Go Tokyo Your Experience
Upgraded Japanese Anime Sanctuary Tour: From Sightseeing to Relocation
In recent years, the tourism industry in various parts of Japan has flourished due to the “pilgrimage to holy sites”. Cities or regions that use a certain anime or film as a stage have attracted anime fans to visit, driving economic activities such as accommodation and consumption. Local governments are also pleased to see this phenomenon. However, as the popularity of anime works fades, how to continue attracting tourists and maintain the economic benefits of the holy land has become a major challenge.
Recently, some local governments have proposed new strategies to encourage anime fans to move directly to the holy land for residence. This phenomenon of ‘holy land migration’ is quietly emerging, bringing unexpected economic benefits.
Xiaodou Island: An Emerging Trend in the Holy Land of Anime
Komatsu Island in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, has become a popular anime destination due to the adaptation of the popular manga “Takagi, who is good at teasing people” into anime, live action TV series, and movies.
With the popularity of this work, more and more fans are going to Little Bean Island for a pilgrimage to the holy land.
The local director of the Guishan Hachiman Palace welcomes this and hopes to inject new vitality into the island through this parade craze.
I warmly welcome fans to come, whether they are looking for scenes in anime or have developed an interest in this place, they are all happy to see such economic activities
The remarks of the Palace Bureau reflect the positive attitude of the local government and community towards the pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
However, compared to the temporary tourism boom, how to maintain long-term economic benefits is the core issue faced by the government and local businesses.
Holy Land Migration: From Tourists to Residents
Compared to short-term touring tours, more and more anime fans are choosing to “move to the holy land”, which means directly moving to the stage location of anime works and becoming a part of the local community.
28 year old Yasutaro Kumamoto is one of them. He decided to move to Shodoshima two years ago because of his love for “Takagi, who is good at teasing people”.
Mr. Kumamoto expressed that he was attracted by the beautiful scenery and olive cultivation on the island, and gradually found his career and life direction.
Takagi changed my life. After coming to this island, I found that the olives here are very good, and I also want to grow my own olives
Mr. Kumamoto’s story reveals that moving to a holy land is not only a continuation of his love for anime works, but also a way to deeply connect with local life.
Economic benefits of relocation: far beyond short-term tourism
In recent years, several anime holy sites in Japan have begun to promote the policy of “holy site relocation”.
For example, Oarai cho in Ibaraki Prefecture, famous for “Girls and Chariots”, and Numazu City in Shizuoka Prefecture, famous for “Love Live! Sunshine!!”, have become popular destinations for relocating to the holy land.
In recent years, Numazu City in Shizuoka Prefecture has actively held relocation briefing sessions for “Love Live! Sunshine!!”, which has led to a continuous growth in the number of relocated fans. According to statistics, these places have attracted over 100 fans who have chosen to relocate to the area.
It is estimated that if a fan resides in the holy land for two years, the economic benefits brought by taxation and daily consumption are equivalent to 100 tourists who come to visit.
This deeply integrated lifestyle not only enhances the emotional connection between fans and anime works, but also brings long-term economic support to the region.
The future of Holy Land migration
As a special form of tourism, pilgrimage to holy sites has achieved significant success in many parts of Japan. However, the emergence of ‘holy land migration’ has brought more lasting benefits to this phenomenon.
By transforming short-term sightseeing into long-term residence, not only has the local population increased, but it has also further promoted the development of the local economy.
In the future, with the expansion of this trend, perhaps more anime fans will choose to settle down in their beloved holy land and develop deeper life connections with anime works.