Leaf KYOTO Delivered by Leaf, a local information magazine!

FOLLOW US

2024.9.2
  • LINE
  • FaceBook
  • twitter
Utsukushin Kazoku Top Banner

Touring the Holy Land of the TV Anime "Yuuten Kazoku"! An interesting way to enjoy Kyoto!

Tomihiko Morimi's "Arikuten Kazoku" is a novel about a family of raccoon dogs living in Kyoto. It will be 10 years in 2023 since the first season of the TV anime based on the novel was broadcast. This year is the anniversary year of the anime, and Kyoto City has been showing a lot of excitement with collaborative events being held throughout the city. In this issue, Kyoto spots that appear in the anime are introduced with scenes from the anime and actual photos. Take a look back at the charm of the work and feel like a raccoon dog as you tour the streets of Kyoto, where the main character Yazaburo ran around and around.
(TEXT: Interesting is good. EDIT: Miki Tamura)

1.What kind of work is the TV anime "Yuuten Kazoku"?

[This fantastical at-home drama depicts a family of raccoon dogs living in Shimogamo Shrine and the three sides of humans and tengu that surround them. The universal love of family is depicted in this masterpiece that has not faded over time. The animation studio [P.A. WORKS], which has produced many masterpieces set in real-life areas, adapted each line of the novel with love and passion. The director, Masayuki Yoshihara, has also spun a heartwarming tale in the anime "Amaho no Sakuna Hime" currently airing.

Utsukushiten Kazoku Poster

2.[Shimogamo-jinja Shrine is the main stage where a family of raccoon dogs live / Demachiyanagi

Yasaburo and his raccoon dog family, the Shimogamos, live in the Tadasunomori forest on the grounds of Shimogamo-jinja Shrine. Although it is a famous tourist spot, the quiet forest is also a place of relaxation for the people living in the surrounding area. The story was inspired by Morimi's experience of actually seeing a raccoon dog in this area when she was a student. The precincts of the temple in the work are depicted as they were when the area was richer in nature than it is today.

Shimogamo-jinja Shrine Animated depiction

[Shimogamo-jinja Shrine is officially called Kamomiya Shrine. It is one of the oldest shrines in Japan and was registered as a World Heritage site in 1994. Traditional annual events such as Yabusame (horseback archery on horseback) and Mokage Festival are held throughout the year, and the Shimogamo Noryo Kohon Festival and Mitarashi Festival in summer are especially popular with many people.

Exterior view of Shimogamo Shrine

[Shimogamo-jinja Shrine (Kamo Goso-jinja Shrine)

Shimogamo Shrine

  • Shimogamo Shrine
  • 59 Shimogamo Izumigawa-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
  • 6 minutes walk from Keihan "Demachiyanagi Station"
    Short walk from bus stops "Shimogamo-jinja-mae" and "Tadasunomori".
  • Tel.075-781-0010

3.The second son who has a reason to stay back [Rikudo-Jinno-ji Temple]/Higashiyama

At the Rikudo-Jinnoji Temple, known to local people as "Rikudo-San," there is a well where the second son, Yajiro, has been living secluded. Yajiro is the only one in the family who lives not in the forest but in a well, because he has been disguised as a frog for so long that he is unable to transform back into a raccoon dog. This well was also featured in a romantic scene in which Benten, Yajiro's first love, weeps profusely in front of the well at night.

Rikudo-Jinjoji Animated depiction
Rikudo-Jinjoji Animated depiction
Gate of Rikudo-Jinnoji Temple

[In front of the gate of Rikudo-Jinnoji Temple, there is a stone monument that reads "Rikudo no Tsuji" (The Six Streets of the Road).

The "Six Realms" is a term associated with Buddhist doctrine. Since the Middle Ages, it has become widely known as "passage to the underworld. Legend has it that Ono Takamura, a bureaucrat in the early Heian period, used the well to pass through to the underworld. The well is tucked away in a quiet, verdant area behind the main hall, creating an atmosphere in which one is tempted to go to the well and confide one's problems to the well.

Rikudo-Jinjoji Animated depiction
Rikudo-Jinnoji Well

General worshipers are not allowed to enter the garden, so they can look into the well through the window.

Rikudo-Jinnoji Hallway

You can look into the "well of the passage to the other side of the world" through the lattice window of the main hall.

Rokudo Jindoji Temple

  • six deities of the six realms
  • 595, Komatsu-cho, 4-chome, Shijo-sagaru, Yamato-oji-dori, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
  • 12 min. walk from "Kiyomizu Gojo Station" of Keihan
  • Tel. 075-561-4129

4.Look at the roof of the arcade [Teramachi Kyogoku shopping arcade] / Teramachi

It is the main downtown area of the city and appears frequently in various scenes in the work. Particularly memorable is the scene where Yazaburo, Benten, and Professor Yodogawa, who have left the "Friday Club," walk along the work passage above the shopping arcade on a full moon night. It is interesting to look up at the roof of the arcade, which one does not usually pay much attention to, and ponder the scene of the work.

Teramachi Kyogoku shopping street, animation depiction
Teramachi Kyogoku Shopping Street

[Teramachi Kyogoku shopping district]

This shopping street was built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (1573-1600), and many of the remaining long-established stores have been running for generations since that time. Many of the remaining long-established stores are well-known stores that have been in business for generations. New stores selling fashion goods, sundries, cafes, and other items line the street, which is bustling with young people and tourists throughout the year.

Teramachi Kyogoku Shopping Street

  • infringement of the temple's sacred object
  • Between Sanjo and Shijo, Teramachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto
  • A short walk from Hankyu Kyoto Kawaramachi Station
  • https://www.kyoto-teramachi.or.jp/

5.Mishimatei, a high-class sukiyaki restaurant that attracts the most discerning diners in the film / Teramachi Sanjo

Yazaburo incurred Benten's wrath, and in return, he was asked to perform as an entertainment at a banquet held at the Mishimatei. In front of the members of the "Friday Club," a group of seven gourmets, Yazaburo performed a magnificent seven transformations and received a round of applause. He was almost turned into a raccoon when the humans discovered his true identity, but he was able to disguise the fact that he was a raccoon dog.

Mishimattei: A portrayal of a family in the top of the world.
Mishimatei Exterior

The store, built in the early Meiji period in the Kyoto machiya style, exudes an air of elegance.

Mishimatei Animated depiction

The taste of a long-established restaurant that even the members of the "Friday Club" are impressed by. The best course at Mishimatei is a fusion of Japanese cuisine and sukiyaki, created by Taro Mishima, the fifth generation owner of Mishimatei. The unique cooking method and secret sauce, which has been passed down from generation to generation, allow you to enjoy the best quality aged Japanese black beef. The final course of the meal is served with matcha (powdered green tea) in the spirit of hospitality, as the rich sweetness of sukiyaki is tempered by the bitterness of the matcha to refresh the palate.

Mishimatei Sukiyaki

An example of the monthly Hana Course for 24,200 yen. Reservations required 2 days in advance.

Proprietress, Mishimatei

Mishimatei Head Office

  • isle of death
  • 405 Sakura-no-cho, Sanjo-sagaru, Teramachi-Dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
  • Tel. 075-221-0003
  • Meat sales 9:00-18:30
    Restaurant 11:00-21:00 (LO/20:30)
  • 5-minute walk from Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Subway Station

6.[Soba Restaurant Tsukatsuya] "Tamago-don" (egg bowl), a favorite of raccoon dogs / Demachiyanagi

Soba Restaurant Tsukatsuya, located in the Demachiyanagi area where the Shimogamo family lives, appears in the work as "Soba Restaurant Takebirin-tei. From the exterior of the restaurant to the detailed furnishings inside, it is almost identical to the one depicted in the anime, making the viewer feel as if he or she has entered the world of the work. The atmosphere of Yazaburo and his friends' everyday life, which is different from that of famous tourist attractions, can be felt.

Chikurin-tei (name of a tea ceremony house)
household that lives without carrying on a business

Soba restaurant across from Demachiyanagi Masugata Shopping Street. The white curtain marks the restaurant.

Chikurin-tei (name of a tea ceremony house)
Soba Restaurant Shizuya Inside

The work has brought new customers to the store, which has been loved by the local community.

Soba-Dokoro Tsukatsuya Tamago-don: 900 yen

Tamago-don: 900 yen. Includes soup and pickles.

The tamago-don (egg bowl), which Yazaburo, disguised as an old man, used to eat, is still a popular menu item along with soba. The restaurant maintains a very simple flavor with plenty of buckwheat broth made from bonito and kelp. The restaurant is said to be visited not only by domestic anime fans, but also by many overseas tourists who came to know of the restaurant because of "Arikuten Kazoku" (The Arisaten Family).

Soba Restaurant Shizuya

  • soba restaurant
  • 81-1 Tachihonjimae-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
  • 8 minutes walk from "Demachiyanagi" station of Keihan
  • Tel. 075-255-2819
  • 11:00-15:00
    17:00-20:00

7.[Enjoy an extraordinary experience immersed in the Morimi world at [BAR Nostalgia] / in front of Kyoto City Hall

It is the favorite bar of the raccoon dogs and appears frequently under the name of "Shu-glass. In the story, the bar is run by a raccoon disguised as a human. The name of the bar and its interior structure differ in many respects from the actual bar, but the relaxed atmosphere of the bar is the very atmosphere of the actual "Bar Nostalgia. The scene in which Soichiro, the father of Yazaburo and his friends, who has accepted his death, shares his last drink with Dr. Akatama leaves a strong impression.

red glass
Entrance to BAR Nostalgia

Located in the basement of a building, facing Kawaramachi Dori but still offering quiet time

red glass
Inside BAR Nostalgia

The store is a well-known sanctuary among fans of Mr. Tomihiko Morimi, whose works have led to an endless stream of customers who have become regulars at the store. The evidence of this is found in Mr. Morimi's handwritten messages and fan exchange notes. The drink menu, which also appears in "Yoru wa tanashi arukke yo otome" (The Night is Short, Walk away Otome), is easy to drink and not too sweet, allowing you to fully enjoy the "Morimi World" where reality and fantasy are exquisitely blended.

BAR Nostalgia Exchange Notes

A message written by Dr. Morimi during his visit. It is also a place to connect with fans

BAR Nostalgia Fake Electric Blanc

Fake electric blanc for 1,000 yen. Other character-inspired drinks are also served.

BAR Nostalgia

  • bar nostalgia
  • B1F Glintland Building, 406 Shimomaruya-cho, Sanjo-agaru, Kawaramachi-Dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
  • 2-minute walk from Kyoto Shiyakusho-mae Subway Station
  • Tel. 075-212-0476
  • 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.

8.Benten's Tengu laugh suits [Minamiza]/Gion

Akatama Sensei, a tengu who is also Yazaburo's master, has lost his divine powers and cannot even fly. In order to meet Benten, whom he is in love with, he designates the landmark Minami-za Theater in Gion as the place of their rendezvous. The scene of Benten leaping from the restaurant to the roof of the Minami-za, and Dr. Akatama clinging desperately to the roof in an attempt to meet Benten, comes to mind.

Nanza Animated depiction

[The Minamiza Theater is Japan's oldest theater, dating back to the early Edo period, and continues to provide fascinating entertainment with a wide variety of programs including traditional classical performing arts such as Kabuki, musicals, and dance. It has long been loved by locals, as evidenced by the opening in April of this year of a restaurant inside the theater specializing in udon noodles [Kyoto Minamiza Nadaman Chaya], which is open to people not only for theater-going purposes.

2024 Minamiza 02

[Minamiza.]

southern seat

9.Noryo-doko, a summer-colored floor

It appears as the banquet location for the "Friday Club," a gathering of gourmets to which Benten belongs. The scene is impressive for the elegant scene in which Yazaburo shoots an arrow from the bank across the Kamo River in the manner of Nasu Yoichi in "The Tale of the Heike" and hits Benten's fan.

Image of Noryo-doko

Noryo floats are set up in various restaurants such as Japanese restaurants, Italian restaurants, and cafes.

Kawayuka, or river floors, are a summer tradition in Kyoto, where one can enjoy a meal while cooling off in the river breeze. Kawayuka in Kibune and Takao are called "kawadoko," but Noryokoyuka on the Kamo River are called "yuka," meaning seats extended from the floorboards of the buildings. On the Kamo River, restaurants between Nijo Dori and Gojo Dori facing the Kamo River line the river with wooden banquet tables set up only during the summer season, attracting many people.

10.The collaboration project to commemorate the 10th anniversary is noteworthy!

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the first TV broadcast of the first season, a project to celebrate the 10th anniversary through Kyoto, the setting of the show, has been conducted to establish a day of commemoration called "Yuuten Kazoku no Hi (The Family of Arikasa)" so that the work will continue to be loved for many years to come. Last year, a crowdfunding project titled "The 10th anniversary of the broadcast of the TV anime "The Family of Arikoten" - Let's send our love for the work from Kyoto, the sacred land of "The Family of Arikoten! ~The project was titled "The 10th Anniversary of the Broadcast of the TV Animation "YUTENKAKU": Let's Send Love to the Work from Kyoto, the Holy Land! The project exceeded its goal of 5 million yen and raised approximately 8.93 million yen in support.

This year, various collaborative events will be held at various locations in Kyoto City, including the running of wrapped trains, stamp rallies, and merchandise sales, so take advantage of this opportunity to get commemorative goods that you can only get here!

Eizan Train Car wrapped in Utopian wrapping

The sides of the car body are decorated with original illustrations of the four brothers of the Shimogamo family and Benten.

Eizan Tramway is currently operating a wrapped train car with its body decorated with newly drawn visuals. In addition, a Dena 21 car preserved at Kurama Station has been transformed into a "fake Eizan Train" with Yajiro as the character for a limited time.

Eizan Railway Denna 21 type car

Yajiro's "Fake Eizan Train" was a favorite of Soichiro, the great father of the Shimogamo family.

A stamp rally is also underway, in which participants will receive a limited clear file by visiting five stamp points located in Kyoto City and collecting all stamps. Get a stamp rally sheet placed at the stamp points and participate in the rally.

Uitten Kazoku Stamp Rally (Japanese only)

In addition, goods featuring a newly-drawn visual for the 10th anniversary are now on sale at Animate Kyoto, Shimogamo Shrine, and other locations. They can also be purchased by mail order.
Purchase ishere

Yuuten Kazoku Collaboration Products

Ofuki mini 1100 yen (upper left), tote bag 2750 yen (upper right), blotting paper 440 yen (lower left), acrylic stand 1650 yen each (lower right)

Ten years have passed since the broadcast of the anime, and "Yuuten Kazoku" continues to be loved by many fans. Discover new charms of Kyoto while thinking about the story of family love that will always remain unchanged.

The Arikuten Family DVD

TV anime "Arikiten Kazoku" Blu-ray BOX on sale now!
Released and distributed by: NAMCO BANDAI Filmworks
Now available on various distribution sites
©Tomihiko Morimi, Gentosha / "Yuuten Kazoku" Production Committee

*Please note that the information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
*Since this site uses automatic translation, the translation may differ from the original Japanese content.

NewsNews

Feature articleFeature article

Featured eventFeatured event

↑

Site guide