When in Tokyo, foreign animé fans are quick to put Akihabara in their itinerary as the place-to-be for otakus (Japanese pop culture lovers). But while that is true, did you know that Japan's capital has a lot more animé and manga stops than just the Electric City? From recreating iconic scenes from a global animé blockbuster to shopping your heart out and filling that animé-merch-shaped void in your heart, here's a list of animé destinations in Tokyo, apart from Akihabara, that you should have in your itinerary.
Suga Shrine, Shinjuku
This small shrine found in the middle of a quaint neighbourhood in Shinjuku gained immense popularity after the global success of Makoto Shinkai's animated film Kimi No Na Wa (Your Name). The film's story revolves around a teenage boy living in Tokyo named Taki Tachibana, and a small town girl living in a fictional town called Itomori named Mitsuha Miyamizu, who begin switching bodies with each other due to an unknown occurrence. The stairs just outside of Suga Shrine became the iconic landmark for the film's poster, signifying an important scene in the movie's conclusion. It became so popular that even Google Maps now directs you to a walking trail following the movie's sequence leading up to the shrine if you start your quest from Shinjuku Station.
Gundam Statue, Odaiba
Whether or not you're a Gundam fan, just the sight of the full-scale RX-0 Unicorn Gundam Mobile Suit will leave you in glee. Replacing the classic Gundam statue erected in DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in 2017, the Unicorn Gundam stands at 19.7 metres and switches between the Unicorn mode and the Destroyer mode at certain points of the day for the crowd to enjoy. Plus, Odaiba is situated in a man-made island solely created for entertainment hubs surrounded by stunningly futuristic architecture, so the Gundam Statue is just one of the many things you can see there.
