Anime location
Numazu & Uchiura Bay
The seaside town of Love Live! Sunshine!! — and the town leaned into it more than almost anywhere in Japan.
Numazu is a port city in Shizuoka, and the Uchiura bay area south of it is where Love Live! Sunshine!! is set. What makes it unusual is the response: the shopping arcades, the local bus company, the bay ferry and individual shops all carry the characters, and the connection has become part of how the town presents itself rather than a temporary campaign.
Why it is worth it
Few anime locations are embraced by the town itself to this degree. It is also an hour from Tokyo.
When to go
Busiest during series anniversaries and local events. Ordinary weekends are manageable.
Good to know
Buses from Numazu station serve the bay area but are not frequent — check the timetable before you go out. Mount Fuji across the bay is the view worth timing for clear weather.
Love Live!
The bay and the town are the setting of Love Live! Sunshine!!.