Byousoku 5cm Real Life Pictures
With only a few days left in Tokyo, and having visited most of the places I’ve wanted to go, I had to think of new places to visit. It was then, after reading some of my previous posts, to visit the places that where used in Byousoku 5cm.
It was a rather last minute thing as I haven’t had any idea where to head. After downloading the digital release of Byousoku 5cm and doing a bit of googling, I found a web link to a ”Yahoo! Japan” map which was specifically created for the famous places used in Byousoku. I started noting down the places that I could visit within my given budget and geographical location.
Armed with my PSP filled with the maps of the given location, my camera and a bottle of water, I promptly left my friend’s place and in the direction of Shinjuku. Just over a 45 minutes train ride, I finally reached Shinjuku Station. It was the start of the long journey.
I marked each map with numbers right beside the location markers. Each number has a image of the same number that represents a visual image of the location, making searching for the places much easier.
After arriving at Shinjuku, I searched for the location marker 5. It took me roughly 15 minutes of walking around before finding it, for I didn’t know Shinjuku that well. With marker 5 down, looking for the rest of the markers was easy. It kinda came with the flow.
| 5. |
| Timestamp - 00:50:05/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
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| Real Life |
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| 6. |
| Timestamp - 00:49:56/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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| 7. |
| Timestamp - 00:57:06/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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With markers 5 - 7 down, I headed towards markers 1 - 4. Took the Oedo Line to Tochomae. Marker 1 was just the view of the building while marker 3 is a duplicate of 2 , so I won’t upload them.
| 2. |
| Timestamp - 00:50:30/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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This building is called Shinjuku Sumitomo Building 「新宿住友ビル」
| 4. |
| Timestamp - 00:50:13/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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With those places visited, I headed for the next marker - The ‘ampm’ convenient store that Takaki apparently visited. It was also only then I realized that I could actually walk from Tochomae to Shinjuku as they are so darn near! They were connected by the underpass you see above.
| 9. |
| Timestamp - 00:54:46/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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I wasn’t sure if this was the ampm store at first, but the yellow line that runs in front of the store and the two signs facing the sidewalk confirmed it.
There was another place with I didn’t mark on the map as I have already visited it while walking in Shinjuku the week before.
| N/A |
| Timestamp - 00:58:50/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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With that marker down as well, I was faced with the more exciting parts of these journey - The places where Akari and Takaki spent their childhood at.
However, getting there was a problem as the station was on one of the lines that were not owned by JR East, which was not listed in my JR East Railway map. I wasn’t entirely sure that the hiragana name on the map was the name on the station either. Seeing that Hatsudai 「初台」 station was the nearest station to there, I took the Keio line and walked from there.
The walk from Hatsudai station to Marker 11 took roughly 15 minutes or so. I had almost wanted to ‘borrow’ one of the bicycles parked on the streets to make this journey easier ^^;
| 11. |
| Timestamp - 00:09:48/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 1st, Oukashou 「桜花抄」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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| 12. |
| Timestamp - 00:08:22/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 1st, Oukashou 「桜花抄」 |
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| Real Life |
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| 13. |
| Timestamp - 00:00:22/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 1st, Oukashou 「桜花抄」 |
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| Real Life |
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| 16. |
| Timestamp - 00:00:39/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 1st, Oukashou 「桜花抄」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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I couldn’t find what Markers 14 and 15 referred to.
Following that, I headed to the most two important locations in the whole video - The two train crossings.
| 17. |
| Timestamp - 00:00:46/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 1st, Oukashou 「桜花抄」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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| 18. |
| Timestamp - 00:59:16/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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| 18. |
| Timestamp - 00:59:30/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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I had intended to visit the places where Akari and Takaki met Chobi the cat, but given that it was already dark and I didn’t had my external flash, I decided not to. Was getting hungry as well ^^;
I then bought a bento set from “Sunkus”, a conbini (convenient store) nearby and ate at the steps of an overhead bridge that was just meters away from where Akari made her phone call in Marker 11 as I couldn’t find any benches nearby.
^ Itadakimasu!
And after dinner, I headed to Akihabara for some last-minute shopping.
\Other Misc Pictures/
The pictures below are labeled under Miscellaneous as they weren’t on the maps itself and I realized of these places only after reaching back home and rewatching the Byousoku 5cm again.
| X. |
| Timestamp - 00:58:02/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
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This seems to be taken at Ichigaya 「市谷」 station, Chou Line - Sobu Line.
| X. |
| Timestamp - 00:58:19/01:02:45 |
| Chapter - 3rd, Byousoku 5cm 「秒速５センチメートル」 |
| Video |
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| Real Life |
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Well, not exactly the same as what is in the video itself; but I though it would be nice to show you guys how the interior of the trains in Tokyo look like. I think this was the Keio Line.
\Thoughts/
I felt that it was good to have visited these places, being able to somehow see how the story got spun from just these few places in real life. There are other places to visit as well, but I didn’t had the chance to make a trip there. For those who would like to visit the first and second train crossings, take the Odawara Line from Shinjuku and stop at Sangubashi 「参宮橋」 station. It should be easy to navigate from there.
I wouldn’t mind visiting these places again, and also the remainder which I have yet to visit. It would probably be nice to visit during March/April, as it would be the crossover from Winter to Spring, which was also the seasons that took place during Byousoku 5cm.
Related Posts:
Byousoku 5cm - Oukashou | Based in 1995?! <Link>
Collaborative Digital Subbed Release: Byousoku 5 Centimeter <Link>
Other Links:
Byousoku 5cm Yahoo Map <Link>
Sunday, September 30th, 2007 @ 10:30 pm 
Japan, Photoshoot, Travel
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October 1st, 2007 at 1:36 am
WOW! This is sooo cool! I need to visit it sometime.
October 1st, 2007 at 1:38 am
wow… just being able to do this… awesome.
October 1st, 2007 at 1:46 am
Okay this is way cool. Cool. Cool.
The realism is jaw-dropping.
October 1st, 2007 at 1:47 am
Holy crap that is AWESOME. You lived out a dream for many ^.
October 1st, 2007 at 5:17 am
So awesome. If I want to go to these places, I’ll just bug you about it, lol.
October 1st, 2007 at 8:19 am
That’s some nice photos you have there.
This is so coool!
October 1st, 2007 at 9:15 am
I love Byousoku 5cm and I always am fond of anime that depicts real-life locations… It’s a bit like for Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu.
Japan is beautiful… I would like to visit this country at least once in my life.
October 1st, 2007 at 10:06 am
Epic.
Should plan a route and bring a gf through it… otaku date tour.
October 1st, 2007 at 10:19 am
wow. you did a great job of getting the pics!
October 1st, 2007 at 10:39 am
Wow, I conclude that reality sucks.
October 1st, 2007 at 11:08 am
@bj0rn , Hijiko & Mitsuki_Hayase: Yeah. It was definitely a good trip.
@Totali: Haha. I do want to take pictures of it during winter & spring though.
@Adun: Just use the map and mark down the locations… unless you’re willing to pay for my air ticket there ^^;
@D_Blade: You should! It’s awesome.
@omo: Hahaha. Bring her there during Winter & Spring.
@Double & Tragic comedy: Thanks!
@LianYL: Yeah, but it’s probably because I didn’t take the photos at the right time. It was pretty dark by the time I reached those places.
October 1st, 2007 at 12:16 pm
lol, in shinjuku, you were sooo close to Gonzo’s Main office and Tmg’s studios . I recognized the am/pm, tochonomae. the bus station at shinjuku. Central park is in full bloom and u didnt visit it T.T
Ah well. nice pictures
October 1st, 2007 at 3:26 pm
AHHHHHH! You actually went to all the locations and took pictures for us. You are officially my hero. I’ll have to totally copy you next time I go back to Japan.
October 1st, 2007 at 5:58 pm
Wow….the anime is based on real life places….I really don’t know that.
October 1st, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Lol I want to do that!
Shinkai Makoto is so good that he makes the places look a hundred times better than in real life ^^
October 1st, 2007 at 11:44 pm
it’s like a pilgrimage. lucky you..XD
October 2nd, 2007 at 12:20 am
@shia: I was?! Didn’t realize. Is the central park that you referred to Yoyogi Park? I did visit Yoyogi park. Awesome place. They had people filming / taking photoshops when I was taking a stroll there.
@Soshi: You should! I felt refreshed after visitng.
@Kesenatsumi: There are a couple of anime that do references to real life places.
@Chraen: I guess it’s because I visited during the wrong season and time ^^;
@Tiny Red Man: An Otaku pilgrimage XD
October 2nd, 2007 at 3:32 am
wow… this journey of yours is like a dream (well for me) thanks for your work! it’s really a dreamining (I think there isin’t a word like that) work.
October 2nd, 2007 at 7:14 am
Amazing - fantastic work.
October 2nd, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Wow that is really amazing. Great job of walking around and doing the hunt.
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:53 am
If I had watched Byousoku 5cm before I went to Japan earlier this year I would have so staked out the train-crossing for the whole effect of the sakura! Ahh!
Hahah, as much as I’m a Lucky Star fan, I think this sort of pilgrimage is much more fulfilling than the Lucky Star one, somehow.
October 3rd, 2007 at 9:49 am
@Danny Choo: I was amazed as well.
@alafista: It was a good walk
@Soshi: Hm.. The DVD for Byousoku 5cm only came out in July. So it wasn’t really possible ^^;
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Winrar. This is like a fucking pilgrimage.
October 3rd, 2007 at 3:42 pm
wow thats dam cool Looks dam real .. they must have brought their laptop there to create the graphics …
ill be going to japan during the dec-nov holidays … but on tour … can’t detour from my group :D its my 2nd time there … I AM SURE TO HAVE FUN :D !!
October 3rd, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Lol, bringing their laptop to do the graphics? Wouldn’t just taking a picture then doing it back home be easier?
October 5th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Wonderful work here. it really seems that you’ve found every location that Shinkai must have been to draw for the movie.
Great job.
October 8th, 2007 at 7:19 am
Hey! Nice Pics. A dream travel. More pics please!
October 8th, 2007 at 8:58 am
Holy Crap!! The art look so freakin amazing!!!
November 22nd, 2007 at 1:05 pm
[...] Byousoku 5cm Real Life PicturesCollaborative Digital Subbed Release: Byousoku 5 Centimeter [...]
January 11th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Oh farout!! These pics are awesome, especially that they’re the famous locations used in Byousoku 5cm, my favorite animated film!
I’m very jealous, I’ve been dreaming of going to Japan for a long time. >_
January 11th, 2008 at 11:30 am
@Junpei: Thanks! I still very much want to go back again in Spring (Late March - April) where the sakuras are in full bloom and it’ll be epic!
January 16th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
lol. omg thanks for the link in my blog. its freaking cool T_T
January 27th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
I seriously thing this is way awesome! Have fun during your March trip! Can’t wait for part II of this :3
April 6th, 2008 at 8:57 am
[...] shall follow the format of the "Byousoku 5cm Real Life Pictures" Post I did last year, hence saving time in thinking how to present these pictures to [...]
April 16th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
[...] 5cm venture: Windbell has go this covered already, twice. First time here and second time [...]
April 27th, 2008 at 1:23 am
[...] Windbell did a post on the Byousoku 5cm spots in real life, there’s no point in reinventing the wheel. Hence, I wouldn’t be posting the same stuff [...]
July 8th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
o/ brasil mark, here! :)
wow, thats beautiful, i loved ^^ hope some day i go too