A joint tourism action plan has been drafted by government entities to encourage foreign tourists to visit "sacred places" in the world of anime.
Fans of Japanese anime often visit buildings, streets and other sites that appear in the stories. For instance, many fans visit a shrine in the town of Washimiya, Saitama Prefecture, that appears in the manga-based anime "Lucky Star," the Japan National Tourism Organization said.
The JNTO said the boom in "pilgrimages" to story-related sites was ignited by "Lucky Star," which has been released in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canada and other parts of the world.