Shopping Guide
TOM: What kind of anime-related spots have you been to?
TAM: A while ago on my channel I had a mini-series called Anime in Real Life where I would go to locations of shows I really like or locations that had a ton of anime based on it. It was an excuse to show all kinds of Tokyo sights to my fans, but also I knew that people interested in the show would watch the video because I would go to all the places located in the show. It’s a great excuse to see different sides of Tokyo.
TOM: Are there any places in recently aired anime that you’d like to visit?
TAM: I haven’t watched a lot of recent anime. That’s my first problem. Well, a lot of Weathering with You was based in Shinjuku and other parts of the city, but the problem with going to places in a story like Weathering with You is that it’s not quite the same unless the whole city is flooded. You don’t get the same sight that you were hoping for. Shinjuku is one of the densest places in Tokyo, if not the world, so even I haven’t fully explored every nook and cranny. I think going up one of the tall buildings in Shinjuku to get a birds-eye view like the scenes in the movie would be a great experience to see Shinjuku from that angle.
TOM: That’s a great idea. I was thinking of BOCCHI THE ROCK! in Shimokitazawa.
TAM: I frequent Shimokitazawa because I play music. The last time I went to Shimokita was with a friend who had never been, but he wanted to buy a guitar. There was just a crapload of posters of BOCCHI THE ROCK! and I was like, “oh, yeah! It’s based here.” That’s another cool thing about walking around Tokyo. You can achieve the reverse effect of going to a location, seeing posters of a show, and getting interested in a show that you’d never heard of or considered before. I watched BOCCHI THE ROCK! because it was based in Shimokita, and there are practically no anime set there.
TOM: I used to go to Shimokita a lot, and it was under construction for a long time. There are a lot of people who haven’t been able to come back to Japan in a long time because of covid, but if they came to Shimokita before 2019 and they watch BOCCHI THE ROCK! now, they can see just how much it’s changed since their visit. But changing topics just a bit, why do you think Tokyo specifically is the perfect place to visit for anime fans/otaku?
TAM: It’s a really concentrated city and not very big in terms of space. Compared to a lot of big cities around the world, Tokyo is super concentrated so you can visit many areas and all kinds of anime-related stores, facilities, and events, because everything is in such close proximity. But because of that, a lot of it isn’t apparent if you’re not looking for it. It really does force you to go and explore deep into the nooks and crannies of the city and I think that’s always exciting to do, especially if you are an anime fan or just a fan of Japan and really want to get to know Tokyo. You can enjoy a lot of aspects of Tokyo without necessarily hunting for anime locations, but it’s a nice cherry on top. While you’re here, you’ll realize that you can visit these spots and add them into your itinerary while you’re traveling around. It’s a great excuse to wander around the city.
TOM: Please give a message of support to people wanting to visit Tokyo.
TAM: I think if you’re a fan of manga, anime, gaming, or any kind of otaku-based subculture, Tokyo is obviously the mecca that you have to visit. You don’t need me to tell you that. It really is as magical of a place as you think it is, and probably a whole lot more. It supersedes all expectations. If you want to experience Tokyo at its best, then just remember to walk, walk, walk. Don’t look at maps and don’t worry about getting lost because it’s such a safe city. Go out and explore to your heart's content and bring out your inner child. Essentially, run out onto the playground and see what happens. Tokyo is the best place for that. Hopefully you achieve all of your weeb dreams while you’re here as well.
TOM: Thank you so much!
TAM: Thank you for the interview.
If you’re in the middle of planning your trip to Tokyo, make sure to take the Anime Man’s advice while you figure out your itinerary! And for more ideas, check out this Tokyo Anime Spot Guide Map. It’ll guide you not only to spots that were used in anime, but also spots related to anime otaku culture! Check it out here.
Check out Tokyo Tokyo, an informational website by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government which features a ton of articles on some of the hottest topics in Tokyo tourism today!
