Grand Blue pilgrimage in Ito (Kawana): the 5 real spots, 370-yen train and the no-booking izakaya (as of 2026-09-23)
Grand Blue's everyday setting is Kawana in Ito, Shizuoka — an 88 Anime Spots 2026 pick. The five real places from the anime, the 370-yen Izukyu fare from Ito Station, Rakumiya Marugen's hours (no reservations, 32 seats) and where to try-dive, all from official sources with check dates.
The everyday setting of Grand Blue (Grand Blue Dreaming) is modelled on Kawana, a small harbour district of Ito City on Shizuoka's Izu Peninsula. Ito was selected for the Anime Tourism Association's "88 Anime Spots in Japan" list for the first time in the 2026 edition, announced on 13 February 2026, for Grand Blue. Five real places from the anime can be matched on the ground: Kawana Station, the front of the Kawana community hall, a fishermen's diving hut, the beach entry at Kawana, and the izakaya Rakumiya Marugen near Ito Station. The Izukyu train from Ito to Kawana costs 370 yen one way (IC card 369 yen), as of 2026-09-23.
This guide only covers what you need on the day — where each spot is, how to get there, what it costs and what not to do — using the Anime Tourism Association, the official anime site, Izukyu, the shop's and dive centre's own sites and the Ito Tourism Association, each with a check date. General pilgrimage etiquette lives in our anime pilgrimage guide for Japan.
Where things stand (as of 2026-09-23)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original work | Grand Blue by Kenji Inoue and Kimitake Yoshioka, serialised in Kodansha's good! Afternoon |
| Official "pilgrimage" status | Listed as "102 Grand Blue — Ito City, Shizuoka" in the 88 Anime Spots 2026 edition (announced 2026-02-13) |
| Season 3 (summer 2026) | Per the official site, set in Palau — the first overseas arc. New Season 3 scenes are not in Ito |
| Season 4 | Announced on the official site on 2026-09-22 ("Season 4 production confirmed") |
| Main locations in Ito | Kawana (station and harbour) and the Ito Station area |
Even in Season 3 the premise is unchanged: Iori lives above the Grand Blue dive shop in Izu (official synopsis). What you can walk in Ito are the university-life backdrops of Seasons 1 and 2.
The five on-screen places
These were identified by a PADI Asia Pacific Japan staff member who walked Kawana in July 2025 and matched them against Season 2, which began airing on 7 July 2025 (PADI official blog, 16 July 2025).
| # | Place | Scene | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fishermen's diving hut (ama hut) | Background in episode 1 | Kawana waterfront |
| 2 | In front of the Kawana community hall | Episode 1 — Iori running from his seniors | Inside the Kawana neighbourhood |
| 3 | Kawana Station forecourt | Episode 5 — meeting point before the group date | Izukyu Kawana Station |
| 4 | Rakumiya Marugen | Episode 5 — the group-date izakaya | 3 min walk from Ito Station (1-4-1 Inoto, Ito) |
| 5 | Kawana beach entry | The characters' diving scenes | Next to Kawana harbour |
Plan note: spots 1–3 and 5 are in Kawana; spot 4 is in central Ito. The natural order is Marugen at Ito Station, then the train to Kawana — or the reverse.
Getting from Ito Station to Kawana
Izukyu revised its fares on 14 March 2026. One-way fares from Ito Station (ticket / IC card, Izukyu official, checked 2026-09-23):
| From Ito Station to | Ticket | IC card |
|---|---|---|
| Kawana | 370 yen | 369 yen |
| Futo (for Izu Ocean Park) | 560 yen | 554 yen |
| Izu-Kogen | 750 yen | 750 yen |
The PADI blog puts the walk from Kawana Station down to the sea at "a little over 10 minutes". You walk past homes and working harbour buildings the whole way — see the etiquette section below.
Rakumiya Marugen: the episode 5 izakaya, in numbers
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-4-1 Inoto, Ito, Shizuoka 414-0004 — 3 minutes' walk from Ito Station |
| Phone | 0557-32-5152 (no phone reservations) |
| Hours | Lunch 11:00–15:00, dinner 17:00–23:00 |
| Last orders | Official site: lunch 14:00, dinner 22:00 (drinks 22:30). The Ito Tourism Association lists 14:30 / 22:30. The two disagree, so plan on the shop's own, earlier times |
| Seats | 32 |
| Reservations | Not accepted ("予約はできません" on the official site) |
| Closed | Open every day (both sources) |
| Parking | None (Ito Tourism Association) |
| Signature dish | Uzuwa, an Ito fishermen's dish of frigate mackerel; the shop says it is the only place that serves it |
The sister shop Izu Sengyosho Marutaka (1-16-6 Yukawa, 2 minutes from Ito Station, 48 seats) has the same no-reservation, open-every-day policy (official site, 2026-09-23). The one in the anime is Marugen.
If you want to dive like Iori
Kawana is a shore dive: you walk in from beside the harbour on a ramp with a handrail, and the PADI blog says sea turtles are seen with high probability. No licence is needed for a try-dive, and the blog lists five PADI dive shops in the Kawana and Ogi area. For how Ito's six dive areas differ and how to choose a shop, see Ito diving for beginners (MICHI).
Not an anime location, but the other classic place to dive in Ito is Izu Ocean Park (IOP) in Futo, described by the Ito Tourism Association as founded in 1964.
| Item | Izu Ocean Park Diving Center (official, checked 2026-09-23) |
|---|---|
| Address | 841-1 Futo, Ito, Shizuoka (0557-51-1129) |
| Hours | Weekdays 8:30–17:00, weekends and holidays 8:00–17:00 (official). The tourism association lists 8:00 / 7:30 opening — the two differ |
| Dive window | 15 Sep–15 May 8:30–15:00; 16 May–14 Sep 8:30–16:30 |
| Facility fee | 2,530 yen incl. tax; 10 L tank 2,310 yen (reservation required) |
| Parking | 550 yen per car (1,100 yen in summer) |
| Access | About 9 min by Tokai Bus or 7 min by taxi from Izukyu Izu-Kogen Station |
Etiquette: Kawana is where people live and work
- The ama hut and the community hall are not attractions. Photograph from the road; do not enter the grounds or buildings
- Kawana is a working harbour next to houses. Don't step into the road for a shot and don't get in the way of harbour work
- Don't re-enact the show's strip-and-drink gags. Even the PADI blog notes that "nobody suddenly starts taking their clothes off like in the anime"
- Marugen is busy and takes no bookings — don't hold up the queue filming the entrance
- General rules: anime pilgrimage guide for Japan
Before you pick a date
Ito runs fireworks and festivals through autumn and winter. If you want to pair the pilgrimage with one, the date-ordered Ito events & festivals calendar (Japan-Event) lists them. On festival days central Ito gets crowded, so for Marugen either go right at opening or choose a non-festival day.
FAQ
Where is the Grand Blue anime pilgrimage?
Kawana and the Ito Station area in Ito City, Shizuoka. Ito was selected for the Anime Tourism Association's "88 Anime Spots in Japan" 2026 edition for Grand Blue (announced 2026-02-13).
How much is the train from Ito to Kawana?
370 yen one way (369 yen by IC card) on Izukyu, using the fares revised on 14 March 2026 (checked 2026-09-23).
Can I book Rakumiya Marugen, the izakaya from episode 5?
No. The official site says reservations are not accepted, including by phone. It has 32 seats, is open every day, 11:00–15:00 and 17:00–23:00 (checked 2026-09-23).
Can I see Season 3 locations in Ito?
No. According to the official site Season 3 is set in Palau. In Ito you can walk the Kawana and Ito Station backdrops of Seasons 1 and 2. Season 4 was announced on 2026-09-22.
Can I dive at Kawana without a licence?
Yes. According to the PADI blog, try-dives with no licence are available at Kawana through several PADI shops. Check prices and meeting times on each shop's own site.
Not yet confirmed
- Any current Grand Blue collaboration (stamp rally etc.) run by Ito City or the Ito Tourism Association: none found on either official site as of 2026-09-23
- Where the 88 Anime Spots certification plate is displayed: not stated on the association's page
--- Update log: published 2026-09-23 (Season 4 announcement, Izukyu fares revised 2026-03-14, Marugen's official shop data)
FAQ
- Where is the Grand Blue anime pilgrimage?
- Kawana and the Ito Station area in Ito City, Shizuoka. Ito was selected for the Anime Tourism Association's "88 Anime Spots in Japan" 2026 edition for Grand Blue (announced 2026-02-13).
- How much is the train from Ito to Kawana?
- 370 yen one way (369 yen by IC card) on Izukyu, using the fares revised on 14 March 2026 (checked 2026-09-23).
- Can I book Rakumiya Marugen, the izakaya from episode 5?
- No. The official site says reservations are not accepted, including by phone. It has 32 seats, is open every day, 11:00–15:00 and 17:00–23:00 (checked 2026-09-23).
- Can I see Season 3 locations in Ito?
- No. According to the official site Season 3 is set in Palau. In Ito you can walk the Kawana and Ito Station backdrops of Seasons 1 and 2. Season 4 was announced on 2026-09-22.
- Can I dive at Kawana without a licence?
- Yes. According to the PADI blog, try-dives with no licence are available at Kawana through several PADI shops. Check prices and meeting times on each shop's own site.
