Ōarai (Ibaraki)
大洗町（茨城県）
Girls und Panzer, the anime about high school girls who fight with tanks, turned the seaside town of Ōarai into one of the best-known pilgrimage spots.
What is it?
It is an original anime that began airing in October 2012, set in a world where tank battles are a traditional martial art for girls. The heroines' school ship has Ōarai as its home port, and local shops, inns, transport and the town office cooperated, so the streets are reproduced almost faithfully.
Why it worked
Producer Kiyoshi Sugiyama chose not to aim for a big top-down town promotion and instead built ties with the community from a small scale. The partnership with Ōarai came to be seen as a success story.
Before you go
Most of these spots are ordinary towns, homes and schools. Stay off private property, keep noise down, and be considerate when taking photos.