Hello everyone! Even about ten years after it first aired, Love Live! Sunshine!! remains an incredibly popular anime. Numazu City, known as the setting for the series, is a real treasure trove for pilgrimage fans — walk around town and you’ll spot traces of the characters practically everywhere!
“Where should I start?” “Which spots are absolute must-sees?” For anyone with these questions, this article rounds up a curated selection of pilgrimage spots in central Numazu. Read through, and you’ll be able to hit the major locations efficiently — no more “I came all the way to Numazu and missed that spot!” regrets.
Numazu Station North Exit
If you’re setting out on a pilgrimage, we recommend starting by exiting through the North Exit.
This is where, in Season 1 Episode 3, the three main characters hand out flyers to recruit new club members.
Plaza Verde
About a 5-minute walk from the North Exit is the multipurpose convention facility “Plaza Verde.” In the anime, it appears in Season 2 as a gathering spot for the group. The rooftop that appears in the show has a great view, so be sure to head up there when you visit. One thing to note: you can’t reach the rooftop by escalator — you’ll need to take the elevator.
- Hours: April–September 9:00 AM–7:00 PM / October–March 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Access: about 5 minutes on foot from the station
Bivi Numazu
Right in front of Numazu Station’s North Exit is Bivi Numazu. Inside, there’s a Love Live! Sunshine!! pop-up store, where you can buy official merchandise and also see character standee panels — well worth stopping by.
Access: about 3 minutes on foot from the station
Hours: 8:00 AM–12:00 AM
Numazu Station South Side
You can’t pass from the North Exit to the South Exit within the station without a ticket — instead, use the walkway on the west side of the station to get around.
The South Exit appears in Season 1, Episodes 5 and 11. Right in front of the station, you can also spot Tokai buses wrapped in Love Live! Sunshine!! livery.
Main Street
About a 5-minute walk west of Numazu Station is the Numazu Nakamise shopping street. It’s a nostalgic old-school shopping arcade with all kinds of shops. In the anime, it appears in Episode 6 during a music video shoot scene.
As you walk this street, be sure to look down and check out the manhole covers too — several of them are decorated with Love Live! Sunshine!! artwork. See if you can spot them all.
Access: about 4 minutes on foot from the station
Former Site of Marusan Books, Nakamise Branch
This bookstore also appears in Episode 3 of the anime, but by the time I visited, it had already closed. You can’t go inside anymore, but the exterior is still there and worth a look if you stop by.
Access: about 4 minutes on foot from Numazu Station
Kano River
The Kano River flows through the center of Numazu City. The steps along its banks are just the right height for sitting, making it a nice spot for a break. In the anime, the group is shown sitting here, and it also appears in Season 2, Episode 4.
Access: about 10 minutes on foot from the station
Kamizuchi Asahi Inari Shrine
LTucked just behind the Numazu Riverside Hotel is Kamizuchi Asahi Inari Shrine, which appears in Season 2, Episode 5.
Take a moment here to pray for a safe rest of your trip before heading to the next spot.
Access: about 10 minutes on foot from Numazu Station
Oranda-kan, Shimogawara Branch
Along the Kano River is Oranda-kan’s Shimogawara branch, the shop that served as the model for Watanabe You’s family home.
This time we ordered the cheese-stuffed hamburg steak curry. It came in a generous portion and was very satisfying. The curry itself was mellow and delicious, and the hamburg steak had a solid, meaty flavor. Hamburg steak curry can sometimes let the curry’s flavor overpower the meat, but here you could really taste the savoriness of the beef.
- Hours: 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
- Official X (formerly Twitter): @kawara_oranda
- Access: about 20 minutes on foot from the station
Numazu Port Byuo (Large Observation Floodgate)
Continue heading south and you’ll reach Numazu Port, home to BYUO, the floodgate that appears in the show.
BYUO isn’t just a floodgate — it’s also known as a spot offering sweeping views over Numazu City. On a clear day, you can even see Mt. Fuji.
Website: byuo.jp
Hours: 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Admission: ¥100
Access: about 36 minutes on foot from the station
Final Thoughts
Walking around Numazu Station, you’ll find Love Live! Sunshine!! characters displayed practically everywhere you look. It really drove home just how strong the connection is between this town and the series.
At the same time, there’s a small regret — the bookstore mentioned earlier in this article could have still been seen from the inside if I’d visited during the period I’d originally planned to. Instead, I wasn’t able to make it in time, and by the time I visited, it had already closed. The same goes for pilgrimages to other series’ locations too: getting there sooner really does matter.
Next time, I’d like to introduce pilgrimage spots on the south side of Numazu!!
Thanks so much for reading all the way to the end.
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