![Start 2026 with a Hatsumoude Pilgrimage to Anime Sacred Sites! A Guide to Shrines and Temples Featured in Anime [Kanto Region Edition]](https://animeworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/825184.jpg)
As 2025 winds down and 2026 peeks over the horizon, many of us are already thinking about that first important tradition of the year: hatsumōde. It’s that special first visit to a shrine or temple after New Year’s Day, a time to express thanks for the past year and to pray for health, safety, and happiness in the one to come.
And for anime fans, it’s the perfect excuse to mix tradition with our passion! Why not make your first shrine visit of the year a trip to a real-life anime “holy site”? The Anime! Anime! editorial team has put together a guide to some of our recommended shrines and temples in the Kanto region that have starred in our favorite shows. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
- Kanto’s Premier Power Spot! Mitsumine Jinja
- The Original Holy Site! Washinomiya Jinja
- A Sanctuary for Prayers! Hakone Jinja (Kuzuryuu Jinja)
- Stylish and Romantic! Kawagoe Hikawa Jinja
- A Holy Site for Anime AND Period Dramas! Tsurugaoka Hachimangū
- Breathtaking Torii in the Sea! Oarai Isozaki Jinja
- Don’t Attack the Mountain!! Haruna Jinja
Kanto’s Premier Power Spot! Mitsumine Jinja (Saitama Prefecture, Chichibu City): Featured in ‘Kimetsu no Yaiba’ & ‘Sora no Aosa o Shiru Hito yo’
Tucked away in the mountains of Okuchichibu at an altitude of about 1,100 meters, Mitsumine Jinja is legendary for its intense spiritual atmosphere. It’s widely considered one of the top power spots in the entire Kanto region. Founded according to legend by the hero Yamato Takeru no Mikoto, the shrine is cradled by three peaks—Kumotori-yama, Shiroiwa-yama, and Myōhō-ga-take—making it a profound site where ancient mountain worship and Shintoism merge.
For fans, its connection to ‘Kimetsu no Yaiba’ (Demon Slayer) is a huge draw. The protagonist, Kamado Tanjirou, hails from the Okutama area near Mount Kumotori, which is one of the “three peaks” this shrine is named after. It’s also a key holy site for the anime ‘Sora no Aosa o Shiru Hito yo’ (Her Blue Sky), and has been part of collaborations with the other two titles in the so-called “Chichibu Trilogy”: ‘Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterun da.’ (The Anthem of the Heart) and ‘Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai.’ (Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day).
The Original Holy Site! Washinomiya Jinja (Saitama Prefecture, Kuki City): ‘Lucky☆Star’
When you think of Washinomiya Jinja, you think of ‘Lucky☆Star’. This anime, along with Kyoto Animation’s ‘Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu’ (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), is often credited with popularizing the whole culture of anime pilgrimage. It showed how a location featured in a show could bring fans flocking and genuinely help revitalize a town. Washinomiya Jinja became the poster child for this phenomenon.
But its fame as an anime mecca is matched by its incredible history. It’s considered the oldest shrine in the Kanto region, with roots tracing back to the age of the gods in Izumo mythology. It has been deeply revered by famous military commanders throughout history and is known as a power spot for a wide range of blessings, from good fortune and business success to matchmaking and warding off evil.
A Sanctuary for Prayers! Hakone Jinja (Kuzuryuu Jinja) (Kanagawa Prefecture, Hakone City): ‘Evangelion’
Standing solemnly on the shores of Lake Ashi, Hakone Jinja has a history stretching back to the Nara period. It has long been worshipped as a guardian of the Kanto region. Samurai and travelers on the Tokaido road would stop here to pray for safety and victory in battle, earning the reverence of figures like Minamoto no Yoritomo. True to these tales, it’s famous for bringing luck, warding off misfortune, and helping with decisive victories.
And of course, Hakone is synonymous with ‘Evangelion’. In the series, there’s a shrine that Toojii and Kensuke climb to watch the battle against Shamshel. While geographically it might correspond to Kintoki Jinja, the appearance is said to closely resemble Hakone Jinja.
A quick heads-up for New Year’s visitors: Hakone is also famous for the Hakone Ekiden relay race. Expect it to be bustling with people praying for victory, so plan accordingly for crowds!
Stylish and Romantic! Kawagoe Hikawa Jinja (Saitama Prefecture, Kawagoe City): ‘Tsuki ga Kirei’
Nationally known as a shrine for enzu-musubi (tying bonds of fate), Kawagoe Hikawa Jinja has become a massively popular “instagrammable” power spot in recent years. Its summer-limited wind chime corridor, tunnels of ema (votive tablets), tai (sea bream) fortune slips, matchmaking balls, the husband-and-wife sacred tree, and a massive torii gate create a photogenic and magical atmosphere. It’s common to see couples and friends dressed in kimono taking pictures.
Such a romantic setting was, of course, destined to become an anime holy site. It features prominently in ‘Tsuki ga Kirei’ as the location for a date between Kotarou and Akane. The show captured its dreamy, ethereal vibe perfectly, and seeing that stunning, mystical scenery in person is an absolute must for any fan.
A Holy Site for Anime AND Period Dramas! Tsurugaoka Hachimangū (Kanagawa Prefecture, Kamakura City): ‘Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi’
A must-visit spot in Kamakura, Tsurugaoka Hachimangū boasts one of the top 10 highest numbers of hatsumōde visitors in Japan. It enshrines the same Hachiman god as Yoyogi Hachiman Shrine and has been worshipped for centuries as a deity of victory, martial success, and national peace. Fun fact: The divine messenger of Hachiman is the dove, which is why the iconic Kamakura snack “Toshimaya’s Hato Sablé” is dove-shaped!
Since the shrine was moved and established in Kamakura by Minamoto no Yoritomo, it naturally appears in the Kamakura-period anime ‘Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi’ (The Elusive Samurai). It’s depicted in the scene where the young lord looks out over the city after retaking Kamakura. Its deep historical significance also makes it a famous location for jidaigeki (period dramas) and Taiga dramas.
Breathtaking Torii in the Sea! Oarai Isozaki Jinja (Ibaraki Prefecture, Oarai Town): ‘Girls & Panzer’
The “Kamiiso no Torii,” a grand torii gate standing in the ocean, makes Oarai Isozaki Jinja a spectacular spot for watching the first sunrise of the year on January 1st. The view of the sun rising over the Pacific is nothing short of divine. The shrine venerates the gods Ōnamuchi no Mikoto and Sukunahikona no Mikoto, known for nation-building, medicine, and healing, and offers blessings for household safety, business prosperity, and recovery from illness.
This is another shining example of an anime holy site boosting local tourism. The featured work is ‘Girls & Panzer’ (Garupan), which famously has tanks driving down the shrine’s stone steps and through the torii gate. Inside the precincts, you’ll be greeted by huge ema painted with ‘Garupan’ illustrations.
Don’t Attack the Mountain!! Haruna Jinja (Gunma Prefecture, Takasaki City): ‘Initial D’
Located on the slopes of Mount Haruna, Haruna Jinja is a historic shrine known for its enormous sacred rock, unique shrine building layout, and as a power spot for business and agricultural prosperity. It’s dotted with cultural assets like the “Yatate-sugi” cedar tree. Easily accessible from the Takasaki area and surrounded by tourist spots like Ikaho Onsen and Mizusawa udon, it’s a popular destination for a scenic drive.
And that, of course, means it’s holy ground for ‘Initial D’ (Ini D). It’s the home course of Fujiwara Takumi and appears frequently. A word of caution from the editorial team: just because it’s an ‘Initial D’ site doesn’t mean you should drive aggressively on the way there! We learned this the hard way after being tailgated… Always obey the speed limit and drive safely!
These are just a few of the shrines that left a lasting impression on our editorial team after visiting them. There are so many more anime holy sites out there waiting to be discovered.
We hope to explore and introduce more shrines from beyond Kanto and Kansai in the future. We hope you have a wonderful New Year’s hatsumōde at one of these special places!
Writer: Yoneda Kaori
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