Chainsaw Man Tokyo Pilgrimage Guide 2026: Every Reze Arc Location in Jinbocho

Last updated: April 2026.

The Chainsaw Man movie Reze Arc turned Jinbocho into one of Tokyo’s hottest anime pilgrimage spots overnight. Fans have been lining up at a phone booth, climbing an old stone staircase, and snapping photos in front of a Showa-era office building — all within a 10-minute walk of each other. I walked the full route on a weekday afternoon and had every spot to myself, no crowds, no lines. On weekends, though, expect company.

This guide covers every confirmed filming location from the Reze Arc movie, plus related spots from Chainsaw Man Season 1. All locations sit in the Jinbocho-Ochanomizu-Suidobashi triangle — a quiet, walkable neighborhood tucked between the flashier districts most tourists hit first. That’s part of what makes this pilgrimage so good: the area itself feels like the manga.

If you’re planning an anime-heavy trip to Tokyo, you can pair this route with Akihabara (two stops away on the Sobu Line) or Ikebukuro’s Otome Road for a full day of otaku exploration.

Table of Contents

• Reze Arc Movie Locations
• The Phone Booth — Where Denji Meets Reze
• Aoi Building — Reze’s Walking Scene
• Onnazaka Stairs — The Iconic Staircase
• Cafe Vale — The Real-Life Model for Reze’s Cafe
• Season 1 Tokyo Locations
• Recommended Walking Route (2-3 Hours)
• Where to Eat Near the Pilgrimage Spots
• Practical Info & Access
• Pilgrimage Etiquette
• FAQ
• More Pilgrimage Guides

Reze Arc Movie Locations

Every major location from the Reze Arc movie sits within a tight cluster around Jinbocho (神保町), Tokyo’s famous used-bookstore district. The area’s Showa-era architecture, narrow slopes, and quiet side streets clearly influenced the film’s visual design — and walking through it, you’ll immediately feel why the animators chose these specific spots.

All five locations below are within a 10-minute walk of each other. I’d suggest starting from Suidobashi Station’s East Exit and working your way south toward Jinbocho Station. The whole route takes about 2-3 hours if you stop for photos and coffee.

The Phone Booth — Where Denji Meets Reze

The old phone booth in front of the Yamato Transport Jinbocho Hakusan Street Office has become the single most-visited Chainsaw Man pilgrimage spot in Tokyo. This is where Denji first meets Reze in the movie — she’s standing next to the booth in the rain, and the scene launched a thousand fan recreations on TikTok and Instagram.

The booth is a standard NTT green phone booth, nothing special to look at on its own. What makes it worth visiting is the context: standing there, you can see the same street angle as the movie frame. Fans often leave small offerings (coins, drawings) near the base, though these get cleaned up regularly.

Go in the late afternoon if you want the same lighting as the movie scene. The sun hits the street from the west, and the shadows match the film almost exactly between 4:00 and 5:00 PM.

Aoi Building — Reze’s Walking Scene

The Aoi Building (葵ビル) appears as the background in the scene where Reze walks to her part-time cafe job. It’s a Showa-era office building with a distinctive facade that stands out against the newer construction around it — the kind of building that’s disappearing from Tokyo year by year.

The building sits on a slope in Sarugakucho, and the camera angle in the movie matches what you see standing at street level looking uphill. The afternoon light catches the facade well, and you’ll recognize the scene immediately if you’ve watched the film.

This is a working office building, so stay on the sidewalk and don’t enter. Fans have been respectful so far, and the building owners haven’t put up any signs asking people to leave — let’s keep it that way.

Onnazaka Stairs — The Iconic Staircase

Onnazaka (女坂) is the single most recognizable location from the Reze Arc. This stone staircase, wedged between old buildings in Sarugakucho, is the basis for the scene where Reze walks up the stairs on her way to the cafe. The stone paving, the buildings lining both sides, the quiet atmosphere — it’s an almost frame-for-frame match with the film.

At sunset, this spot becomes particularly atmospheric. The light filters through the narrow gap between buildings, and you get that bittersweet mood that defines the Reze Arc. I visited at around 5:30 PM on a Tuesday and had the stairs completely to myself. Weekend afternoons draw more fans, especially since the TikTok videos started circulating.

The stairs are public and accessible 24 hours, but I’d recommend avoiding visits after dark out of respect for residents in the surrounding buildings.

Cafe Vale — The Real-Life Model for Reze’s Cafe

Fans have identified two cafes as possible models for the cafe where Reze works part-time. The most widely accepted candidate is a cafe in the Kurabayashi Building, a quiet spot that matches the interior layout seen in several movie frames.

The second candidate, sometimes called “Cafe L” by fans, sits at 1 Chome-5 Sarugakucho. Both cafes are small, independent spots with the kind of old-fashioned Tokyo kissaten (喫茶店) atmosphere that fits the Reze Arc’s visual tone.

Whether or not these are the exact models the animators used, they’re worth visiting as part of the pilgrimage route. The Jinbocho area is famous for its kissaten culture — some of these cafes have been serving pour-over coffee since the 1960s. Order a hot coffee and a piece of toast, sit by the window, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the manga.

A word of caution: these are small businesses, not tourist attractions. Order something, keep your voice down, and ask before taking photos inside. Some kissaten owners don’t allow photography.

Season 1 Tokyo Locations

Season 1 of Chainsaw Man is set broadly across Tokyo, but specific identifiable locations are harder to pin down than the Reze Arc spots. The anime uses a somewhat fictionalized version of the city — recognizable as Tokyo, but with enough changes that exact matches are rare.

That said, fans have identified a few connections worth noting:

Nerima Ward (General Setting) — The residential areas where Denji, Aki, and Power live together appear to draw from the quieter residential neighborhoods of western Tokyo. Nerima’s mix of old apartment blocks, narrow streets, and small parks matches the anime’s background art style. There’s no single confirmed address, but walking through Nerima’s residential streets gives you the feel of the characters’ daily life.

Shibuya Crossing Area — Several wide-angle city shots in Season 1 reference Shibuya’s distinctive skyline and scramble crossing. The battle sequences use a mix of real Tokyo geography and creative liberties, making exact identification tricky.

Public Safety Bureau Office — The government building where Makima works appears to be a composite of several real government buildings in Kasumigaseki and Nagatacho. The architecture combines elements from the Ministry of Economy building and other Meiji/Taisho-era government structures.

For Season 1 fans, I’d honestly recommend combining a Jinbocho pilgrimage with a general Tokyo pop culture day. Hit Akihabara for Chainsaw Man merchandise (Animate and Mandarake both stock plenty), then head to our merch shopping guide for the full rundown on where to find figures, manga, and limited-edition goods.

Recommended Walking Route (2-3 Hours)

Here’s the route I took, optimized for photo opportunities and walking efficiency:

Start: Suidobashi Station, East Exit (JR Chuo-Sobu Line or Toei Mita Line)

Stop 1: Aoi Building (5-minute walk from station) — Take photos of the facade from across the street. The morning light is best for this one.

Stop 2: Onnazaka Stairs (2-minute walk) — Just around the corner from the Aoi Building. Take your time here; this is the most photogenic spot on the route.

Stop 3: Cafe break (3-minute walk) — Head to one of the kissaten cafes in Sarugakucho. Rest, get coffee, recharge.

Stop 4: Phone Booth (7-minute walk south) — Walk through Jinbocho’s bookstore streets toward the phone booth. Browse the used bookshops along the way — some carry rare manga volumes.

End: Jinbocho Station — From here, you’re one stop from Akihabara on the Marunouchi Line (change at Ochanomizu). Or walk 15 minutes north to Asakusa for the Demon Slayer pilgrimage.

Total walking distance: about 2.5 km. Flat terrain except for the Onnazaka stairs.

Where to Eat Near the Pilgrimage Spots

Jinbocho is one of Tokyo’s best lunch neighborhoods, and it’s criminally underrated by tourists. The area is packed with curry shops (Jinbocho is actually famous as Tokyo’s curry district), old-school kissaten, and cheap ramen joints that cater to the neighborhood’s university students and office workers.

For curry: Jinbocho has over 400 curry restaurants. Bondy (ボンディ) on the second floor of a nondescript building near Jinbocho Station serves a rich, European-style curry that’s been a local favorite since 1973. Expect a 20-30 minute wait at lunch.

For ramen: Ramen Jiro Jinbocho (ラーメン二郎 神保町店) is right in the area. If you’ve never tried Jiro-style ramen — massive portions, thick noodles, pork fat — this is your chance. Not for the faint of heart or stomach.

For coffee: Ladrio (ラドリオ) has been serving coffee in Jinbocho since 1949. The interior hasn’t changed much since then. It’s the kind of place that makes you understand why the Reze Arc chose this neighborhood.

Practical Info & Access

Pilgrimage Etiquette

Anime pilgrimage — seichi junrei (聖地巡礼) — has become a mainstream part of Japanese tourism culture, and most locals welcome respectful fans. But Jinbocho is a working neighborhood, not a theme park. Keep these points in mind:

Don’t block sidewalks or stairs. Take your photo and move on. The Onnazaka stairs are narrow, and residents use them daily.

Keep noise levels down. This isn’t Akihabara. The neighborhood is quiet, and loud conversations carry in the narrow streets.

Ask before photographing inside cafes. Many kissaten have a no-photography policy. A simple “shashin wa daijoubu desu ka?” (写真は大丈夫ですか?) will do.

Don’t leave items at pilgrimage spots. While fan offerings at the phone booth are charming, they create work for local businesses. Take your photos, post them online, and leave the spot as you found it.

Buy something. If you visit a cafe or bookshop as part of your pilgrimage, order a drink or buy a book. Supporting local businesses ensures these spots stay around for future fans.

FAQ

Q: Is Jinbocho safe to visit at night?
A: Yes, the area is safe. However, most bookshops and cafes close by 7:00 PM, and the pilgrimage spots are outdoor locations with limited lighting. Afternoon visits are better for photos and atmosphere.

Q: Can I visit all the spots in one day?
A: Easily. All five Reze Arc locations are within a 10-minute walk of each other. Budget 2-3 hours for the full route with photos and a cafe stop.

Q: Are the locations accessible by wheelchair?
A: The phone booth, Aoi Building, and cafe areas are on flat ground and accessible. Onnazaka stairs are not wheelchair accessible — the area has steep stone steps with no ramp alternative.

Q: Is there Chainsaw Man merchandise in Jinbocho?
A: Not much in Jinbocho itself. For Chainsaw Man figures, manga, and goods, head to Akihabara (one JR stop away). Animate Akihabara and Mandarake both carry extensive Chainsaw Man stock.

Q: Are the anime locations the same as in the manga?
A: The movie team used real Jinbocho locations as reference for the Reze Arc animation. The manga was drawn first, and fans noticed the similarity to Jinbocho. The movie then made the connection more explicit by matching the real locations more closely.

More Pilgrimage Guides

• Demon Slayer Pilgrimage: Asakusa, Saitama & Beyond
• Your Name Pilgrimage: Yotsuya, Shinjuku & Hida
• Weathering With You Real-Life Locations in Tokyo
• Jujutsu Kaisen Shibuya Pilgrimage Guide
• SPY x FAMILY Fan Day Tokyo Guide
• 10 Anime Pilgrimage Spots Every Fan Should Visit in Tokyo
• One Piece Kumamoto Statue Tour

Written by Takapon

Born and raised in Kyoto, currently in Tokyo. Former management consultant turned anime culture writer. Has visited countless collaboration cafes and pilgrimage spots across Japan. Also sharing tips on Instagram @pop_now_jp.

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