widely known, Kyoto is home to numerous spots where you can experience Japanese pop culture.Kyoto frequently appears in anime and manga that depict school life as a school excursion destination, and these are often the subject of pilgrimages as “meccas” among fans.
I've updated this article to include spots I researched in Kyoto between August and October 2024.
Another reason for this update is the growing interest in tours that offer a deeper dive into Kyoto's culture. For instance, Magical Trip offers tours where local guides take you through the city while explaining its tradition and thick culture behind Japanese-style townscape.
In 2024, Magical Trip's tour was ranked #1 among all tours on TripAdvisor. Magical Trip's Kyoto tours have also been receiving more attention, with the “Fushimi Inari Hidden Hiking Tour” being named the number three tour of the year and the “Kyoto Night Foodie Tour” the number six tour of the year.
If you're visiting Kyoto, I recommend combining anime pilgrimage sites with these tours to get the most out of your experience in the city.
If you love Japanese pop culture, then this is the best spot for otaku in Tokyo. You can't call yourself a Japanese pop culture lover without visiting here!
Not only will I tell you about the three sacred places for otaku (Pilgrim), but also special places where you can meet Japanese characters such as Ghibli and Pokemon!
Introduction
Kyoto is one of the most popular tourist destinations, ranking first in Condé Nast Traveler's "World's Most Attractive Big Cities Ranking" in 2020. It preserves old Japanese buildings like shrines and temples, as well as historical landscapes, making it attractive with its graceful and emotional atmosphere.
In Japanese schools, there's a school event called "shugaku ryoko" (school trip), where students stay overnight and visit multiple academically valuable facilities for historical and geological studies in remote areas. With its many historically significant buildings, Kyoto is a classic destination for school trips. I, too, went to Kyoto for my middle school trip.
Moreover, Kyoto is home to "Kyoto Animation," a major anime production company, and has a deeply rooted anime and manga culture. In this article, we'll introduce "sacred sites" that appear in anime and manga, as well as facilities and shops where you can enjoy anime and manga, showcasing some of the most intriguing Kyoto manga spots.
Table of Content
・5 Popular Tourist Spots for Otaku Featured in Anime and Manga
5 Popular Kyoto Tourist Spots Featured in Manga Loved by International Fans
・2 Popular Restaurants for Otaku Featured in Anime and Manga
2 Must-Visit Kyoto Restaurants Featured in Popular Anime and Manga
・3 Spots in Kyoto Where You Can Enjoy Manga and Anime - A Must-See for Otaku!
3 Shops Where You Can Experience the World of Manga and Anime (Souvenirs Available)
・2 Recommended Tours to Fully Experience Kyoto
Insider Tips for Efficiently Exploring and Deeply Experiencing Kyoto
Kyoto Has Many "Sacred Sites" Featured in Anime and Manga
Kyoto is often chosen as the setting for anime and manga. It's particularly popular for works related to traditional Japanese culture or set in school environments.
Even in anime and manga not set in Kyoto, the city is often selected as a destination for school trips or tourism, making it a frequent appearance in various anime and manga.
Japanese anime and manga often depict landscapes nearly identical to real places, and these locations are called "sacred sites." Visiting these "sacred sites" is referred to as "sacred site pilgrimage," which is a pastime for otaku (passionate fans of specific manga or anime). Many people even dress up and pose like the characters to take photos as if they've entered the story themselves.
5 Popular Tourist Spots for Otaku Featured in Anime and Manga
Nanzen-ji Suirokaku (K-ON!)
source:Biwakososui
Nanzen-ji Suirokaku is the aqueduct that appears at the end of the opening sequence of "K-ON!" season 1 anime. The scene where the four members of the light music club pop out their faces in front of the brick building is very cute and memorable.
Nanzen-ji Suirokaku is a massive brick aqueduct built in 1980 to bring water from Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake in neighboring Shiga Prefecture, into Kyoto City. This aqueduct is still active after 130 years, supporting Kyoto's infrastructure.
The charm of this place lies in its grandeur. The structure is so large that you'll strain your neck looking up at it, and you can enjoy the clear flow of water when you climb to the top. The water flowing gently through the lush greenery is beautiful and gives you a sense of purification.
<Basic Information> *Nanzen-ji
・Address: Nanzenji Fukuchi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
・Opening Hours: [December to February] 8:40-16:30
[March to November] 8:40-17:00
・Closed: December 28-31
・Phone: 075-771-0365
・Official Website
・Official Instagram
・Official X
・Official Facebook
Kinkaku-ji (K-ON!)
source:Official website
In "K-ON!" season 2, the four senior students go on a school trip, and one of the places they visit is Kinkaku-ji. Not only can you see the real-life golden temple depicted in the series, but at the "Kinkaku-ji Fudogama Chasho" within the temple grounds, you can drink matcha and tea using the exact same plates and tea cups as in the anime.
Kinkaku is a dazzling temple with its walls entirely covered in thin gold leaf, built in 1397. It was once destroyed by arson, and the Kinkaku you can see today was rebuilt in 1955, but you can still enjoy the genuine golden brilliance that has remained unchanged from the past to the present.
While Kinkaku is beautiful at any time, it's particularly stunning in winter. When snow falls and the mountains behind it turn white, the golden Kinkaku-ji appears even more splendid than usual. If you're visiting Kyoto in winter, be sure to go and enjoy the winter view of Kinkaku-ji.
<Basic Information>
・Address: 1 Kinkakuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto
・Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00
・Closed: Open year-round
・Phone: 075-461-0013 (Rokuon-ji Temple Office)
・Official Website
Related Article
・Visiting Kinkakuji Temple: The Golden Pavilion in Kyoto
Kinkaku-ji Temple is one of Kyoto's most famous temples, alongside Kiyomizu-dera. This article provides specific details about Kinkaku-ji's highlights, how to best enjoy your visit, and tips for avoiding crowds.
Togetsukyo Bridge (Rurouni Kenshin)
Togetsukyo Bridge, which appears frequently in the opening and ending sequences of "Rurouni Kenshin," is a prestigious bridge with over 1000 years of history. I love the scene where Kenshin's master crosses the bridge, and when I visited Togetsukyo Bridge, I imagined, "I wonder if the master saw this kind of scenery" as I crossed it. When you put yourself in the position of your favorite character, it changes your perspective on the work and makes it even more enjoyable.
Togetsukyo Bridge is located in the center of Arashiyama, one of Kyoto's most popular tourist spots. In the surrounding area, you can enjoy walking through bamboo groves, food hopping, and shopping for traditional crafts.
The straight Togetsukyo Bridge over the calm river is very beautiful, and you can fully enjoy the atmosphere just by looking at it. You'll see many people sitting on benches along the river, enjoying conversations with family and friends while gazing at the river.
<Basic Information>
・Address: Saga Nakanoshima-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
Related Article
・Kyoto Arashiyama Perfect Guide: Famous Spots, Hidden Gems, and Restaurants
The Arashiyama area, home to the Togetsukyo Bridge, is one of Kyoto's premier tourist destinations and a popular spot among international visitors, featuring expansive natural landscapes. If you want to explore spots where majestic, energizing nature meets tradition, we encourage you to visit Arashiyama with this guide.
Shimogamo Shrine (The Eccentric Family)
The family depicted in "The Eccentric Family" lived in "Tadasu no Mori" within Shimogamo Shrine, and there are many sacred sites within the shrine grounds. Tadasu no Mori is a huge primeval forest within the grounds of Shimogamo Shrine, which anyone can explore.
There are several sacred sites within the forest, so please try to find them as you walk around. I found the bridge where the mother threw Yasaburo into the river.
Shimogamo Shrine is a World Heritage site and one of the oldest shrines in Kyoto. It's also famous as a power spot, with multiple power spots within the shrine grounds. My recommendation is Kawai Shrine, where the god of beauty is enshrined. After praying, be sure to purchase "Bijin Water" at the rest area. It's made from "Karin," a fruit with expected skin-beautifying effects that grows within the shrine, and "Goshinsui," sacred water from within the grounds that's imbued with the power of the gods. It's sure to make you beautiful.
<Basic Information>
・Address: 59 Shimogamo Izumigawa-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
・Opening Hours: 6:30-17:00
・Closed: Open year-round
・Phone: 075-781-0010
Shuon-an Ikkyuji Temple (Ikkyū-san)
source:Official website
Shuon-an Ikkyuji Temple is the setting for "Ikkyū-san." Ikkyū-san is famous for his "tonchi" (wit) that he demonstrates according to the situation. You can see the bridge and the tiger folding screen that inspired his wit here.
"Ikkyū-san" is an anime based on the real-life monk "Ikkyū," and episodes like the tiger on the folding screen are all anecdotes that have been passed down about Ikkyū. Therefore, this temple is valuable not only as a sacred anime site but also as a place where the historical figure "Ikkyū" spent time.
Shuon-an Ikkyuji Temple is also famous for its Japanese garden. You'll be captivated by the unified garden with beautifully rounded trees and sand raked in one direction to represent ocean waves.
<Basic Information>
・Address: 102 Takigi Satonouchi, Kyotanabe City, Kyoto
・Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00
・Closed: Open year-round
・Phone: 0774-62-0193
・Official Website
Related Article
・Top 9 Best Temples and Shrines; Must-Visit for First-Timers!
Check this out if you're interested in Kyoto's traditions and historic temples and shrines. We introduce 9 must-see temples and shrines that are especially recommended for first-time visitors to Kyoto.
Kyoto is home to countless captivating tourist destinations filled with Japan's time-honored traditions and culture. The number of attractions rivals any other city in Japan, with so much to explore that even several weeks wouldn't be enough to see everything.
Moreover, since these sites are deeply rooted in Japan's intricate culture and history, it can be challenging for tourists to fully appreciate their significance. That's why we recommend joining a Magical Trip tour led by local guides who are experts in Kyoto's attractions, traditions, and culture.
If you want to experience Kyoto efficiently and deeply while learning from local guides' explanations, we especially recommend these 3 tours.
・4.5-hour Kyoto Historical Highlights Bike Tour with UNESCO Zen Temples
・Fushimi Inari Hidden Hiking Tour
・Kyoto Arashiyama Bamboo forest & Garden Half-Day Walking Tour
2 Popular Restaurants for Otaku Featured in Anime and Manga
Fruit Parlor Yaoiso (Detective Conan)
source: Official website
Fruit Parlor Yaoiso is the famous fruit sandwich shop that Shinichi, Ran, and others visit during their school trip before getting involved in a case in "Detective Conan." It's a memorable scene where the girls, including Ran, have sparkling eyes for the fruit sandwiches, while the boys, including Shinichi, drink juice with bored expressions.
Yaoiso is a fruit specialty store with a long history, established in 1869. In 1972, they opened a fruit parlor where they started serving sweets using plenty of fruits. Because the fruits are sourced by a fruit shop, all the fruits are fresh and concentrated in sweetness, enhancing the deliciousness of the sweets.
If you want to eat the same sandwich as Ran and the others in the series, order the "Fruit Sandwich." The cream, which is moderately sweet, pairs perfectly with the fruits that are stuffed to the point of overflowing, allowing you to enjoy the natural sweetness of the fruits.
<Basic Information>
・Address: 496 Tatechu-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
・Opening Hours: 9:30-17:00 (L.O. 16:45)
・Closed: New Year's holidays
・Official Website
TenkaIppin Main Store (My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected)
source: Official website
Tenka Ippin is the ramen shop where Ms. Hiratsuka, Hachiman, and Yukino, who secretly snuck out of the school trip, went to eat in "My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected." In the series, it was called "Tenka Ippuku," but everything except the name, including the logo and exterior, is very similar to TenkaIppin.
TenkaIppin is a highly popular chain store with branches all over Japan, and the sacred site is the main store of TenkaIppin. It's popular not only among anime fans but also among ramen enthusiasts, so it's definitely a place you should visit if you're in the area.
Japanese ramen has a wide variety of soups, noodles, and toppings, and you can eat unique ramen in various places. Among them, Tenkaippin ramen is characterized by its rich, Kyoto-style soup. The deeply flavorful and thick soup is loved by ramen enthusiasts not only from foreign tourists but also from all over Japan due to its satisfying taste.
When you visit Kyoto, please enjoy authentic Kyoto ramen.
<Basic Information>
・Address: Mezon Shirakawa 1F, 94 Ichijoji Tsukuda-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
・Opening Hours: 11:00-25:00 (L.O. 00:45)
・Closed: January 1 + irregular holidays
・Phone: 075-722-0955
・Official Website
Related Article
・Ichijoji Ramen Perfect Guide: Kyoto's Top Ramen Destinations
Did you know there's actually a nationally famous category called "Kyoto Ramen"? If you're interested in the Ichijoji District, known as a pilgrimage spot for Kyoto ramen lovers across Japan, check out Takashi's article - he knows Kyoto inside and out.
Kyoto Also Has Excellent Anime and Manga-Related Facilities and Shops
So far, we've introduced manga and anime sacred sites in Kyoto. The sacred sites we've introduced are just a small part, and almost every corner of Kyoto is a sacred site for some anime. Also, it's common for one spot to be a sacred site for multiple anime. Therefore, Kyoto also has an aspect as a city where otaku gather, and there are many excellent anime and manga-related facilities and shops targeting these people.
This time, we'll introduce three must-see spots for otaku from among these. All of these spots allow you to immerse yourself in the world of manga and anime, so please visit them.
3 Spots in Kyoto Where You Can Enjoy Manga and Anime - A Must-See for Otaku!
Kyoto International Manga Museum
source: Official website
The Kyoto International Manga Museum is a place that combines a museum and a library, where about 300,000 manga and manga-related materials are preserved.
One of the highlights is the "Manga Wall," where bookshelves lined up from one end of a 200-meter-long corridor to the other are crammed with about 50,000 manga books. Manga of all genres are lined up, so you're sure to find manga you know. It's interesting to see the Japanese versions of manga you usually read in your native language or English, as they give a slightly different impression.
At the Kyoto International Manga Museum, various exhibitions and events related to manga are held, such as exhibitions of manga originals and lectures by manga artists, allowing you to spend time fully immersed in manga. While Kyoto is a city where you can enjoy old Japanese traditions, please also experience manga culture at the Kyoto International Manga Museum.
<Basic Information>
・Address: 452 Kinbuki-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
・Opening Hours: 10:00-17:00
・Closed: Wednesdays (or the following day if Wednesday is a holiday), New Year's holidays, maintenance periods
・Phone: 075-254-7414
・Official Website
Pokémon Center Kyoto
source: Official website
Pokémon Centers are specialty stores for "Pokémon" merchandise. People aiming to become "Pokémon Masters" gather at Pokémon Centers both in the works and in the real world.
At Pokémon Center Kyoto, to match the atmosphere of Kyoto, a statue of Pikachu dressed in a kimono welcomes you. The kimono features "Ho-Oh," one of the Pokémon, and is very stylish. There are also many other Pokémon statues placed throughout the store, so please try to find them.
At Pokémon Centers, you'll find stuffed toys, stationery, snacks, cards, and more - everywhere you look is filled with Pokémon, making it hard to decide what to look at.
While there are Pokémon Centers all over Japan, Pokémon Center Kyoto sells Kyoto-specific items. You can enjoy the collaboration of Japanese tradition and Pokémon with items like kimonos and fans featuring Pokémon characters, so please take a look.
<Basic Information>
・Address: SUINA Muromachi 2F, Kyoto Economic Center, 78 Kankoboko-cho, Shijo-dori Muromachi Higashi-iru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto
・Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00
・Closed: Open year-round
・Phone: 075-353-0250
・Official Website
Donguri Kyowakoku (Studio Ghibli)
source:Kyotoryoko.com
Donguri Kyowakoku is a specialty store for merchandise from Studio Ghibli's films. Studio Ghibli has produced many popular films characterized by their unique world view and soft touch, including "My Neighbor Totoro," "Kiki's Delivery Service," and "Spirited Away."
The atmosphere of Donguri Kyowakoku is also charming. Ghibli characters are crowded in front of the entrance and in the shop window, cutely welcoming you. When you enter the store, you'll find many Ghibli goods neatly arranged, giving the impression of a museum exhibition rather than a product display.
The goods sold range from interior items to stationery, daily necessities, and clothing. My recommendation is the socks - wearing socks printed with cute Ghibli characters will make you feel happy every time you take off your shoes.
<Basic Information>
・Address: 363-22 Masuya-cho, Higashiyama
・Opening Hours: 10:30-18:30
・Phone: 075-541-1116
Related Article
・What to Do in Kyoto for Families with Children: 10 Things to Do and Recommended Spots
Kyoto actually has many spots where you can have fun with kids. I wrote this article while consulting with friends who have visited Kyoto with their families, so if you're planning a family trip to Kyoto, please use it as a reference.
2 Recommended Tours to Fully Experience Kyoto
Discover two special tours from MagicalTrip that let you experience Kyoto's charm more deeply, away from the tourist crowds.
Fushimi Inari Hidden Hiking Tour
This popular hidden hiking tour ranks 3rd on TripAdvisor.
Priced at $64.84 per person (approximately 9,500 yen), this 3-hour tour explores the hidden attractions of Fushimi Inari. Starting from Tofukuji Station, the route takes you through local residential areas and small shrines before heading into the mountains. Walking through bamboo forests and nature away from crowds allows for leisurely photo opportunities.
The approximately 7km course is suitable for intermediate-level hikers and is not recommended for children under 8, pregnant women, or those with mobility restrictions. With small group sizes creating a friendly atmosphere, it's enjoyable for solo travelers and families alike. During summer, hats, sunglasses, and long-sleeve shirts/pants are recommended for insect protection. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the tour, with full refunds in case of natural disasters.
For more details: Fushimi Inari Hidden Hiking Tour
Kyoto Night Foodie Tour
This 3-hour gourmet tour through the Pontocho and Gion areas ranks 6th on TripAdvisor.
Priced at $136.80 (approximately 20,000 yen), visitors can enjoy traditional dishes from Kyoto vegetables and yuba to desserts at three carefully selected restaurants. The tour includes three drinks at each location, featuring a sake tasting experience (non-alcoholic drinks for those under 20).
While walking through traditional townhouses and teahouse districts, you might encounter geishas. An English-speaking guide provides detailed explanations about the cuisine and sake, and tour photos are emailed afterward.
Vegetarian options are available (though dashi uses seafood), but vegan and gluten-free options are not accommodated. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before, and additional orders are possible at the final restaurant.
For more details: Kyoto Night Foodie Tour
Both tours offer exceptional Kyoto experiences that cannot be found in regular sightseeing. With small group sizes, attentive guides, and reassuring cancellation policies, these tours are accessible and enjoyable for international travelers.