In the early morning haze of Hakone, I boarded the fireapple red Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku with a Hakone Freepass already in hand. This all-access pass gave me unlimited rides on local transport and discounts at major attractions—perfect for an EVA pilgrimage.
Soon, the red mountain train glided into the station—an instant flashback to Shinji’s daily commute. As I arrived at Hakone-Yumoto Station, the iconic tune “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” seemed to echo in my ears. The platform architecture resembled the NERV HQ entrance from Neon Genesis Evangelion, and I paused to take it all in. I then made sure to stamp my pilgrimage book with the EVA commemorative seal, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment. Mission Complete.
Right near the station, I found a little Eva-themed souvenir shop. Before entering though, I stopped off at the drink stand outside to grab a vibrant purple and green Eva ice cream along with a jelly-filled orange soda themed after the orange LCL fluid that appears in the show. Eva fans are probably cringing at the implications of drinking LCL, but rest assured this little theme soda was a delicious treat to kick off the pilgrimage with.
Next, I took the bus to Lake Ashi—where EVA Unit-01 once fought an angel in the TV series. The lake was perfectly still, Mt. Fuji looming faintly in the distance. Riding the pirate ship cruise, I found myself mimicking Shinji’s pose as he stared across the water. No angels appeared, of course—but the cool, steady breeze and enduring silence perfectly recreated the often melancholic mood of the show.
By midday, I returned to Hakone-Yumoto to visit the famous Eva-themed Lawson convenience store. Every inch—from the outer walls to the shelves—was drenched in EVA style. The exclusive merchandise was overwhelming: Kaworu-themed drinks, Asuka rice balls, Unit-01 energy drinks. Even the cashier played the familiar “Mission Complete” jingle at checkout. I picked up a purple-and-green “S² Engine” drink and received a NERV-stamped receipt. It truly felt like being initiated into HQ.
In the afternoon, I rode a bus uphill to the Sengokuhara Highlands, often cited as the location of NERV’s subterranean geo-front. The rolling grasslands and jagged mountains looked almost identical to the animation’s wide shots of the evacuation zone. As I munched on snacks from Eva Lawson, I imagined the ground opening up to reveal a giant lift platform. But in reality, only wind rustled through the pampas grass—calm, eerie, and deeply Eva.
My last planned stop was Owakudani, but the ropeway was temporarily closed. Known for its volcanic fumes, this area served as the dramatic site of one of the series’ many angel attacks. I felt the sting of disappointment, but maybe that longing made the fictional world feel even more real—just out of reach, like Shinji’s struggle with a world both hostile and breathtaking.
As the train pulled away from Hakone, dusk fell across the mountains. This EVA pilgrimage felt like a gentle intrusion into fiction—a quiet merging of reality and story. The spirit of the anime could be felt everywhere, sometimes overtly, and at others, suggestively. And somewhere between memory and scenery, I realized that a seichi (the real-world setting of a beloved piece of media) isn’t just where a story happens—it’s where we confirm that the story once truly existed for us.
<Author>
Jolene QIU
Travel Consultant at WaWo Japan Travel