<p>The town of Asahigaoka is not explicitly based on any single real location. Of course, some location scouting in the countryside was performed for the sake of realism.<sup>1</sup> Most anime these days engage in this activity (called "location hunting" / ロケハン) when appropriate - e.g. when they are set in modern Japan or something that looks like it.<sup>2</sup></p>

<p>That said, the school the students in Non Non Biyori attend <em>is</em> apparently based on a real school: Ogawa Elementary's Shimosato Branch School<sup>3</sup> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogawa,_Saitama" rel="noreferrer">Ogawa, Saitama</a>.<sup>4</sup></p>

<hr>

<p><sup>1</sup> See <a href="http://anicobin.ldblog.jp/archives/35098549.html" rel="noreferrer">this blog post</a> (JP), and in particular <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Es5wX.jpg" rel="noreferrer">this image</a> (JP), taken from an interview with people on the production staff.</p>

<p><sup>2</sup> Of course, some shows <em>do</em> use full-on model cities, e.g. <a href="http://otakumode.com/sp/visit_japan/seichi-junrei/s005" rel="noreferrer">Ano Hana</a> and <a href="http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=497109" rel="noreferrer">Ano Natsu de Matteru</a>. </p>

<p><sup>3</sup> I believe I translated that well enough, but school nomenclature confuses me at times - the name in Japanese is 小川町立小川小学校 下里分校, lit. "Ogawa-machi Municipal Ogawa Elementary School, Shimosato Branch School". </p>

<p><sup>4</sup> For details and comparison shots, see e.g. <a href="http://tsurebashi.blog123.fc2.com/blog-entry-320.html" rel="noreferrer">this blog post</a>. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-08T00:41:36.273Z
2014-03-08T00:41:36.273Z
senshin
<p>I have seen the photos at the end of the Non Non Biyori episodes and they seem to resemble places from within the anime. I wonder if all those photographed places belong to roughly the same location.</p>

<p>In other words: <strong>Is the Asahigaoka village in Non Non Biyori based on a real one?</strong></p>

<p>And if yes: <strong>Where is this located?</strong></p>

<tourism><non-non-biyori>
Is Non Non Biyori's location based on a real one?
# Is Non Non Biyori's location based on a real one?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-03-08
I have seen the photos at the end of the Non Non Biyori episodes and they seem to resemble places from within the anime. I wonder if all those photographed places belong to roughly the same location.

In other words: **Is the Asahigaoka village in Non Non Biyori based on a real one?**

And if yes: **Where is this located?**
**Tags:** tourism non-non-biyori
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## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2014-03-08. Score: 13 | Accepted answer
The town of Asahigaoka is not explicitly based on any single real location. Of course, some location scouting in the countryside was performed for the sake of realism.1 Most anime these days engage in this activity (called "location hunting" / ロケハン) when appropriate - e.g. when they are set in modern Japan or something that looks like it.2

That said, the school the students in Non Non Biyori attend *is* apparently based on a real school: Ogawa Elementary's Shimosato Branch School3 in [Ogawa, Saitama](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogawa,_Saitama).4

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1 See [this blog post](http://anicobin.ldblog.jp/archives/35098549.html) (JP), and in particular [this image](https://i.sstatic.net/Es5wX.jpg) (JP), taken from an interview with people on the production staff.

2 Of course, some shows *do* use full-on model cities, e.g. [Ano Hana](http://otakumode.com/sp/visit_japan/seichi-junrei/s005) and [Ano Natsu de Matteru](http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=497109).

3 I believe I translated that well enough, but school nomenclature confuses me at times - the name in Japanese is 小川町立小川小学校 下里分校, lit. "Ogawa-machi Municipal Ogawa Elementary School, Shimosato Branch School".

4 For details and comparison shots, see e.g. [this blog post](http://tsurebashi.blog123.fc2.com/blog-entry-320.html).
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