June 8, 2025, cloudy. Today I'm heading to Chichibu to revisit the anime pilgrimage spots from "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day."

Dinner the Night Before

After finishing our trip in Hanno, we arrived in Chichibu City, about an hour away by car, ready to visit the pilgrimage spots we missed last time and capture 360-degree panoramic photos of the places we had already been to.

For dinner, we once again chose the century-old restaurant Pari Shokudo, which we had visited before.

This time I ordered the pork curry rice set to make up for the morning's hard work.

Also, the omurice I ordered last time has gone from 900 yen to 1,050 yen, and the melon was also gone. Prices have really gone up in just one year!

Checking into the Hotel

This hotel was quite interesting. It felt like the owner had taken over an entire apartment building to run as a hotel.

The facilities were very complete: separate toilet and bath, and even a balcony. It was a full Japanese 1-room layout, perfect for long-term stays!

As for the price, the weekend rate was 9,130 yen per night, roughly 453 RMB, which is quite reasonable in Japan.

Ryusei Launch Tower

The Ryusei Launch Tower is a fairly important scene in the story, but it's a bit far from the city center, so I didn't make it last time.

Although it's quiet now, many people come to visit during the event held on the second Sunday of October every year.

Ryusei Kaikan

Exterior

Right next to the Ryusei Launch Tower is the Ryusei Kaikan.

Its main purpose is to promote local culture and provide a resting place for passing tourists.

Cute mascots on both sides. If I'm not mistaken, one of them is a character from Yo-kai Watch.

Interior

Entering the building, the first thing you see is the Anohana merchandise area and various related decorations.

Detail photos.

Pay 350 yen per person to enter. Again, the first thing you see is the Anohana exhibition area.

Detail photos.

The main focus of the entire hall is actually the local Ryusei culture, the manufacturing process of the Ryusei, and how it spread internationally.

Ryusei refers to the "handmade rockets" offered as a sacred rite during the Muku Shrine Grand Autumn Festival, a tradition passed down since ancient times.
Because their soaring posture resembles a giant dragon ascending into the sky, they are called "Ryusei".
These rockets rely on propulsion jets and can reach an altitude of about 500 meters. They are made by young people who have inherited the rocket structure and gunpowder handling methods from local elders.
There are twenty-seven schools of Ryusei, each with its own traditional techniques. Each school has unique ingenuity and production methods, making every Ryusei highly individual.
As the audience cheers or laments over the success or failure of each launch, dozens of Ryusei are launched one after another every ten minutes or so.

Overall, it was quite interesting. I'm considering attending the festival this year to see it in person.

Lunch Time

For lunch, we chose Otaki Shokudo, a motorcycle bento shop next to the hall.

A series of boxes displayed at the entrance. At first glance from a distance, I thought they were computer mice 😅, but they turned out to be bento boxes sold in the store!

I ordered a medium-sized pork bowl.

Unlike tonkatsu (breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet), the flavor of the pork bowl was more like teriyaki.

The entire store was decorated with Kamen Rider memorabilia.

The Secret Base with the Most Similar Scenery

Actually, besides the secret base I visited last time, there is another one whose surrounding scenery is closest to the original work.

This secret base has never had its exact location publicly disclosed; it's passed on by word of mouth. So this time, I decided to take on the challenge of finding it.

Even knowing the approximate location, it took a long time to find what seemed like the right entrance.

Indeed, the environment was closer to the anime.

The secret base has been abandoned for a long time, with piles of fallen leaves inside.

Also, there were tons of mosquitoes here, so I recommend applying insect repellent before coming.

Old Chichibu Bridge

Next up was the Old Chichibu Bridge.

Under the Bridge

Panoramic view under the bridge.

You can faintly see that the date on it has been updated to 2025.

It seems people still come here from time to time!

On the Bridge

Panoramic view on the bridge.

Scenery from the bridge.

The Well-Known Secret Base

The exterior looked the same as last time.

Panoramic view of the interior.

There were some changes compared to last time.

This is a photo taken in 2024 for comparison.

Open Space Next to Jorin-ji Temple

A shot I missed last time.

Small Pinwheel in Front of Chichibu Shrine

After a year of sun and rain, the painting on it looked quite weathered.

Hitsujiyama Park (Miharashi Hill)

Panoramic photo.

Looking toward Chichibu Bridge.

Conclusion

It's only been a year since my last pilgrimage to Chichibu, so overall, not much has changed. This time, I revisited many of the locations from Anohana, not only taking panoramic photos but also making up for the places I missed last time. Overall, this pilgrimage was very satisfying. If I get the chance, I hope to come again next time to experience the local Yoshida Ryusei Bamboo Rocket Festival in person.