A Kyoto Animation series (2015, based on Ayano Takeda's novels) following Kumiko Ōmae and the Kitauji High School concert band on their road to the national competition. KyoAni set the story in its own home city of Uji (Kyoto), lovingly reproducing the Uji River, its bridges, the Byōdō-in temple and, above all, the Mt. Daikichi overlook, where one of modern anime's most celebrated musical scenes takes place.
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Mt. Daikichi Observation DeckReina's trumpet
location
An observation deck atop Mt. Daikichi (Buttoku-san), around 130 m high, overlooking all of Uji and the Byōdō-in. It is the setting for the series' most famous scene: the night Kumiko climbs the mountain and Reina plays the trumpet under the stars. An essential pilgrimage point.
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Uji Bridgethe Uji River
location
One of the three oldest bridges in Japan, spanning the Uji River. It appears constantly in the series as the axis of the town; the characters cross it and walk its banks again and again.
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Keihan Uji Stationthe band's station
location
A Keihan Line station with striking modern architecture and a glass dome, an award-winner in its day. It is the station the characters use and appears repeatedly; one of the series' most recognizable urban backdrops.
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Byōdō-insymbol of Uji
location
A World Heritage temple famous for its Phoenix Hall (the one on the back of the 10-yen coin). It is the monument that defines Uji's skyline and appears as the city's emblematic backdrop in the series.
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Ujigami Shrinepath to the overlook
location
A World Heritage shrine, considered the oldest surviving in Japan, at the foot of Mt. Daikichi. It marks the start of the path up to the overlook the characters climb and appears along the series' route.
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Agata Shrinethe summer festival
location
A shrine in southern Uji, famous for the night-time Agata Festival. The lively scene of its festival, with stalls and lanterns, is echoed in the series' summer scenes.
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Ajirogi no Michi (Uji riverside path)the riverbank
location
A tree-lined walk along the bank of the Uji River, beside the Byōdō-in, where the characters stroll and the band gathers. One of Uji's everyday corners that the series turns into a tender image. (Approximate location of the area.)
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