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NEWS: Pop Japan Travel Article in Asahi

US Party of 15 Sightseeing Anime

The Japanese Anime/Otaku culture is drawing the attention of foreign tourists. US tours visiting the “home of anime culture” are becoming exceedingly popular, leading to the creation of autonomous groups bringing anime to the core of regional tourism promotion.

For the Love of Studio Visits and Shopping Sprees
Autonomous Groups with Individuals in Charge


One day in February, 15 Americans roughly in their twenties visited anime “Studio Pierrot” in Mitaka, Tokyo. They are the participants of “Pop Japan Travel,” a tour put together by Digital Manga, a company that promotes Japanese manga and anime in the US (located in Los Angeles), and Japanese travel agency HIS.

The group first spent some time watching videos of popular Pierrot produced anime such as Urusei Yatsura, Naruto and Bleach – some members could be heard singing along to the Japanese theme songs. 2 hours were spent in earnest observation of the production team in the midst of its creation process.

The tour departs from the US and spends 9 days sightseeing Japan. Visiting the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka as well as shopping in the anime related stores in Akihabara and Nakano are just a few of the activities the participants engage in.

5 Time Participant

8 tours have been conducted since ’03, attracting a total of 140 participants. Past tours have visited doujinshi exhibition and spot sales event Comiket, as well as other anime and game related events. The next tour will visit the “Tokyo International Anime Fair” taking place at the end of March. JTB has a similar tour in the works.

Ms. Kimberley Falls (20) of Missouri, who is a veteran participant on her 5th tour, enjoys anime revolving around Japanese history and traditional culture. “Ruroni Kenshin,” the tale of a vagabond swordsman living during the Meiji Restoration, is one of her favorites: “The tour lets me visit the actual locations that appeared in the manga.” The tour planner and conductor Isaac Lew of Digital Manga says, “The people that come all the way to Japan have an interest in the country itself.”

The Key to PR

Autonomous bodies are on the rise, promoting an effort to utilize the Japan-born anime culture as a resource for tourism attraction.

With an eighth of the 430 nation-wide animation production companies located within its vicinity, Tokyo has established an anime division in its tourism ward. The Suginami district, which is home to 70 animation companies, has recently established a division in its local government to promote the anime industry.

In February, Tokyo decided on anime as the primary promotional element in its development of “city sales,” a program devoted to promoting Japan overseas. This confidence in anime is unprecedented. The president and director of “Production IG,” producer of popular animation Ghost in the Shell, joined forces to create a commercial featuring Astro Boy as a mascot promoting Tokyo as a tourism spot. At the moment, Japan’s appeal as the home of anime is considered its biggest asset in its tourism industry.

Insane really...
but i'm a happy fangirl

Someday though! I'd love to visit Comiket and Mandarake's shop in Tokyo especially.

Fun fact. Mandarake has a picture book for sale of the CEO shaving the female employees' pubes.

Also, do the tours leave free time to the costumers to go..uh, do whatever? I wouldn't even consider going to Japan if I coudln't get into at least 2 or 3 livehouses to see some rock shows.

Well the site sucks (PJT).

Thinking of going on a Winter Tour, but there is no linkage!!

Guess i'm spending my money to go to Ibiza.