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Tokyo's Taito Ward Installs Sarazanmai Mailbox
posted on by Kim Morrissy
The Sarazanmai anime is set in the Asakusa and Kappabashi districts, which are popular tourist hubs in Tokyo's Taito Ward. The Asakusa area in particular is known internationally for the famous Sensoji Temple and the Kaminarimon Gate. In order to decentralize the attraction of visitors to the area in the post-COVID era, the Taito Ward has created a new tourist spot in the form of a Sarazanmai-themed mailbox.
The mailbox was installed in the Kappabashi Hondori Street (3-3-8 Nishi Asakusa, Taito) on Wednesday, with the cooperation of Sarazanmai's production committee and the local shopping district. The mailbox shows illustrations of the kappa forms of the main characters.
Director Kunihiko Ikuhara commented: "We created these characters as part of the existing scenery. I am delighted that the people of this area have accepted the characters in this form. When the time comes when you can go sightseeing with peace of mind, the staff is like-minded in our hope that this mailbox becomes a symbol among the anime pilgrimage."
The 11-episode Sarazanmai anime premiered in April 2019. Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired in Japan. Crunchyroll describes the story:
The setting is Asakusa. One day, second-years in middle school Kazuki Yasaka, Toi Kuji, and Enta Jinnai meet Keppi, a mysterious kappa-like creature, who steals their shirikodama and transforms them into kappas. "To return to your original forms," Keppi tells them, "you must fight the zombies and take the shirikodama from them." Can the boys connect with each other and steal the zombies' shirikodama?! At the same time, something is happening at the police box where Reo Niiboshi and Mabu Akutsu work. This is the story of three boys who can't connect with someone important to them, learning about what it truly means to do so.
Source: Press Release
