Share this tour
Offered languages
- English
Where Manga & Anime Were Born — A Tour Only Locals Know
Most anime tours take you to Akihabara. This tour goes deeper, to the streets where the legends lived and created the stories that shaped global pop culture.
In the 1950s, a small apartment in Toshima called Tokiwa-so became the birthplace of manga. Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy), Fujiko Fujio (Doraemon) and Shotaro Ishinomori (Kamen Rider) lived here. See re-created rooms with desks piled with ink pots, left as after all-night drawing sessions.
Walk streets that still feel like 1950s Japan, browse vintage manga at second-hand bookshops, and pass Matsuba, a ramen shop Tezuka once frequented — eat there if you like (optional, pay on-site).
(Extended option only) Continue to Oizumi Gakuen, home to the Toei Animation Museum where Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon and One Piece were born.
Your guide Hide is a lifelong manga and anime enthusiast — a small-group, personal walk through living history
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Meet your guide at the ticket gate of Shiinamachi Station (Seibu Ikebukuro Line / Toei Oedo Line).
This tour ends at the Toei Animation Museum, a short walk from Oizumi-gakuen Station (Seibu Ikebukuro Line). From there, guests can easily continue their day — direct trains run back to central Tokyo (Ikebukuro, about 20 minutes).
Itinerary
-
1
Guided tour of the faithfully reconstructed Tokiwa-so apartment where Osamu Tezuka, Fujiko Fujio and Shotaro Ishinomori once lived and created their manga. See re-created rooms, drawing desks piled with ink pots, and unfinished pages left exactly as they were, plus a photo stop.
40 minutes • Admission ticket included -
2
(Extended option only) Explore behind-the-scenes exhibits on how Japanese animation is made, from storyboards and hand-drawn keyframes to voice acting booths and editing suites. Try a simple drawing activity, take photos with popular anime characters, and browse the museum shop for exclusive items available nowhere else.
40 minutes • Admission ticket included
Additional info
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Your guide to the flawless travel experience
Popular Countries
Get our app
