Matt Schley
March 6, 2017 
Fans of 2011 series Anohana are known for their frequent trips – known as “anime pilgrimages” – to Chichibu, the town north of Tokyo where the series is set.
According to a report from the Asahi Shinbun, one Chichibu temple in particular has especially benefitted from the frequent pilgrimages, which have given the place a new lease on life.
According to Isamu Shimazaki, 80-year-old caretaker of Jisshozan Jorinji temple, the temple had run into hard times before the premiere of Anohana, with the number of visitors having decreased to “10 percent of the number who came about 20 years ago.”
But that was before the temple was featured in the series as a gathering place for the series’ Super Peace Busters. Now fans of the series make their way to Jisshozan Jorinji every weekend, even though the series debuted over five years ago.
The temple was also buoyed when it began selling Anohana-themed ema, tablets on which visitors write wishes for the future.
Classic culture and pop culture working in hand-in-hand: that’s something we can get behind.
Source: Asahi Shinbun
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