Anime fans in Japan will soon have a new kind of pilgrimage destination, thanks to a collaboration between convenience store giant FamilyMart and the Japan Anime Tourism Association. Beginning this spring, select FamilyMart locations across the country will be transformed into themed stores inspired by famous anime settings, creating immersive stops for fans exploring real-world locations featured in their favorite series.
The initiative connects with the association's tourism program, 88 Japanese Anime Holy Sites You Want to Visit, which highlights real places across Japan that appear in anime. The concept draws inspiration from the traditional Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, one of Japan's best-known pilgrimage routes, where travelers visit a series of sacred temples across Shikoku. In a similar spirit, anime fans are encouraged to travel between real-world locations tied to their favorite series, turning pop culture tourism into a modern form of pilgrimage.
By decorating stores located near these anime "holy sites" with artwork and design elements from specific series, FamilyMart aims to transform everyday convenience stores into memorable destinations for visiting fans.
The first themed location will open in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district on March 17th, 2026, celebrating the cult-favorite series Durarara!!. The store chosen for the collaboration, the FamilyMart Sunshine West Store, appears in the opening sequence of the anime's second season. For a limited time through late May 2026, the store exterior will feature special wrapping that recreates the atmosphere of the series and its Ikebukuro setting.
Fans visiting the location can also expect additional tie-in activities. Limited-edition merchandise will be sold at the store, while anime-themed prints will be available through the multi-copy machines found in FamilyMart branches nationwide.
Founded in 2016, the Japan Anime Tourism Association promotes travel connected to anime by identifying locations featured in popular series and encouraging fans to visit them in person. The "88 Holy Sites" list is compiled each year based on votes from anime fans around the world.
FamilyMart plans to expand the themed-store concept throughout 2026, with more locations linked to anime settings expected to follow, creating new pilgrimage hubs while helping draw visitors to communities across Japan.
