The official website for the Anime Tourism Association started its online poll to select the “Japanese Anime 88-Spots” for the year 2023 on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. The “Anime Pilgrimage WEB Voting” poll will be open until Sep 30, 2022.

Participants can avail the survey in Japanese, English, and Chinese (simplified and traditional). The participants can also submit handwritten applications for a selection of locations across Japan with ties to the Anime Tourism Association from July 1 to Aug 31, through ballot boxes at anime-related spots all over the country.

The 88 pilgrimage sites will be declared in the winter of 2022.

Moreover, the Anime Tourism Association will conduct a draw from which 8 winners will be selected from the participants of the online survey. The details of prizes for the lottery are:

• 1st prize (1 winner): Electronic money worth 30,000 yen (US$231)
• 2nd prize (2 winners): US$150 Hotels.com Gift Card Electronic money worth 10,000 yen and supplementary prize
• 3rd prize (5 winners): Electronic money worth 10,000 yen (US$77)

As a condition of receiving the prize, winners of the first and second prizes must provide the Association with images and reports of their visits to the anime locations they voted for. Multiple entries are permitted, but each participant will get only one prize.

Due to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus, voting was canceled in 2020.

The 88 anime pilgrimage concept is based on Japan’s most famous Buddhist pilgrimage route, Shikoku’s 88 Temple Pilgrimage. In 2016, the Anime Tourism Association was formed as a collaboration between Kadokawa and a number of tourism and travel organisations. Their goal is to attract tourists from both Japan and other countries, as well as to support regional rehabilitation programmes across the country.

Source: ANN, Anime Tourism Association Press release