Edomae Elf

Synopsis

"Otaku Elf" is a TV anime broadcast in 2023, produced by C2C and based on Akihiko Higuchi's manga of the same name. It is set in the old downtown districts of Tsukishima and Tsukuda in Chuo City, Tokyo. Elda, an elf enshrined at a local shrine since the Edo period, is an ageless being who has lived for centuries, yet is a homebody devoted to video games and anime. High'er Koganei, a modern-day shrine maiden who serves Elda, looks after her daily life, and together the two share a gentle, slightly off-kilter everyday existence. It is a warm, laid-back slice-of-life comedy about an inhuman being and a human woven through the old town.

Why visit the real-life locations

The series is set in the old downtown of Tsukishima and Tsukuda in Tokyo, with Sumiyoshi Shrine—the model for the shrine where Elda is enshrined—at the center of any pilgrimage. Its grounds, steeped in Edo-era atmosphere, are the very mood of the show. Nearby, Tsukuda Kobashi bridge charms with its vermilion railings and canal views, a wonderfully photogenic downtown spot. And Tsukishima means the Monja Street—strolling among the monjayaki shops lining the alleys, you can savor the old-town flavor of Elda and High'er's neighborhood. Shrine, food, and waterside all in one compact, delightful pilgrimage.