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Masashi Kishimoto (NARUTO) Spots in Japan
Masashi Kishimoto is a Japanese manga artist best known worldwide as the creator of Naruto.
He made his debut in 1996 after winning a manga award for his one-shot Karakuri. He later published a one-shot version of Naruto in Akamaru Jump, and in 1999 he began the full serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump.
Naruto concluded in November 2014 and became a major hit, with total circulation surpassing 200 million copies worldwide.
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Ramen Ichiraku
There is a real ramen shop in Higashi Ward, Fukuoka City called Ichiraku, which served as the model for the “Ichiraku Ramen” appearing in the anime and manga. The author, Masashi Kishimoto, graduated from Kyushu Sangyo University and often visited the “Ichiraku Ramen” near the university during his student days. Although the Kyusan University branch has unfortunately closed, several other locations in Higashi Ward are still operating.
When visiting the Najima main store, located about a 10-minute walk from Nishitetsu Kaizuka Station, the menu included the miso chashu ramen (900 yen), known as Naruto’s favorite dish. Loaded with bean sprouts and generous slices of chashu, it’s a hearty bowl that makes it easy to understand why Naruto loves it so much.
According to the staff, even after the series has ended, many “NARUTO” fans from all over Japan and abroad continue to visit. As a location associated with the work, it quietly remains a popular “pilgrimage spot,” and Naruto figures are displayed inside the store.
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Nagi Museum of Contemporary Art
Located in Nagi Town, Okayama Prefecture—the hometown of Masashi Kishimoto—this museum is known for being designed by world-renowned architect Arata Isozaki.
Inside the museum is a permanent exhibition room dedicated to Masashi Kishimoto / NARUTO.
Here, visitors can trace Kishimoto’s creative origins through exhibits such as valuable reproduction manuscripts from NARUTO, art materials he actually used, and even drawings from his childhood. It is also well known that Mount Nagi, visible from Nagi Town, served as the model for the Hokage Rock overlooking the Hidden Leaf Village in the series, showing how deeply Kishimoto’s hometown scenery influenced the world of NARUTO. This museum stands as the very starting point of his artistry and is one of the most important sacred sites for fans.
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Nijigen no Mori “NARUTO & BORUTO Shinobi-zato (SHINOBI-ZATO)”
Located within Hyogo Prefectural Awaji Island Park, this hands-on entertainment facility blends anime with nature.
It is a themed area that recreates the world of NARUTO and its sequel BORUTO across a vast space, allowing visitors to experience the universe created by Masashi Kishimoto with all five senses.
Within the area stand large-scale features such as the enormous Hokage Rock and life-size statues of popular characters, giving visitors the feeling of having stepped into the Hidden Leaf Village itself. The park also offers many physical attractions, including a training-themed 3D maze and AR-based puzzle-solving activities. It is a must-visit destination for fans, where the stories Kishimoto created take tangible form in the real world.
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Translation by ChatGPT.