The pilgrimage to the holy land of Natsume’s Book of Friends! I went to the Hitoyoshi Kuma region in Kumamoto Prefecture

I went with Nyanko-sensei, who’s a self-proclaimed bouncer, together on the pilgrimage to the holy land of Natsume’s Book of Friends (Natsume Yuujinchou), written by Yuki Midorikawa, who draws impressive stories about the days to return the name to the Ayakashi!

 

This time, I went to Hitoyoshi City where it is located in the southernmost part of Kumamoto Prefecture and central part of the Kyushu region.

 

 

 

This work has many depictions modeled on the Hitoyoshi Kuma region of Kumamoto Prefecture, where author Yuki Midorikawa is from there and various official collaboration projects are being held as the setting for Natsume’s Book of Friends.

 

 

 

The pilgrimage to the holy land of Natsume’s Book of Friends!

How to go to Hitoyoshi?

This time, I left Fukuoka Airport for Hitoyoshi by car. I arrived in about 3 hours on the highway!

 

If you don’t use the highway, it would take about 7 hours from Fukuoka.

 

There are many places that appear in Natsume’s Book of Friends, and some places are several hours away by car, so we recommend traveling by car.

 

I looked at The Stage Visits Map (Pilgrimage) To Natsume’s Book of Friends and Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light (Hotarubi no Mori e) that various users have pinned on Google Maps and visited there.

 

It was very convenient because it included detailed locations and which season and episode it appeared in!

 

 

Haraigou Bridge

 

This is the Haraigou Bridge that often appears in Episode 13 of Season 1 and Episode 10 of Season 3.

 

It is the place set near Tanuma’s house.

 

 

Ichifusa Dam

 

The dam that appears in Episode 6 of Season 1 and Episode 6 of Season 6.

 

I couldn’t find a place where I could shoot from Natsume’s angle.

 

 

Satonojou Big Bridge

 

It is a bridge that appears in Episode 1 of Season 5 and Episode 4 of Season 3.

 

 

Okadome Fortune Statue

 

This is the scene that appeared in Episode 4 of Season 3 when Ayakashi was walking around in the figure of a cat on a tree.

 

The curved mirror can be seen behind and has also been recreated quite well…!

 

A lot of Ema, votive picture (originally of horse)* were dedicated to the place to the right of this Jizo, and I was able to see a lot of votive tablets on which Natsume’s Book of Friends was written.

 

*Ema:

Ema is a wooden board with a picture on it that is dedicated to a shrine or temple when one prays there or when one wishes to be rewarded for the fulfillment of one’s prayers.

 

 

Ichibu Hachimangu

 

The shrine that appears in Season 4, Episode 5.

 

After walking about 100 meters from the parking lot, a space with a solemn atmosphere suddenly appeared!

 

Before climbing the stairs, I was impressed and stood still for a while with my friend.

 

 

 

The stone lantern is just like in the anime!

 

 

 

I went on a weekend, but there was no one there and I was able to enjoy the atmosphere quite a bit.

 

 

Okoba Station

 

It’s the station where the Juvenile Fox lives as seen in Season 1, Episode 7 etc.!

 

The station building was equipped with friend books, commemorative stamps, and exploration notebooks written by those who visited the holy place for pilgrimage.

 

 

 

It is said that if you put your business card on the station building, you will get a promotion, so the walls were covered with business cards. Some were from famous people.

 

 

 

Station Building

 

When I talked to the local uncle, the uncle asked me, “Did you come to Natsume’s Book of Friends pilgrimage too?”

 

We could tell a story about the person who was the model for Reiko!

 

The uncle comes to Okoba Station almost every day, and he is quite knowledgeable about the sacred places and Natsume’s Book of Friends.

 

 

 

 

The track

 

It is the track to appear in Season 6 OP.

 

 

Tengu Bridge

 

Tengu Bridge often appears in anime.

 

 

 

 

Benitori Bridge

 

The bridge that appears in Episode 3 of Season 5 and is right next to Tengu Bridge.

 

 

Bishamondo

 

It appears in Season 5, Episode 2etc. and also a very close place following Tengu Bridge and Benitori Bridge.

 

 

Nishize Bridge

 

The bridge that appeared in Episode 2 of Season 5.

 

The stone monument is also just like this scene in the anime where Natsume and the others are hidden!

 

 

 

 

Kannon statue on the wall of Torinji Temple

 

It appeared in Season5 OP. I was impressed with the shape of the stone as it is!

 

It also appeared on the road next to this place in the anime, but the car stopped and I gave up shooting.

 

 

Tamachi Sugawara Tenmangu

 

It appeared in Season2 OP. There are many Ema in places that are not in the picture!

 

I was able to see the Emas written by those who visited the sacred place pilgrimage of Natsume’s Book of Friends.

 

I climb the stairs and you’ll find exploratory notebooks and friend’s books.

 

 

Amamiya Shrine

 

The shrine appears in the Season 4 and 6 OPs.

 

It is famous as a power spot in the Hitoyoshi-Kuma area and commonly called “Totoro’s Forest”.

 

 

 

The stairs were pretty steep…!

 

 

 

Even here, a local person asked me, “Is it Natsume’s Book of Friends?”

 

The person didn’t seem to have seen the anime, but knew about Tengubashi and Haruyama Bus Stop, and told me that it was far from here.

 

 

 

Here you can also find exploratory notebooks and friends books! Nyanko-sensei was there too.

 

 

Haruyama Bus Stop

 

It appeared in Season 2 OP.

 

Chuukyuu Youkai and Nyanko-sensei’s stuffed toys at the bus stop…! There was also a stamp.

 

 

 

It’s a short road from the bus stop.

 

It’s a pity that my shooting point was bad, but it was pretty much the same as the anime!

 

 

 

Rokuro Village

 

It appeared in Episode 6 of Season 3. This is a village where Natori and Natsume used to walk.

 

It seems that you can take good pictures from the national highway, but the plants are overgrown and I gave up shooting.

 

 

Kasamatsu Bridge

 

The bridge appears in Season 2 and 6 OPs!

 

This place and Rokuro Village are quite far from the Hitoyoshi region and GPS sometimes gets interrupted on the way. But I got there safely.

 

 

 

Here it is, down below and flipping the photo.

 

In the anime, the structure and stones of the private houses are faithfully reproduced.

 

 

Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu Shrine

 

This is a shrine in Aso that appeared in author Midorikawa’s work Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light*. There were quite a few pilgrims because it was buzzing on Twitter recently.

 

*Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light:

Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light is a Japanese manga by Yuki Midorikawa and a collection of short manga stories with the same title.

An anime film adaptation was announced in the April issue of LaLa, published on February 24, 2011.

The same staff was in charge of the anime adaptation of Midorikawa’s Natsume’s Book of Friends.

 

When going to this place, it is necessary to bypass because traffic is still closed due to the effects of the earthquake.

 

 

 

This is said to be the model of the fallen stone lantern in Episode 11 of Season 5, which also appears in Natsume’s Book of Friends.

 

 

 

It seems that this is the model of The Black Sickle Youkai that appears in Episode 5 of Season 4.

 

 

Yatsushiro Station

 

This is the chimney of the paper mill that rises up behind Yatsushiro Station, which appears in Episode 3 of Season 6.

 

 

Extra Edition

Exploration Map for Natsume’s Book of Friends Anime

 

I got it at the inn where I stayed.

 

Major sacred places are listed such as Tengubashi and Okoba Station.

 

 

Hitoyoshi Station

 

At the tourist information center in Hitoyoshi Station, there were many Nyanko-sensei’s goods and autographs signed by Kazuhiko Inoue who plays Nyanko-sensei / Madara and Kazuma Horie who plays Kaname Tanuma.

 

 

Himawari Tei

 

This is the local home-cooked restaurant Himawari Tei on Radio Natsume’s Book of Friends New and Autumn Chapter.

 

This is the restaurant where Kazuhiko Inoue and Kazuma Horie dined.

 

 

 

There are Signs of Kazuhiko Inoue and Kazuma Horie on the Shoji* in the store!

 

*Shoji:

In today’s Japanese-style architecture, it refers to a wooden frame covered with paper, mainly Japanese paper, to allow light to pass through, but originally it meant a tool to block out light and includes today’s doors, doors, curtains, blinds, screens, screens, and even fusuma sliding doors.

 

Please look for it when you go.

 

 

 

The dish is Himawari Tei Set Meal (1,080 Yen).

 

This meal is served as Local production for local consumption (Chisan-chisho)* to be suggested by the Japanese government.

 

The rice is local rice with reduced pesticides, and the vegetables are locally grown where the producers can be seen.

 

*Local production for local consumption:

Local production for local consumption (Chisan-chisho) is an abbreviation for “local production for local consumption”, and refers to the consumption of various products and resources (mainly agricultural products and marine products) produced in a region in that region.

 

 

 

Impressions after finishing the pilgrimage

The pilgrimage to Natsume’s Book of Friends is quite far from Hitoyoshi Region, so it may be difficult for a day trip…

 

I spent 3 days and 2 nights and visited about 40 places, but it was still not enough time! I also wanted to go to Kumamoto City and Yatsushiro City.

 

The Kuma River is one of the three most rapid rivers in Japan, flowing through Hitoyoshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture.Kumamoto Prefecture is called the Little Kyoto of Kyushu.

 

In addition, there are Hitoyoshi Hot Springs, Aoi Aso Shrine, the National Treasure, and gourmet foods are the Eel.

 

There are many attractive towns, so please enjoy them together with your pilgrimage.

 

During this pilgrimage, we saw many graffiti on buildings by people who are thought to be pilgrims to the holy land of Natsume’s Book of Friends.

 

It will cause trouble for the author and the work, so let’s enjoy it with good manners!

 

Sorry for my lack of photography skills… Thank you for reading!

 

 

Transportation Expenses/Transportation

[Expressway]

Fukuoka (Kyushu Expressway) → Hitoyoshi Region

Normal/ETC fee: 4,490 yen

Late night/holiday fee: 3,140 yen

 

 

© Yuki Midorikawa, Hakusensha / Natsume’s Book of Friends Production Committee