Western animation is rather infamous for rarely admitting where a story takes place. Anime, by contrast, is often filled with real locations people can actually visit.
Sometimes, the series technically takes place in a fictional setting, but one that is heavily based on a real place. Other times, an anime will perfectly recreate real places, although they might not explicitly announce each real area. Some anime are set entirely in real villages and cities and use the series as a way to showcase all kinds of landmarks. It's also not uncommon for certain famous landmarks to show up in more than one anime.
10 Spirited Away: Yubaba's Bathhouse Is None Other Than Dōgo Onsen
Dōgo Onsen in Ehime Prefecture is one of Japan's oldest hot springs, but the reason why most people around the world might recognize it is that it was the inspiration for Yubaba's bathhouse in Spirited Away.
Fortunately, there aren't any witches or hungry spirits at the real Onsen, nor should customers worry about being turned into pigs. That said, there are a few legends about the place, but they are usually happy stories about spirits or animals getting healed by the spring's healing waters. While the springs are known for their public bathhouse, they also have exclusive rooms for the Imperial family.
9 Magic Knight Rayearth: The Series Starts Off At The Tokyo Tower
Also known as "Japan Radio Tower," this Eiffel Tower-inspired structure is based in Minato, Tokyo. Since 1961, it has also been used for radio and television.
The tower has been featured in various anime. Sailor Moon fans might remember that Sailor Senshi faced off against Kaolinite and Cenicienta here. Magic Knight Rayearth fans might also remember that the series starts off with the three heroines, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu, on a field trip to the tower before being magically sent to the magical world of Cephiro.
8 Lucky Star: The Hiiragi Sisters Work At The Real-Life Washinomiya Shrine
Washinomiya Shrine in the Saitama Prefecture might be familiar to fans of Lucky Star. The Hiiragi twins, Tsukasa and Kagami, as well as their older sisters, are born in Washinomiya and end up becoming shrine maidens at the temple.
A shot of the shrine was even redrawn for the anime's opening song. Anime fans have been known to make pilgrimages of the shrine and the anime's voice actors once hosted a special tour of the shrine in tribute to this.
7 K-On: The School Was Inspired By Toyosato Elementary School
Toyosato Elementary School is a real-life elementary school that inspired the setting of the K-On anime. In the years since the series aired, the school had become a popular site for cosplay and similar anime-themed events.
In real life, as in the anime, the school's stairs are decorated with statues of small turtles.
6 Sailor Moon: The Series Takes Place In The Azabu Juuban District
The Sailor Moon series mostly takes place in the Azabu Juuban district of Minato, Tokyo. Many real-life landmarks appear throughout the series. As mentioned, the Sailor Senshi even had a showdown at the Tokyo Tower.
The Cinderella Caravan took place at the Shanshan Plaza, which resembled the Nakano Sun Plaza, the showdown with Jadite took place on the Tokyo Monorail and the Haneda airport, and the girls discuss just who Chibi-Chibi is while enjoying ice cream at Ichinohashi Park.
5 Higurashi: Hinamizawa Is Based On Ogimachi Village
Higurashi: When They Cry is a murder mystery series, so the scary moments are naturally contrasted against a lovely backdrop. The fictional Hinamizawa is otherwise a peaceful place to live for characters who manage to live and it's said to be in Shishibone City, adjacent to Gifu Prefecture.
However, the fictional place is based on a real one: Ogimachi Village, which is actually found within the Gifu Prefecture and is known for its historic buildings, especially farmhouses. The village is part of the Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama, one of Japan's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
4 Barakamon: The Main Character Is Sent To Fukue-jima
In this anime series, Sei "Seishuu" Handa is sent by his father from Tokyo to the Gotou Islands, particularly Fukue-jima, the largest and southernmost island.
Because of this, various landmarks in the area appear in the series, such as the Gotō-Fukue airport and the Tomie Hospital.
3 Flying Witch: The Series Is Set In & Around Hirosaki City
The heroine of this series, Makoto Kowata, moves from Yokohama to Aomori, with the series set around Hirosaki City. Many landmarks, like Hirosaki Castle and Park and the Taisho Roman Tearoom, appear in the series.
The series helped Aomori reach memetic status during an advert for Bokksu where it was said that Aomori was famous for its apples and "witches."
2 Charlotte: Walking Street Arch From The Philippines Appears
Anime doesn't have to always take place in Japan. And even when it does, often in real life, the characters can still visit places around the world.
A scene in the 13th episode of Charlotte takes place in the Philippines. In one scene, a 'Walking Street" arch can be seen. This is a real place found in Balibago, Angeles City, which is found in the province of Pampanga.
1 A Place Further than the Universe: This Anime Is About Going To Antarctica
In this anime series, Mari Tamkai and her friends go on an adventure to Antarctica to find her missing mother. Along the way, they even get to go to Singapore. Antarctica might not have a native population, but various countries have research stations.
Syowa Station, also known as Showa Station, is the ultimate destination of the characters and is copied in great detail. It is a permanent Japanese research station based on East Ongul Island in Queen Maud Land. The series also correctly portrays rules concerning people keeping their distance from local fauna, like the penguins.