anime pilgrimage; location hunting for anime/manga settings
Refers to the activity of visiting real-world locations that appear in anime, manga, or games, often to take photos or compare scenes. Also known as 'seichijunrei' (聖地巡礼).
I enjoy comparing real scenery with anime scenes through anime pilgrimage.
I visited the town that served as the setting for the anime for location hunting.
Often used interchangeably with 舞台探訪, but 聖地巡礼 has a stronger connotation of a 'pilgrimage' to a sacred place, while 舞台探訪 is more neutral and descriptive.
Compound of 舞台 (butai, 'stage' or 'setting') and 探訪 (tanbō, 'exploration' or 'visit'). The term emerged in otaku culture to describe visiting real locations used as settings in anime and manga.