Of the numerous anime that are set in real-life Japan, either historical or modern-day, the vast majority of them take place on the biggest of the four Japanese main islands: Honshu. This is perfectly understandable -- Honshu isn't only the largest of Japan’s islands but also by far its most populated, and it’s home to most of the more famous Japanese cities, including Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Nonetheless, there are also plenty of mainstream anime set on Japan’s next two biggest islands of Hokkaido (Kimi ni Todoke, Silver Spoon, Erased, Golden Kamuy) and Kyushu (Kids on the Slope, Barakamon, Natsume Yuujinchou, Yuri on Ice).
In contrast, the smallest of Japan’s four main islands, Shikoku, is featured far less in anime. Made up of the four prefectures of Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi and Tokushima, Shikoku is easily the rarest setting overall for titles that take place in Japan, especially when it comes to well-known or contemporary productions. However, such anime are particularly well poised to showcase Japan’s rural charm, wisely capitalizing on Shikoku’s stunning natural scenery, picturesque neighborhoods and famous products.
Poco's Udon World Emphasizes Kagawa's Fame for Noodles
When web designer Tawara Souta moves from Tokyo back to his hometown in Kagawa prefecture after his father’s death, he has mixed feelings, especially when he learns that during his absence, his family’s restaurant has gone out of business. However, when walking through the closed restaurant, he spots a small blond boy sleeping in a cooking pot. Discovering that this boy is in fact a shapeshifting tanuki, Souta decides to adopt him, naming him Poco. Together, the pair find joy in new familial relationships, experiencing day-to-life in a slow, relaxed countryside town and of course, preparing and eating a variety of delicious udon.
A 2016 slice-of-life series with a supernatural bent, Poco’s Udon World (Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari) could almost be a commercial for countryside living. Although Souta is at first reluctant to leave his fast-paced and independent city life, he soon comes to once again love his Kagawa hometown -- as will the viewer. It might sound like a cooking show on paper, but Poco’s Udon World is far more interested in highlighting the happiness and healing that can come from living in a tranquil rural environment like Kagawa. In this context, a soothing iyashikei story like Poco is a perfect match for the anime’s backdrop, with or without the noodles.
Ocean Waves Showcases Kochi's Seascape In an Underrated Studio Ghibli Film
Morisaki Taku is a high school student living in Kochi. When his friend Matsuno Yutaka calls one day asking him to get to their school as soon as possible, Taku is introduced to Muto Rikako -- a beautiful yet seemingly antisocial girl who recently transferred from Tokyo. While good at both academics and sports, Rikako’s outward persona means she has very few friends, and Taku struggles to balance his eventual romantic affection for Rikako and his friendship with Yutaka, who becomes his rival in love. Meanwhile, Taku must also come to terms with his own feelings, particularly in light of Rikako’s troubled home life.
Although Studio Ghibli is far better-known for anime features like My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, the company’s 1993 film Ocean Waves (Umi ga Kikoeru, or I Can Hear the Sea) is an underrated classic. As a romantic drama based on a literary novel published earlier in the decade, the movie is primarily concerned with conveying the cast’s internal experiences. However, this does not prevent Ocean Waves from being a striking, if rather understated production whose Kochi seaside setting both complements and emphasizes its naturalistic yet moody tone and events.
Teasing Master Takagi-san Is a Slice-of-Life Rom-Com Set Against a Kagawa Backdrop
Takagi and Nishikata are middle school students who sit next to each other in class. The playful Takagi seems to like nothing more than continually teasing Nishikata with numerous pranks and embarrassing jokes, but Nishikata has resolved to get his revenge -- even if his schemes nearly always seem to go awry. Still, despite the constant setbacks stemming from Takagi’s oddly extensive knowledge of Nishikata’s behavior, allowing her to predict his every reaction, Nishikata has vowed to someday make her be the one to blush for a change.
Based on a shonen manga of the same name, the Teasing Master Takagi-san (Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san) anime initially ran for 12 episodes in 2018 and received two further seasons in 2019 and 2022, as well as a later 2022 film. The series mostly revolves around the rom-com aspects of Takagi and Nishikata’s relationship rather than its specific setting outside of school in general; nonetheless, the charming backdrop, based on a Kagawa port town named Tonosho, is quite faithful to its real-life setting, as demonstrated by a myriad of directly comparable shots.