Classic and legendary romantic comedy series that defined the harem and slapstick genre in the early 2000s. It follows the hilarious misadventures of Keitaro Urashima, a clumsy and ditzy 20-year-old who has failed the entrance exam for the prestigious University of Tokyo (Todai) twice. To keep a childhood promise to enter Todai with his first love, he moves to his grandmother's hot spring inn, only to discover it has been converted into a girls-only dormitory (Hinata House). Appointed as the manager, Keitaro must survive living with a colorful group of residents led by the hot-tempered Naru Naruse, amidst misunderstandings and endless studying.
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Ginzan Onsen — Hinata-sō and its annexHinata-sō
model / inspiration
This Yamagata hot-spring village of multi-storey wooden inns is the model for Hinata's onsen town. Hinata-sō combines two real ryokan: its 2nd and 3rd floors reproduce Ginzan's Kosekikan (Keitarō's room is its room 10 on the third floor), and the empty annex is the Takimikan, also here.
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Namari Onsen (Fujisan Ryokan) — Hinata-sō's ground floorHinata-sō
model / inspiration
This historic ryokan in Hanamaki (Iwate) is the model for Hinata-sō's ground floor and entrance, joined in the story to upper floors based on Ginzan Onsen. It is also the setting of Tamiya Torahiko's novel "Gin shinjū".
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University of Tokyo (Akamon) — Tōdai, Keitarō's goalTōdai
location
The Hongō campus of Tōdai — the university Keitarō promised to get into — appears in many scenes: Seta's Cessna lands at the Akamon gate, Keitarō takes a last look at Yasuda Auditorium on a snowy Christmas Eve, and at the main gate he apologises to Naru about the diary.
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Vita Seiseki-Sakuragaoka — the first-date meeting pointfirst date
location
The entrance plaza of the Vita shopping centre by Seiseki-Sakuragaoka Station (Tama) is where Keitarō and Naru meet for their first date. The area is also famous as a Whisper of the Heart setting.
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Yamashita Park (Yokohama) — the purikura photofirst date
location
At the end of their first date, Keitarō and Naru take a purikura photo in this Yokohama waterfront park. The panel is drawn from in front of the Hikawa Maru, looking towards Minato Mirai; the photo booth was added in the drawing.
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Shinobazu Pond (Ueno) — the boat ride with MutsumiMutsumi
model / inspiration
The "Hinata Park" pond where Keitarō and Mutsumi take a boat out is Ueno Park's Shinobazu Pond, drawn from the bridge to the Benten hall looking south.
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Sanjō Ōhashi Bridge (Kyoto) — the night walkKyoto trip
location
On the Kyoto trip, Keitarō and Naru take a night walk across this bridge over the Kamo River, known from prints of the end of the Tōkaidō and for its wooden railings. The mountain in the background was added in the drawing.
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Enoshima — the Hinata beach-house arcbeach house
model / inspiration
For the summer beach-house arc ("Hama-jaya Hinata"), the story borrows the Fujisawa coast: Hinoshima Station is Enoden's Enoshima Station, the beach is Katase-Nishihama with Enoshima behind it, and the guesthouse they stay at is based on the island's eateries.
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Kiyomizu-dera (Kyoto) — Keitarō and Naru's visitKyoto trip
location
On the Kyoto trip, Keitarō and Naru visit this Higashiyama temple; the Sannenzaka slope leading up to it and the Yasaka pagoda also appear in those pages.
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