Anime in Ōita

The high school the author attended is the model for Aoba High School: the anime's credits list it as an art-setting collaborator. The tree-lined entrance and the building appear from the first episode. It is one of Ōita's most demanding schools, which explains how hard it is for Kaizaki to go back to class.

A station on the JR Nippō Main Line in Saiki. It gives its name to Kaizaki Arata (海崎新太), the protagonist. It does not appear in the anime: the author, a native of Ōita, named her characters after stations in her home prefecture, and some fans tour these stations as a pilgrimage.

A station on the JR Nippō Main Line in Tsukumi. It gives its name to Hishiro Chizuru (日代千鶴), the heroine. It does not appear in the anime: the author, a native of Ōita, named her characters after stations in her home prefecture, and some fans tour these stations as a pilgrimage.

A station on the JR Kyūdai Main Line in Hita. It gives its name to Yoake Ryō (夜明了), the ReLIFE observer assigned to Kaizaki. It does not appear in the anime: the author, a native of Ōita, named her characters after stations in her home prefecture, and some fans tour these stations as a pilgrimage.

A station on the JR Kyūdai Main Line in Yufu. It gives its name to Onoya An (小野屋杏), the transfer student in Kaizaki's class. It does not appear in the anime: the author, a native of Ōita, named her characters after stations in her home prefecture, and some fans tour these stations as a pilgrimage.

A station on the JR Nippō Main Line in Hiji. It gives its name to Ōga Kazuomi (大神和臣), Kaizaki's classmate. It does not appear in the anime: the author, a native of Ōita, named her characters after stations in her home prefecture, and some fans tour these stations as a pilgrimage.

A station on the JR Nippō Main Line in Saiki. It gives its name to Kariu Rena (狩生玲奈), Kaizaki's classmate. It does not appear in the anime: the author, a native of Ōita, named her characters after stations in her home prefecture, and some fans tour these stations as a pilgrimage.

The most iconic spot of the AOT pilgrimage. The 94m-high concrete wall of Oyama Dam represents Wall Maria. At its base, bronze statues of the three protagonists as children stare up with the same look of terror from the opening scene of the anime. Funded by global crowdfunding on the manga's 10th anniversary. The official app displays the Colossal Titan in AR over the dam.

On Hita Station's south plaza stands the bronze statue of Levi Ackerman, the series' most popular character, also funded by worldwide fan crowdfunding. Local legend says touching his shoes brings good luck. Inside the station, manga panels and AOT decorations welcome arriving pilgrims.

The main AOT museum in Hita, opened in 2021, displays Isayama's original sketches, childhood drawings, an exact recreation of his work desk during the 11 years of manga serialization, and handwritten author commentary for each volume. Truly exclusive content.

The ANNEX museum, located inside the Sapporo Beer Brewery in Hita, features a large-scale "Immersive Comic" projection where you can step inside manga scenes. It also features illustrations from Vol. 1 to 34 with personal author commentary. Combined tickets with the main museum are available.

An Edo-period merchant street in central Hita, featuring around 100 establishments in traditional wooden buildings. Several shops sell exclusive AOT merchandise that can only be found in Hita. The atmosphere evokes the inner cities of the manga. Cozy cafes in restored homes await.

A Beppu shrine bearing the Kamado name and a local legend: a demon had to build a hundred-step stairway in one night and failed when the cock crowed at the ninety-ninth. It does not appear in the work and has no official link to it: it is a place fans associate with Demon Slayer.

An abandoned circular locomotive depot in the town of Kusu (Ōita, Kyushu), bare concrete and overgrown. It is the model for the flooded ruins where Suzume finds the first 'door' at the start of the film. Its eerie, symmetrical atmosphere was reproduced almost exactly; a replica of the film's door often stands beside the building.

In the city of Saiki (Ōita, Kyushu) there is a district called Todoro, written 轟, whose reading coincides with 'Totoro'. A decade after the film's release, illustrations of Totoro, Mei and Satsuki appeared at its small bus stop, which became a pilgrimage spot. It did not inspire the film — it's a happy coincidence of name — but anonymous locals keep the place up, and nearby is a little park with a Catbus cutout.