Find your own Mitsuha or Taki here: 4 Must-Visit Film Locations from Japan’s Your Name

▲ Fujiidera-Furukawa Station is where Taki begins his search for Mitsuha in Your Name. (Photo / provided by Chengya International)

Reported by Cai Wenjun / Compiled and reported

Directed by Japanese animator Makoto Shinkai, the anime film Your Name took box office charts by storm upon its release, creating a global Your Name craze. The Gifu Prefecture’s Hida (pronounced “Hee-da” or “Tuo-da”) region, which served as the main filming location, instantly became a popular pilgrimage site for fans. This article introduces four must-visit movie locations—why not go and see them for yourself, admire the exact scenes from the film, and take your very own Your Name photos?

▲ The taxi parking area in front of Fujiidera-Furukawa Station. (Photo / provided by Chengya International)

1. Fujiidera-Furukawa Station
When Taki departs from Nagoya and takes the Hida train to find Mitsuha, the station where he gets off is Fujiidera-Furukawa Station. Recommended photo spots include the north side footbridge of the station, where you can capture the same angle of an incoming train as in the film, the station service counter featuring a Hida beef mascot, and the taxi parking area in front of the station.

▲ The long staircase in the background as Taki asks passersby for directions is at Keta Wakamiya Shrine. (Photo / provided by Chengya International)

2. Keta Wakamiya Shrine
In the film, after arriving at Fujiidera-Furukawa, Taki starts searching for Mitsuha and asks passersby for help. In the background, there's a long staircase that goes uphill—it’s the staircase in front of Keta Wakamiya Shrine. Although it's just a passing location in the film, this shrine hosts the annual Yamabiraki Yadate Matsuri festival on April 19 and 20, one of Japan’s 33 festivals listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and is a major local event.

▲ The place where %笺癫檠?凳刈柿系牡氐悖?褪且苑?R市图书馆做为取景地。(Photo / provided by Chengya International)

3. Gifu City Library
Also located in Fujiidera-Furukawa, Gifu City Library is where Taki looks up information about Itomori. With the surge in visitors coming to pay homage, if you want to take photos inside the library, you must first get photography permission at the front desk. Photography is allowed between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and you must avoid capturing the faces of other visitors—or blur them afterward.

▲ The bus stop in Midorigaoka, Ochiai. (Photo / provided by Chengya International)

4. Bus Stop in Midorigaoka, Ochiai
The bus stop featured in the film is located in Midorigaoka, Ochiai. It’s about a 20-minute train ride from Fujiidera-Furukawa to Kakegawa Station, followed by a 10-minute walk. Aside from shooting scenes from the movie, you can also visit the nearby “Hida Manga Kingdom,” which houses about 40,000 manga volumes for enthusiasts to enjoy. The facility also includes a natural hot spring, scenic bath tubs, and foam baths, allowing visitors to spend a relaxing day here.

From January 7 to February 19, 2017, the Gifu City Museum of Art will host an exhibition for Your Name, featuring movie design illustrations such as sketches and character designs, giving visitors a deeper insight into the world of Your Name.