Visit The Crossroads From Slam Dunk. A List of the Must-Visit Places in the Anime Holy Land of Tokyo

Located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Tokyo, Kamakurakōkōmae Station may not be familiar to most people. However, this is the level crossing where Hanamichi Sakuragi met Haruko in the opening theme of Slam Dunk. It is called "the crossroads of fate" by fans of anime! The place that carries many memories from youth actually exists in reality! Although Musashino Art University, the original setting of Shohoku is actually in Tokyo, the background of "Slam Dunk" isbased on Kanagawa County. The settings of Ryonan and the scene on Shonan Beach are located in Kamakura. From the station, you can walk to Kamakurakōkōmae in 5 minutes. This high school by the sea is the setting of Ryonan. The ramp from the station to the school is also the scene where Akagi Takenori said "We still have a lot of opportunities" after Shohoku joined the game.

Ghibli Museum, located in Mitaka, Tokyo, was designed by Japanese animation master Miyazaki Hayao, who also serves as its curator. It's an absolute dream place for people both youngand old. Here you can find familiar animated scenes such as the ticket booth from "My Neighbor Totoro" and the mechanical soldiers from "Castle in the Sky". You can enjoy behind the scenes materials and concept art, watch short films that have never been shown in public, and roam in the dazzling surrounding ocean! Take your children to the Ghibli Museum and get lost with them together!

In Kawasaki, near Tokyo, there is a museum dedicated to the memory of Fujiko F. Fujio, the father of "Doraemon" and the master of comics. It has been warmly sought after by all those who still retain their childlike innocence. The museum not only displays teacher Fujiko's precious manuscripts, but also restores the scene of the master's working environment on a 1:1 scale. However, most importantly, it enables you to enter the small world of Doraemon, a childhood hero! Many famous scenes and props from the cartoon "Doraemon" have been restored in the outdoor venues, including random doors, telephone booths, open spaces with three cement pipes, and even memory bread.

Akihabara, a hold land for otakus! Animation, video games, and figurine shops are everywhere. There are various maid cafes and themed theaters. Whether you are interested in anime ornot, you can come here to enjoy a special kind of otaku culture. Out of Akihabara Station, you will see lots of posters of electronic products and goods from animated series on the street. There are several large-scale electrical goods chain stores on the main roads, such as Yodobashi, Akihabara Radio Club, and Sofmap, while smaller stores are on the more remote streets and alleys. You absolutely must go to a themed cafe when you come to Akihabara. There are scenes imitating anime and video game stories, and waiters dressed up as characters. You can taste delicious food while browsing the goods around you.

Hakone is one of the most famous hot spring areas near Tokyo. It is famous for its volcanic hot springs and the beautiful scenery overlooking Mount Fuji that you can view while bathing in the hot springs. For anime fans, Hakone is reminiscent of "TOKYO-3" from EVA, which is a famous anime from Japan. The student from EVA, Ikari Shinji, got off the train at Hakone-yumoto station, taking his first steps to saving the world. Hakone is full of EVA elements. There isa 1:1 scale model of Rei Ayanami in front of an EVA store there. There is also a lantern with all the names of the main characters from the anime printed on it. One of the most famous scenic spots in Hakone, Owakudani, is a real-life tourist place which is visited by a lot of people. It is a must-visit place if you go to Hakone. Go to Owakudani Cableway Station and look up the hillside. This is where Paul wandered alone in the early morning when he first ran away from home.

Odaiba Tokyo is undoubtedly a holy land for Gundam fans: Here stands an 18-meter high 1:1 scale model of an RX-78-2 Gundam robot. When night comes, with dreamlike lights, images,and music in the background, the Gundam's head moves around and adopts a heroic posture as if it's about to fly into space. It's really cool to go look at! In addition to this huge model, the 7th floor of the shopping mall also has the "Gundam Front Tokyo" exhibition area, whichattracts many anime fans, with admission tickets priced at 1,200 yen (around 11 USD). The high-end coffee shops and souvenir shops inside are also popular places to visit.

I believe that people who like anime should be familiar with "Weekly Shonen Jump", but fewpeople know about J-World Tokyo, a youth cartoon theme park based on Jump anime series. "J-World Tokyo" is located on the third floor of Sun City Ikebukuro, and is divided into 5 exhibition areas. Besides ever popular anime series such as "One Piece", "Naruto", and "Dragon Ball Seven", other venues can pop up according to the latest anime releases. The exhibits focus on the main features of each series, and take into account the popular works from the Jump family, such as "Kuroko's Basketball", "Gin Tama", and "The Prince of Tennis", etc. This place is definitely a paradise for young anime lovers. The amusement facilities in the park are all specially designed according to the anime works from the Jump family. You can take the "Mini Merry" and "Shark Submerge III" to experience the world of "One Piece", or cast a "Kamehameha" together with Goku from Dragon Ball Seven to defeat your enemies. In addition, there are food areas and merchandise stores, which are sure to satisfy your love for anime!

The first large-scale theme park "Tokyo One Piece Tower" from the popular Japanese anime "One Piece" made a high-profile debut under Tokyo Tower, the main landmark of Tokyo. In early 2015, it began attracting One Piece fans from all over the world to come and worship. The stage set in the theme park is Jaya Island where the Straw Hat Pirates roam. There are eight themed pavilions in total, including "Roronoa Zoro's One Sword Style" and "Monkey D. Luffy's Endless Adventures". Each popular character has its own dedicated area. You can take photos with life-sized dolls of the characters from One Piece, or play interactive games there. You also shouldn’t miss the live performance "Welcome to Tongari Mystery Tour". Tired of adventuring? You can also go to "Baratie Restaurant" to enjoy a buffet meal where you can eat "Luffy Giant Honey Barbecue", "Straw Hat Bread", and other unique dishes.