Lucky Star - Shrine

Washinomiya shrine is quite well-known for being the Lucky Star shrine. They even had footage of when some of the voice actors visited this shrine on the US DVD set as bonus content. This was the last Lucky Star location I felt like I just had to visit while in Japan. I took the train to Washinomiya station and walked to the shrine.



If you take the correct path to the shrine you'll cross this bridge.




Image from Episode 9 - 09m35s


This bridge was shown in the anime.




Image from Episode 23 - 09m14s


You can recognize the lamp in the middle of the picture.




Image from Lucky Star OP - 00m30s


Kagami dances in front of the torii gate in the Lucky Star OP.




Underneath the ad board to the right in the previous picture there's this stone tablet of the Hiiragi sisters.




Ads for various events on the ad board.




Image from Episode 12 - 12m56s


Closeup of the torii gate.




Image from Episode 12 - 13m01s


The path to the shrine itself.




The purification font.




Image from Episode 12 - 14m56s


This instruction placard hanging at the purification font was shown in the anime. I also saw the same placard at another shrine, but more about that in a later post.




Image from Episode 12 - 13m03s


The main shrine building.




Image from Episode 12 - 16m51s


The place for hanging ema. Warning: This is an extra large picture to show more details.


This now have a lot of anime ema. Warning: This is an extra large picture to show more details.


Lots of otaku make this trip. Warning: This is an extra large picture to show more details.




While in Washinomiya you might notice all these banners hanging from various power poles.




The banners are all over town.




They also have this portable shrine decorated with Lucky Star drawings here.




It was really sunny so this was as good a picture I could get. I've marked the current location of the portable shrine as the starting point on the location map.




Near the train station there's a store that in addition to normal stuff also sells various Lucky Star inspired items. This includes Tsundere Kagami hot sauce and Lucky Star spice mix.




They also have some doujin magazines.




Lucky Star decorations inside the shop.




More decorations.




And a signed drawing.



Location map:



This location was visited on 2014/04/15.

Links:
Washinomiya shrine official website

Special thanks to the ones who went here before:
http://punynari.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/pilgrimage-to-washinomiya-shrine/
http://otakumode.com/sp/visit_japan/seichi-junrei/s006

Lucky Star - School

While in Kasukabe I decided to visit the Lucky Star school. The closest train station is of course Kasukabe station.



Image from Lucky Star OP - 00m38s


Miyuki dances in front of the school building in the Lucky Star OP.




Image from Episode 1 - 02m01s


The real name of the school is Kasugabekyoei high school.




Image from Episode 13 - 09m35s


Parked near the school there were buses that had a color scheme that matches the anime.



Location map:



This location was visited on 2014/04/15.

If you decide to visit this place yourself, do remember that it is a school still in use and you should NOT enter it.

Links:
School official website

Special thanks to the ones who went here before:
http://www.astrobunny.net/2009/12/06/lucky-star-pilgrimage-the-journey-to-kasukabe/

Lucky Star - Train Station

Kasukabe station in Saitama should be familiar to anybody who's seen Lucky Star. So I went there to take some pictures.



Image from Lucky Star OP - 00m34s


Tsukasa dances in front of the train station in the Lucky Star OP.




Image from Episode 21 - 07m02s


It's also featured in a few of the episodes.




Image from Episode 7 - 13m07s


The structure on the roof wasn't there when the anime was made.




Image from Episode 11 - 06m01s


The insides of the station was shown in an episode too.




Image from Episode 11 - 06m26s


Except for the different colored signs in the ceiling it matches pretty well.



Location map:



This location was visited on 2014/04/15.

Special thanks to the ones who went here before:
http://otakumode.com/sp/visit_japan/seichi-junrei/s006
http://www.astrobunny.net/2009/12/06/lucky-star-pilgrimage-the-journey-to-kasukabe/

School Days - Another Train Station

If you head out the east exit at Ōmiya station instead of the Lucky Star west exit then you'll find this School Days location. I was already there of course so here's some pictures.



Image from the School Days VN


The bus stops didn't have the little roofs above them when the game was made.




Image from Episode 2 - 00m07s


Unlike the other train station I visited, this one was also shown in the School Days anime.



Location map:



This location was visited on 2014/04/15.

Special thanks to the ones who went here before:
http://www.darkmirage.com/2007/12/27/lucky-star-in-saitama/

Lucky Star - Big City

Whenever Konata and the gang from Lucky Star wants to check out a show or go shopping at Gamers or Animate they go to the Ōmiya ward in Saitama city. Ōmiya station is the closest one and all the locations I checked out is on the west side of the station.



Image from Episode 7 - 09m39s


This is right outside Ōmiya station. Make sure you use the walkway exit on the second floor and not go down to the first floor street exit if you're here.




Image from Episode 15 - 01m56s


This is Ōmiya Sonic City where Konata and the gang went to see Aya Hirano perform.




Image from Episode 15 - 02m42s


Road to the front right of Ōmiya Sonic City.




Image from Episode 14 - 07m09s


To the back right of Ōmiya Sonic City you'll find this location where the store Gamers used to be.




Image from Episode 15 - 01m30s


And to the left of Ōmiya station there's this place where the store Animate used to be.




Both Gamers and Animate have moved to this place which is right around the corner from the old Animate location. There's also a MelonBooks store here if you decide to check this place out.




Image from Episode 8 - 17m07s


Like Konata I just had to check out the Animate store and I found some Lucky Star manga in there. ^_^



Sonic City and old Gamers location map:




New Gamers + Animate and old Animate location map:



These locations were visited on 2014/04/15.

Links:
Animate Ōmiya official website
Gamers Ōmiya official website
Sonic City official website

Special thanks to the ones who went here before:
http://otakumode.com/sp/visit_japan/seichi-junrei/s006
http://www.darkmirage.com/2007/12/27/lucky-star-in-saitama/