Japanese anime drives tourist boom to Cotswolds village

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 16:44 · Archive

Japanese fans of the anime Kin-iro Mosaic are visiting Bibury in the Cotswolds, drawn by the village's appearance in the series.

Bibury has witnessed a rise in sightseers, with a notable portion of visitors hailing from Japan. These tourists are drawn not just by the village's charm but by its prominent role in the Japanese anime series Kin-iro Mosaic, known for its devoted fanbase. The series, which translates to Golden Mosaic, follows British and Japanese schoolgirls and features settings in Japan, Bibury and the neighbouring Cotswolds village of Castle Combe.

The original manga comic strip was created by Yui Hara and explores themes of friendship and cultural differences. It ran from 2010 to 2020 in Manga Time Kirara Max, a prominent Japanese magazine. The television adaptation first aired in 2013, with an animated film following in August 2021. For Japanese fans, Bibury is more than a beautiful English village; it is part of the world inhabited by characters they know and love.

Japanese fans have tracked down specific locations from the series, including Arlington Row, famous for its honey-coloured historic weavers' cottages, a small bridge, an ice-cream shop near the bus stop, a bench, and a traditional red telephone box. A Japanese animation company, Bibury Animation Studios, has also adopted the village's name.

How it is being reported

• Japanese comic to blame for tourist boom in 'world's most beautiful village'A Japanese comic is to blame for the boom in Japanese tourists to a Cotswolds village.Oxford Mail · 31 Oct, 16:00
• Japanese comic to blame for tourist boom in 'world's most beautiful village'A Japanese comic is to blame for the boom in Japanese tourists to a Cotswolds village.Oxfordshire Guardian · 31 Oct, 16:00

In this story: Bibury · Cotswolds · Kin-iro Mosaic · Yui Hara · Bibury Animation Studios

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log