The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya turns 20 and Nishinomiya fills up with events

2026 marks 20 years since The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Suzumiya Haruhi no Yūutsu) aired, and Nishinomiya, the hometown of author Nagaru Tanigawa, is celebrating with several events. The first season of the anime aired in 2006 and, since then, fans have kept visiting the locations that appear in the series.

Tanigawa studied at Nishinomiya Kita High School and Kwansei Gakuin University, both in the city. That connection turned Nishinomiya into a constant pilgrimage spot for fans of the franchise, who have been walking its streets for two decades.

A talk with fans as a tribute

On August 30, the ACTA Nishinomiya shopping center hosted an event called Jikūkan (Space-time), with free entry and room for 130 people. Three local residents took part: the person behind the Kībōdō blog, considered a reference for anime tourism, the creator of the Suzumiya Haruhi Jōhōkyoku site, who discovered the series when he entered Nishinomiya Kita High School, and Junko Okamoto, from the local outlet Nishinomiya Style.

During the talk, Kībō said that in 2009, when the second season aired, he would go out to photograph the real locations after watching each episode in the early hours. The event included an exhibition of his photos and an open Q&A block, where the audience shared anecdotes.

Okamoto discovered the series when an acquaintance lent her the anime, and she was surprised by how faithful the portrayal of Nishinomiya was. Her favorite arc is Endless Eight, which shows many landscapes of the city.

Collaboration with JR Tōkai and stamps around the city

As part of the anniversary, JR Tōkai's Oshi Tabi campaign launched a collaboration with the franchise. Those traveling by shinkansen could exchange a special ticket and take part in a stamp rally around Nishinomiya. The exchange point was the city's information space, Create Nishinomiya, inside the LaLaport Kōshien shopping center.

That corner has become one of Haruhi's sacred places. On normal days it already receives fans, but during the event it was packed and served as a meeting point. The campaign included an original story by Nagaru Tanigawa that could be listened to inside the train, and many fans left happy with the result.

Haruhi's high school opens its doors again

Nishinomiya Kita High School will hold its second open day for Haruhi fans. Last year it organized the first one as part of a research project by its students, with 1,000 attendees in a single day. The response was so good that they are doing it again this year.

The organization says there will be new things compared to the previous edition and that they are also preparing a stamp rally, but the details will be announced on the event's official website. Since it is organized by the students themselves, they ask visitors to take part calmly and with a good attitude.

Outside Nishinomiya, the SOS Exhibition for the 20th anniversary, held in summer in the Kantō region, will have a fall edition in Osaka. The exhibition brings together production materials, storyboards, a recreation of the SOS Brigade clubroom, commemorative items and a look back at the series' influence on internet culture.

Have you visited Nishinomiya or would you like to go to any of these events? Tell us in the comments.