Celestial Method

Synopsis

"Sora no Method" (Celestial Method) is an original TV anime produced by Studio 3Hz, broadcast in 2014. It is set in a lakeside town modeled on Lake Toya in Hokkaido. One day a large disc appears in the sky and remains suspended over the town, never disappearing. When Nonoka Komiya, a girl who once left the town, returns, a childhood promise tied to the disc and the forgotten feelings of a group of girls gradually come together. Centered on the disc that is said to have appeared to grant a wish, it is a quiet coming-of-age fantasy about the girls' misunderstandings, reunions, and friendship.

Why visit the real-life locations

The series is set in a lakeside town modeled on Lake Toya in Hokkaido. The townscape beneath the floating disc is alive with the calm surface of Lake Toya and the surrounding mountains. Toyako Onsen, spread along the shore, is depicted as the characters' living area, and walking beside the lake brings you to the everyday scenery the girls once shared. The Lake Toya Visitor Center, a hub introducing the nature of the lake and its volcanoes, is a place closely tied to the show's setting. Starting from here to explore the shoreline, you can trace the girls' gaze up at the disc and take in the quiet, beautiful atmosphere of this pilgrimage spot.