© 2008 夏目友人帳 / Brain's Base
Natsume's Book of Friends
夏目友人帳
Takashi Natsume returns names to yokai from his grandmother's Book of Friends. Set in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto.
Synopsis
"Natsume's Book of Friends" is a TV anime based on the manga by Yuki Midorikawa, animated by Brain's Base and first broadcast in 2008. The story follows Takashi Natsume, a boy who has been able to see spirits known as "yokai" since childhood. Inheriting the "Book of Friends"—a book that binds the names of yokai, left behind by his late grandmother Reiko—Natsume sets out to return their names, accompanied by his bodyguard spirit, Nyanko-sensei (Madara). Torn between the worlds of yokai and humans, Natsume gradually rediscovers warmth and human connection in this gentle, bittersweet tale.
Why visit the real-life locations
The setting is modeled on the Hitoyoshi-Kuma region of Kumamoto Prefecture, hometown of original author Yuki Midorikawa. Its peaceful rural scenery embodies the mood of the series. Hitoyoshi Station is the gateway, while Aoi Aso Shrine boasts a majestic national-treasure hall; the flowing Kuma River and the ruins of Hitoyoshi Castle anchor the pilgrimage. Don't miss Okoba Station, famed for its loop and switchback, the charming Kajiyamachi-dori street, and the Hitoyoshi SL Exhibition Hall. Venture on to Tamachi Sugawara Shrine, Eikoku-ji Temple, Sekisui-ji Temple, and Sagara Bridge to savor the countryside where Natsume and Nyanko-sensei live.
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Pilgrimage guides for this work
Pilgrimage Spots（11 spots）
Hitoyoshi Station
📍 Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
This is the gateway to the town where Natsume lives. It's a JR Hisatsu Line station, and the tranquil scenery is the very setting of the story.
Aoi Aso Shrine
📍 Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
This shrine boasts a beautiful thatched gate that is a national treasure. It's one of the models for the shrines that appear in the work, and it has an atmosphere that makes you feel like spirits might be lurking there.
Kuma River
📍 Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
One of Japan's three major rapids. It served as the model for the scene where Natsume walks along the river. You can also experience rafting down the Kuma River.
Hitoyoshi Castle Ruins
📍 Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
The site of the Sagara clan's castle. The stone walls are beautiful, making it a historical spot that resonates with the tranquil world of Natsume's Book of Friends.
Okoba Station
📍 Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
It is the only station in Japan with a switchback and loop line. As a remote station, it overlaps with the mystical world of Natsume's Book of Friends.
Kajiya-machi Street
📍 Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
A street that retains the atmosphere of the Edo period. The model for the everyday scenery that Natsume walks through.
Hitoyoshi SL Museum
📍 Naka-Aoi-machi 343-14, Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
SL Museum near Hitoyoshi Station. A symbolic spot of Hitoyoshi, the setting of Natsume's Book of Friends, evoking the local railway atmosphere of the series.
Tamachi Sugawara Shrine
📍 Tamachi 2, Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
Tamachi Sugawara Shrine, said to be the model for a shrine in the anime. Its quiet atmosphere matches the mood of the series.
Eikoku-ji Temple
📍 Dote-machi 5, Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
Eikoku-ji Temple, famous for its ghost scroll painting. A historic Hitoyoshi temple that connects with the yokai world of Natsume's Book of Friends.
Sekisui-ji Temple
📍 Shimo-Harada-machi 2348, Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
Sekisui-ji Temple built atop a massive rock. Its rich natural landscape evokes the countryside scenery of Natsume's Book of Friends.
Sagara Bridge
📍 Sagara-machi, Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
Sagara Bridge over the Kuma River. The model for scenes where Natsume crosses a bridge in the anime.