One of my more obscure hobbies is tracking down the real-life locations used in anime. The sign behind Ayano in the Joshikousei ending animation convinced me it was based on Nakamurabashi station, a real train station in Tokyo on the Seibu Ikebukuro line (it's called Shimomurabashi in the anime: "naka" = central, "shimo" = lower). So on my last trip to Tokyo I decided to head out there and see if my theory was correct.
Nakamurabashi is a short walk from Fujimi Junior and Senior High, which I strongly suspect the manga is based on (not that I think the school is anything like the manga, but I wouldn't be surprised if the author Towa Oshima went there). It's a private school for girls, and seems to fit the location perfectly. This map shows the location of the school relative to Nakamurabashi station.
The station lies east-west and Seibu trains run on the left, so this pic is on the southern side. I couldn't get a wider-angle shot since I was already perched on the edge of the platform, but you can still see the glasswork detail behind the sign.
|
|
Looking in towards the eastern entrance to the station. This is the one you come out through to get to Fujimi.
 |
 |
This one took a little bit of hunting because it's actually on the north side of the station, opposite to the school. Like many narrow Tokyo streets there's no footpath on the opposite side from where Eriko is standing, which is why this photo is so blurry - I had to take it quickly to avoid being mown down by cyclists!
 |
 |
After leaving the station and walking a block south you come to the main road. Crossing this pedestrian overbridge will get you to the side that the school is on (after crossing the bridge, turn right and walk for about a minute). There's also a McDonald's on this side of the road (just next to the bus stop on the map), which maybe explains why the girls are seen eating there so often.
 |
 |
Last update 2010-11-30. Contact webmaster@hikari.org.nz