Introduction: The Series That Made a Hot Spring Resort Into Sacred Ground
"Neon Genesis Evangelion" (新世紀エヴァンゲリオン / NGE, 1995–1996) — directed by Anno Hideaki (庵野秀明) and produced by Gainax — is arguably the most intellectually discussed and most culturally influential anime series ever produced. Its pilgrimage circuit is among the most thoroughly documented in anime history, concentrated in a real location chosen by Anno with full awareness of the aesthetic and symbolic resonance of the choice.
The fictional "Tokyo-3 (第3新東京市)" — the fortified city built to protect NERV headquarters from the attacking Angels — is explicitly and directly based on Hakone (箱根), the volcanic caldera resort area 90 minutes from Shinjuku. Anno chose Hakone for specific reasons: the caldera landscape (which suggested the underground labyrinth of NERV beneath a surface city), the hot spring culture (associated with the civilian normalcy that exists over and around the military crisis), and the specific visual character of a Japanese mountain resort city.
Hakone as Tokyo-3: The Visual Correspondences
Lake Ashi (芦ノ湖): The Inland Sea
The Hakone caldera lake appears repeatedly in both the original NGE and the Rebuild films — the specific combination of the volcanic lake, the visible Mount Fuji across the water (on clear days), and the surrounding mountains that created the caldera forms the fundamental landscape vocabulary of Tokyo-3.
The Hakone Jinja torii in the lake: The famous vermilion torii gate standing in Lake Ashi (covered in the Hakone article) appears in Evangelion contexts with sufficient visual similarity that it has become one of the primary pilgrimage photography points.
The lake cruises: The "pirate ship" lake cruise (also covered in the Hakone article) is both a standard tourist activity and a pilgrimage element — the view of the surrounding mountains from the water matches key visual compositions in the series.
Owakudani (大涌谷): NERV's Underground World
The volcanic vents and smoking geological features of Owakudani — the active volcanic zone accessible by ropeway (covered in the Hakone article) — provide the most direct visual parallel to the underground NERV headquarters environment. The steam, sulfur, and exposed volcanic rock create a landscape that directly informed the production design of the NERV facility.
Hakone Open Air Museum (彫刻の森美術館)
The specific outdoor sculpture environment of the Hakone Open Air Museum — covered in the Hakone article — appears in specific Evangelion sequences; the abstract outdoor sculpture environment provided visual inspiration for the series' distinctive imagery.
Hakone Town Infrastructure
The Hakone Tozan Railway (the mountain railway with its switchbacks, covered in the Hakone article) serves as the basis for transportation infrastructure depicted in the series — the specific mountain railway aesthetic is directly referenced.
The Official Collaboration
Hakone has maintained an ongoing official collaboration with the Evangelion franchise — "Evangelion in HAKONE." — that has produced:
Official map: A specifically produced Evangelion × Hakone tourism map identifying the direct correspondences between the fictional city and the real locations.
- Collaboration goods: Limited-edition merchandise available at Hakone area shops exclusively.
The Romancecar collaboration: Periodic special Evangelion-branded Odakyu Romancecar trains operating the Tokyo–Hakone route.
The Rebuild Film Additions
The Rebuild of Evangelion film series (2007–2021) introduced additional location references:
Kamakura: Some Rebuild sequences reference the Kamakura coastline — the specific Pacific coast character of the Kamakura area appears in background sequences.
The Hakone Observation Points: Several Rebuild sequences use specific viewpoints in Hakone that had not been directly used in the original series, expanding the circuit.
Recommended Base Hotels
Hakone Onsen area (multiple options covered in the Hakone article): The onsen ryokan experience is itself an Evangelion reference — the hot spring hotel culture that civilians enjoy above NERV headquarters.
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