Hokkaido

Golden Kamuy (ゴールデンカムイ) by Satoru Noda combines a Russo-Japanese War veteran’s treasure hunt with deeply researched Ainu culture and real early-20th-century Hokkaido history — and unlike many pilgrimage series, several of its key locations are genuine historical sites you can visit exactly as depicted, most notably a real prison museum tied directly to the plot. Quick Facts Series Golden Kamuy (2014–2022 manga; 2018–2022 anime) Creator Satoru Noda Setting Early 20th-century Hokkaido (Meiji era) Key Locations Asahikawa · Otaru Canal · Abashiri Prison Museum Best Season Summer for accessible travel; winter for authentic snow atmosphere Trip Duration 3–4 days to cover all three cities 1. Asahikawa (旭川) — Sugimoto’s Home Base Asahikawa, Hokkaido’s second-largest city, is where protagonist Saichi Sugimoto is based in the story, and the city leans into its Golden Kamuy connection with collaboration cafes, exhibits, and manhole cover art featuring the series’ characters. ...

Silver Spoon (銀の匙) by Hiromu Arakawa (creator of Fullmetal Alchemist) trades fantasy epics for something quieter and just as compelling: a city boy’s education at an agricultural high school in Japan’s dairy heartland. The real Tokachi region around Obihiro City, Hokkaido, gives the series its unmistakable wide-sky, working-farm authenticity — Arakawa herself grew up on a Tokachi dairy farm. Quick Facts Series Silver Spoon (2011 manga; 2013–2014 anime) Creator Hiromu Arakawa (raised on a Tokachi dairy farm) Setting Ooezo Agricultural High School (fictional) → Tokachi-region agricultural schools Key Locations Obihiro City · Tokachi Plain farmland · Lake Nukabira Best Season Summer (green fields) or winter (snow-covered farms) Trip Duration 2–3 days 1. Obihiro City (帯広市) — Tokachi’s Hub Obihiro is the largest city in the Tokachi subprefecture and the natural base for exploring Silver Spoon country. It’s a working agricultural city rather than a tourist town, which is exactly the point — this is real Hokkaido dairy and farm country, not a set built for fans. ...