Best of Japan’s Manga and Anime Itinerary
If Japan’s on your bucket list because you’ve been in love with Japanese media culture and want to experience it all up close, this is a starter itinerary for you. Each region is known for different properties, so this itinerary can be mixed and matched to experience the properties that mean the most to you.
A themed meal at the themed cafe in the Fujiko F Fujio Museum in Kawasaki, Japan in Kanagawa prefecture.
Option 1: Kanagawa / Greater Tokyo Hub
Highlights: Doraemon & Evangelion (Tokyo-3)
Route A: Kawasaki & Yokohama Pop-Culture (8 Hours)
09:30 – Hotel Pickup (Tokyo or Yokohama)
10:00 – Fujiko F. Fujio Museum (Doraemon Museum), Kawasaki (2 hrs): Explore original artwork, secret gadget displays, short film screenings, and themed cafe treats. (Note: Requires timed tickets in advance).
12:30 – Yokohama Minato Mirai & Animate Yokohama (2 hrs): Lunch overlooking the bay, followed by shopping at Animate Yokohama and local pop-culture hubs.
15:00 – Yokohama Cosmo World or Yamashita Park (1.5 hrs): Photo stops near iconic waterfront locations featured in countless anime.
17:30 – Return Drop-off
Route B: Hakone "Tokyo-3" Evangelion Tour (8 Hours)
08:30 – Pickup in Yokohama or Tokyo: Drive southwest to Hakone (the real-life setting for Evangelion’s Tokyo-3).
10:30 – Eva-Ya (Evangelion Store) & Hakone-Yumoto Station (1 hr): Shop for exclusive regional Evangelion merch and themed snacks right at the mountain gateway.
12:00 – Lake Ashi Boat Ride & Hakone Shrine (2 hrs): See the "Tokyo-3" mountain landscapes, the lake-bound Red Torii Gate, and enjoy lunch overlooking Lake Ashi.
14:30 – Owakudani Volcanic Valley (1.5 hrs): Volcanic steam vents reminiscent of sci-fi anime landscapes; sample geothermal black eggs.
16:30 – Drop-off at Hakone Hotel / Odawara Station
Option 2: Tochigi Hub (North of Tokyo)
Highlights: Bandai Toy Museum & Retro Pop Culture
Tochigi Bandai & Anime History Charter (8 Hours)
09:00 – Pickup in Tokyo or Utsunomiya
10:15 – Omocha no Machi Bandai Museum, Mibu (2.5 hrs): View 30,000+ toys, including a massive 1/1 scale Gundam bust, Ultraman displays, Super Sentai relics, and retro Japanese pop-culture history.
13:00 – Utsunomiya Gyoza Lunch (1.5 hrs): Drive to Utsunomiya (Japan’s Gyoza Capital) for a regional lunch; visit local anime/manga store hubs.
15:00 – Tochigi Historic Storehouse Town (1.5 hrs): Stroll past historic kura warehouse streets often featured in period anime and samurai series.
17:00 – Return Drop-off
Option 3: Awaji Island / Kansai Hub
Highlights: Hello Kitty, Naruto, Godzilla, Dragon Quest
Awaji Island "Anime Island" Charter (8 Hours)
An easy day charter picking up from Osaka or Kobe.
09:00 – Pickup in Kobe or Osaka: Cross the Akashi Kaikyo suspension bridge to Awaji Island.
10:00 – Hello Kitty Smile & Hello Kitty Show Box (2 hrs): Visit the giant Hello Kitty head facility featuring immersive underwater media art, dining, and character photo ops.
12:30 – Nijigen no Mori Anime Park (3.5 hrs): Explore a massive outdoor anime theme park:
Naruto & Boruto Shinobi-Zato: Hokage Rock statues and 3D mazes.
Godzilla Interception: Zipline directly into a giant, life-sized Godzilla mouth.
Dragon Quest Island: Real-life RPG walk-through quest.
17:00 – Return Drop-off in Kobe/Osaka
An optional half-day charter addition the next day to the Toei Kyoto Studio park known as Uzumasa Kyoto village in Kyoto, where many period dramas are filmed. A large Evengelion interaction is also on property. We recommend visiting this property during the fall when a Yokai parade occurs to experience Japanese mythology coming to life.
Option 4: Tottori Hub (Western Japan)
Highlights: Detective Conan Town & Pokémon Sandslash
Tottori Manga & Pokémon Pilgrimage Charter (8 Hours)
Best booked with a driver based in Tottori or after taking a regional train.
09:00 – Pickup at Tottori Station / Hotel
09:30 – Tottori Sand Dunes & Pokémon Sandslash Spot (2 hrs): Explore Japan’s largest sand dunes (home to Tottori’s official Pokémon ambassador, Sandslash).
12:00 – Drive to Hokuei Town ("Conan Town") (1 hr)
13:00 – Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory & Conan Street (2.5 hrs): Dedicated to the creator of Detective Conan. Walk across Conan Bridge, view character bronze statues, visit Beika Shopping Street, and shop at the official manga museum.
16:00 – Pokémon / Anime Wrapped Local Train Stop (Yura / Conan Station) (1 hr): Photograph local character-wrapped trains and regional photo points.
17:00 – Return Drop-off in Tottori
Option 5: Matsuyama / Shikoku Hub
Highlights: Spirited Away (Dogo Onsen)
Matsuyama Ghibli Vibe Charter (8 Hours)
09:30 – Pickup in Matsuyama
10:00 – Dogo Onsen Honkan & Town (2.5 hrs): The primary historical architectural inspiration for Yubaba’s Bathhouse in Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. Walk through Dogo Arcade and view the Botchan Karakuri Clock performance.
13:00 – Seafood Lunch & Matsuyama Castle Ropeway (2 hrs): Ride the open chairlift up to one of Japan's 12 original samurai castles.
15:30 – Ishite-ji Temple or Ghibli-esque Coastal Drive (1.5 hrs): Explore mysterious temple cave tunnels or take a scenic coastal drive facing the Seto Inland Sea.
17:30 – Return Drop-off
