Mizuki Shigeru Road

Mizuki Shigeru Road is a nationally renowned tourist attraction in Sakaiminato City, Tottori Prefecture. It is a yokai-themed street where visitors can experience the world of manga artist Shigeru Mizuki, best known as the creator of *GeGeGe no Kitaro*. Stretching approximately 800 meters from JR Sakaiminato Station to the Mizuki Shigeru Museum, this tourist street opened in July 1993. Sakaiminato City is Shigeru Mizuki’s hometown, and the road was developed to honor his achievements and revitalize the local community.

Today, Mizuki Shigeru Road is one of Tottori Prefecture’s leading tourist attractions, drawing many visitors from Japan and abroad. One of its greatest attractions is the yokai bronze statues installed along both sides of the street. There were only 23 statues when the road first opened, but more were gradually added. Following a major renovation in 2018, the road now features approximately 177 to 178 yokai bronze statues. In addition to popular *GeGeGe no Kitaro* characters such as Kitaro, Medama-Oyaji, Nezumi-Otoko, and Neko-Musume, visitors can also see finely crafted bronze statues of various yokai from folklore throughout Japan, including Ittan-Momen, Sunakake-Babaa, Azuki-Arai, Zashiki-Warashi, and Binbo-Gami. The personalities, facial expressions, and gestures of each yokai have been recreated in meticulous detail, allowing visitors to enjoy searching for them as they stroll along the road.

In 2018, a major renovation was carried out to commemorate the road’s 25th anniversary. Improvements included making the roadway one-way, widening the sidewalks, removing changes in elevation, and introducing other barrier-free features. Additional rest areas were also created, making the street more comfortable to explore. As a result, it has become a tourist destination that is easier for families with young children, older visitors, and wheelchair users to enjoy.

Numerous yokai-themed attractions are scattered along the road. Among the most popular is Yokai Shrine. Known as a spiritual power spot in Sakaiminato City, the shrine enshrines a black granite sacred object into which Shigeru Mizuki himself infused his spirit. This unique shrine incorporates the world of yokai and attracts many visitors who come to pay their respects.

Another popular spot is Kappa Fountain. Around the fountain are nine characters and water-dwelling yokai, including Kitaro’s Peeing Boy, Nezumi-Otoko, Akuma-kun, and Sanpei the Kappa, all representative of Mizuki’s works. A tower approximately three meters high, a tree stump, and a hut are also installed nearby, creating an oasis-like space where the yokai appear to be relaxing. Many visitors toss coins into the fountain, and it is also a popular place for commemorative photos.

The Mizuki Shigeru Museum, located near the end of the road, is another must-see attraction. It reopened after renovations on April 20, 2024, with an even more extensive range of exhibits. The museum introduces Shigeru Mizuki’s eventful life through a wealth of materials and video displays, covering his childhood, his career as a manga artist, and even his experiences during the war. The special exhibition gallery regularly hosts exhibitions of valuable original drawings, offering visitors a deeper appreciation of Mizuki’s work. The first floor also features a library of his works, including editions in foreign languages, making it popular with fans from Japan and around the world.

A huge welcome board also stands in front of Sakaiminato Station. Completed in 2012, this mural measures 20.25 meters wide and 7.5 meters high and depicts 26 characters, including the Kitaro family and yokai associated with the San’in region. It has become a popular photo spot where visitors arriving on the Kitaro train are greeted.

In addition, the World Yokai Conference was created in 2017 in the park in front of Sakaiminato Station. This monument was developed as part of the renovation of Mizuki Shigeru Road and recreates a scene of Kitaro and other yokai holding a conference. Visitors can take fun commemorative photos that make it look as though they are participating in the meeting themselves.

Mizuki Shigeru Road is also lined with numerous souvenir shops and restaurants. In addition to stores selling yokai-themed sweets, general merchandise, figurines, and other goods, visitors can enjoy unique foods found only here, such as Medama-Oyaji-inspired desserts, yokai ramen, yokai bread, and yokai soft-serve ice cream. Simply walking through the townscape, which retains a nostalgic Showa-era atmosphere, can make visitors feel as though they have stepped into the world of Shigeru Mizuki’s works.

A stamp rally using a yokai guidebook is also popular on Mizuki Shigeru Road. Visitors can stroll along the street while searching for yokai with the guidebook in hand, making it an enjoyable activity for everyone from children to adults.

At night, Mizuki Shigeru Road takes on an even more fantastical appearance. Thanks to the nighttime lighting introduced during the 2018 renovation, silhouettes of yokai are projected onto the pavement and surrounding areas from sunset until 10:00 p.m. The yokai bronze statues and roadside trees are also illuminated, creating an eerie and mystical atmosphere completely different from that of the daytime. The resulting space feels as though the yokai are truly coming to life, making an evening stroll one of the road’s major attractions.

Mizuki Shigeru Road offers far more than the chance to admire yokai bronze statues. With the Mizuki Shigeru Museum, Yokai Shrine, Kappa Fountain, unique food, shopping, stamp rallies, and nighttime lighting displays, it has an abundance of attractions. As a one-of-a-kind yokai-themed tourist destination in Japan that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from children to adults, it continues to captivate visitors from around the world.