Anime series draws Japanese fans to Gloucestershire village Bibury

Bibury in Gloucestershire has drawn Japanese visitors because it appears in the anime series *Kin-iro Mosaic*, whose fans travel to real-world locations shown in their favourite stories. The link has given the Cotswold village a following beyond its reputation for picturesque scenery and illustrates how popular culture can shape travel.

The series follows British and Japanese schoolgirls and features Bibury and nearby Castle Combe. Its original manga, created by Yui Hara, ran from 2010 to 2020 across 11 volumes and 148 chapters; the television adaptation began in 2013, followed by an animated film in 2021. One fan’s 2019 visit included Arlington Row, a bridge, an ice-cream shop, a bench and a red telephone box shown in the series; the village has around 600 residents.