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Have you ever heard of the board game called Shogi? While Chess is famous worldwide, Japan has its own similar traditional game. It is said that both Shogi and Chess share the same roots in the ancient Indian game of Chaturanga, but they evolved into games with their own unique rules as they traveled East and West.

In Japan, there are many manga and anime based on Shogi. Today, I would like to introduce one such masterpiece: March Comes in Like a Lion (Sangatsu no Lion).

This story frequently features the real-life neighborhood of Tsukishima as its setting. Despite being surrounded by modern skyscrapers, Tsukishima retains the nostalgic atmosphere of Tokyo's old downtown (shitamachi). With its unique food culture like Monjayaki and its traditional streetscapes, Tsukishima is highly popular among international visitors.

Tsukishima is depicted very symbolically in the story. When the protagonist, a young professional Shogi player, crosses the large bridge to Tsukishima before a crucial match, his tension as he heads to the battlefield is beautifully overlapped with the physical act of crossing the bridge. Conversely, when he crosses that same bridge after a fierce match to return home to his loved ones, it represents a sense of relief and safety. This is how the setting breathes life into the story.

The anime is known for portraying the characters' emotions, the scenery, and the subtleties of the human heart with incredible delicacy. When you walk through Tsukishima after watching the story, you can almost feel the presence and breathing of the protagonist and his friends.

One of the main reasons I want to recommend this series to an international audience is the author's incredible talent. Her work is extremely meticulous in its psychological descriptions. It perfectly captures the uniquely Japanese delicate sensibility, mindfulness, and the realistic ways families interact—for better or worse.

Shogi is a truly fascinating game. If you watch March Comes in Like a Lion, learn a little bit about Shogi, and then take a stroll through the narrow alleys of Tsukishima while enjoying some Monjayaki, it will be a wonderful short trip where you can deeply experience the old-town vibe and the backdrop of the story.

In fact, writing this article just made me want to go on an "anime pilgrimage" to Tsukishima myself soon!