The Cool Japan Showcase Anime Manga Tourism Festival kicked off on April 30 at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, bringing together iconic anime and manga “sacred sites” (seichi) and beloved characters from across Japan. The event, hosted by the Cabinet Office of Japan, aims to promote inbound tourism through Japanese pop culture and encourage travel to the regions that inspired popular works.

Held at the EXPO Messe “WASSE” venue through May 2, the event features exhibitions and stage programs centered on anime and manga tourism. A total of 26 organizations and localities—each tied to anime or manga content—are participating to showcase regional appeal and foster fan-based travel.

Vice Minister Emphasizes Anime and Manga as the Heart of Cool Japan

At the opening ceremony, Kiyoto Tsuji, Vice Minister of the Cabinet Office, stated:

“Cool Japan has been ongoing for nearly 15 years now, and anime and manga continue to be the cornerstone of Japanese content appeal. That won’t change.”

He encouraged fans and visitors to engage in seichi junrei, or pilgrimage tourism to real-world locations depicted in anime and manga stories.

Exhibitors From Across Japan and Industry Partners

The following 26 exhibitors showcased their contributions to anime and manga culture:

Sapporo Manga & Library Town Planning Organization / Hokkaido
Iwaki Yumoto Onsen Ryokan Koito / Fukushima
Gunma Film Commission / Gunma
Tatebayashi City / Gunma
Sanjo City & Ichinokido Shopping Street DIY!! Fan Base / Niigata
Yamanashi Tourism Promotion Organization / Yamanashi
Hida-Takayama / Gifu
Chibi Maruko-chan Land & Shizuoka City / Shizuoka
Numazu City / Shizuoka
Kumano City Tourism Association / Mie
Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair (Kyomaf) / Kyoto
Nishinomiya City / Hyogo
Takarazuka City & Osamu Tezuka Memorial Museum / Hyogo
Nijigen no Mori / Awaji Island, Hyogo
Manga Kingdom Tottori / Tottori
Ube City / Yamaguchi
Tonosho Town / Kagawa
Kochi Anime Creator Seichi Project / Kochi
Kitakyushu Manga Museum / Fukuoka
Goto City / Nagasaki
Hita City / Oita
Haebaru Town / Okinawa
Seibu Railway
Japan Airlines
Sorano Ue Shopping Mall / Benelic Digital Entertainment
Anime Tourism Association

From manga museums and anime-themed towns to transportation companies and airlines, the festival demonstrates the power of Japanese pop culture to drive regional and international tourism.

Source : ORICON NEWS