We Were There

Synopsis

"We Were There" (Bokura ga Ita) is a TV anime produced by Artland in 2006, based on the manga by Yuki Obata. Set in Kushiro, Hokkaido, it is a coming-of-age drama depicting the romance between high schoolers Nanami Takahashi and Motoharu Yano. Yano, popular among his classmates, carries an inescapable shadow from his past involving a former girlfriend who passed away. As Nanami confronts her feelings for him, she is swept up in the shifting relationships around her. Weaving together joy and misunderstanding, pain and reunion, it is a bittersweet love story told with delicate emotional detail as young people struggle to connect.

Why visit the real-life locations

The series is set in Kushiro, Hokkaido. Nusamai Bridge, the symbol of Kushiro, is famed as a spot for its sunsets and lies at the heart of the pilgrimage, echoing the show's emotive scenery. Climbing Shusse-zaka slope from the foot of the bridge offers a view over the town and the river. Kushiro Fisherman's Wharf MOO, set along the Kushiro River, is a great stop for local cuisine and shopping. Starting from JR Kushiro Station, where the story begins, you can walk the town and feel the very atmosphere of Kushiro that Nanami and Yano shared.