There are many instances of anime successes rejuvenating tourism in some lesser-known parts of Japan, and one of those towns that benefitted from an anime boom is Iwami of Tottori Prefecture, the setting location for the hit anime series Free!.
Even now, two years since Free! first aired, fans are still flocking to Iwami to drink in the atmosphere of the town where their favorite characters “live.” A Japanese fan recently went the extra mile to combine some of the anime scenes and actual locations into a single frame, creating awesome 2.5-dimensional images that went viral and triggered the feels in fellow fans. Check them out after the break!
Iwami is a coastal town located at the north-easternmost part of Tottori Prefecture. Before Free!’s big break, visitors came to the town for its breathtaking views of mountains, natural rock formations, and of course, its beautiful beaches. Since the anime became popular, however, Iwami started seeing a new group of tourists who came forth to see the “hometown” of Haruka, Makoto, and the rest of the Free! gang.
▼ A poster featuring the anime’s leading characters welcomes visitors to Iwami.
ただいま岩美〜♡ pic.twitter.com/iYME0uvw6d
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 19, 2015
Much of the background scenery in the anime was heavily based on actual places in Iwami, to the extent that a fan could literally crop out scenes in the anime and fit them right into their real-world locations!
岩美の至る所に君の面影 pic.twitter.com/B9CIO4O6HK
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 19, 2015
まこちゃんが迎えに来てくれたよ pic.twitter.com/uUzWnmsZtS
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 19, 2015
駅の待合室にて。ありがとう、また来るね! pic.twitter.com/CzOj9Ie0W9
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 21, 2015
そしてこちらも初の日野神社。幼い頃の2人に会えました。 pic.twitter.com/kBPGnxjxIP
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 21, 2015
▼ Free! fans, do you remember which scenes these places popped up in?
朝の荒砂神社 pic.twitter.com/Kb5O4bSAer
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 19, 2015
田後港〜田後神社。前回も今回も旅行期間中に2回は必ず訪れてるけど、何度見ても鳥肌が立つし涙が出そうになる。会いに来たよって気持ちになります。大好き! pic.twitter.com/U7xnHKSbqP
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 21, 2015
今回初めて行った網代隧道 pic.twitter.com/46YLXYhYpo
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 21, 2015
旧田後小学校。「はるちゃん、スイミングクラブ入ろう?」 pic.twitter.com/3Hb7bULTqt
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 19, 2015
凛のお父さんのお墓のモデル〜菜種五島。去年スタミナ不足で諦めたこの場所を、観光協会が新しく仕入れた電動自転車とグーグルマップで入念に調べた正しいルートを味方につけ、念願叶って回ってきました。聖地云々抜きにしても絶景でした! pic.twitter.com/E3j7n7Dcp6
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 21, 2015
日野神社。ここも今年初訪問。雰囲気がすごく良くてとにかく素敵な神社だった!宗介と凛に会えた気持ちになりました。 pic.twitter.com/2LoxZJ9lMw
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 21, 2015
There are several ways to tour the town; on foot, by bus, by taxi, or you could simply rent a bicycle for just 500 yen (US$4.20) a day. The Iwami Tourism Association also has a few recommended cycling routes, among which the Free! Location Full Course covers ten locations featured in the anime.
▼ The blue dotted line indicates the full course, which covers 13.3 kilometers (8.3 miles) and takes about three and a half hours to complete (time estimated for cycling only).
▼ Even the keys to the rental bikes are decorated with character keychains!
レンタルサイクルが運命的で可愛すぎて悶絶した。岩美町最高です pic.twitter.com/5RRcxCqX62
— こっさむ (@momo_hiki29) August 20, 2015
For more information on Iwami, visit the Iwami Tourism Association homepage.
Source: Game Over
Images: Twitter/@momo_hiki29, Iwami Tourism Association
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