Day 9: Summer Time Rendering

2025.09.15

September 15, 2025

Since summer is now coming to an end, today I would like to talk about Summer Time Rendering. Last year, I visited Wakayama with a friend, without knowing at the time that it was the model for the anime. Now, as I write this blog, I find myself recalling both the anime and my journey through Wakayama. The story’s central setting, “Hitogashima,” is based on the real Tomogashima in Wakayama. It makes sense—after all, ferries appeared several times in Summer Time Rendering.

Synopsis

The anime Summer Time Rendering is based on a manga created by Yasuki Tanaka, serialized on Shonen Jump+ from 2017 to 2021. It became an extremely popular series with over 130 million views in total.

“Those who see their own ‘Shadow’… will die.”

This ancient legend has long been whispered about Hitogashima, a remote island off the coast of Wakayama City. Dismissed as superstition, the tale suddenly begins to manifest as reality when an entire family mysteriously disappears.

Upon hearing of the death of his childhood friend, Ushio Kofune, protagonist Shinpei Ajiro returns to the island for the first time in two years. Ushio was thought to have died in an accident, but the family she supposedly saved by sacrificing her life has vanished. Rumors and fear spread through the island, and it becomes clear that her death was no simple accident. Instead, it is tied to the terrifying phenomenon of the “Shadows”—mysterious entities that can perfectly copy humans and replace them.

As panic grips the island, the old legend that “those who see their Shadow will die” becomes a horrifying truth.

Shinpei discovers that whenever he dies, he is sent back in time, granted the strange ability to “rewind” events. Each death sends him back to a new starting point, allowing him to gather information and alter the future. But his time loops are limited; with each rewind, the margin of time left grows smaller and smaller.

As the creeping fear spreads like an infection, the islanders must summon their courage to resist the Shadows. Fans of Tokyo Revengers, Steins;Gate, Higurashi: When They Cry, Erased, and Future Diary will likely enjoy this anime as well. What makes Summer Time Rendering stand out is the precise layering of character development and foreshadowing. As the story unfolds, personalities and relationships gradually come into focus, creating a dense and tightly woven narrative.

Wakayama Travel

When Shinpei returns to the island after two years, he boards the ferry—something you too can experience at Kada Port. In Wakayama, places that appear in Summer Time Rendering—the shrine, the sandy beaches, and the rustic seascapes—feel almost like déjà vu. Retracing the story in reality offers an extraordinary experience.

Here are the major sightseeing spots I visited:

Tomogashima (Okinoshima and surrounding islands): About 20 minutes by ferry from Kada Port. Often described as “like stepping into a movie,” these uninhabited islands exude an eerie, mystical atmosphere. Once used as a Japanese military base, the ruins of gun batteries and military buildings still remain. Walking the circuit trail of about three hours, you’ll pass abandoned fortifications, pine forests, and a rugged coastline.
Awashima Shrine (Kada): Famous for its doll offerings. The sheer number of dolls here is overwhelming, creating an eerie yet sacred atmosphere. When visiting, please remain quiet and follow the posted photography rules. The shrine is deeply revered as a guardian deity for women, and it is the site of many seasonal festivals, including the Hina Nagashi (doll-floating ceremony).
Kyukamura Kishu-Kada: A seaside hotel with hot springs and open-air baths. The sunsets here are spectacular, and the hotel organizes various guest events.
Shirahama & Adventure World: A massive facility that combines a zoo, aquarium, and amusement park. Home to over 900 animals of 140 species, Adventure World is especially renowned for its pandas, as well as dolphin and sea lion shows.
Nachi Falls: One of Japan’s “Three Famous Waterfalls,” and the tallest, with a drop of 133 meters. The thunderous cascade is breathtaking, and there is also a paid area that allows you to view the falls up close. Nearby lies the Nachi Primeval Forest, a National Natural Monument where biologist Minakata Kumagusu once collected slime molds.
Kumano Kodo: Among its many pilgrimage routes, Daimonzaka is particularly famous for its beauty. This 640-meter-long cobblestone path leads up to Nachi Mountain. Walking among 800-year-old cedar trees and moss-covered stone steps feels like traveling back in time to the era of the Kumano pilgrimage.
Shirahama Onsen: Alongside Arima and Dogo, it is one of Japan’s three oldest hot springs, with a history spanning 1,300 years. Shirahama remains one of Kansai’s most popular resort areas, offering hot springs, marine sports, and seafood dining. Its easy accessibility by car or train makes it an ideal getaway.
Shirarahama Beach: Famed for its pure white sand—the whitest in Japan. The shallow waters are strikingly clear, making you feel as if you were at an overseas tropical resort.
My Bucket List
Aragijima: Selected as one of Japan’s Top 100 Terraced Rice Fields. In 2013, its scenery was officially recognized as an Important Cultural Landscape by the government.
Bokido (“Cave of Forgetfulness”): A natural hot spring inside a massive seaside cave located within Hotel Urashima. Its name comes from a descendant of the Tokugawa family who said he “forgot to return home” because he was so relaxed. The cave itself is about 15 meters high and 50 meters deep—an extraordinary place where you can soak while listening to the crashing waves and gazing at the sunrise, sunset, or moonlit ocean.

Conclusion

After living for many years in the vast expanses of America, I sometimes long for the unique flavor of “Japanese horror” that grows out of tightly knit, closed communities. I’ve always loved time-travel and suspense stories such as The Summer Hikaru Died and The Ship of Theseus, but Summer Time Rendering perfectly captures that nostalgic terror I’ve been yearning for.

Set on an isolated island, the story weaves themes of fear, friendship, the meaning of time, and the weight of choice into its characters and their bonds.

The next time I travel to Wakayama, I want to relive that moment of boarding the ferry at Kada Port, feeling the sea breeze on my cheeks as Tomogashima draws near—this time fully aware of its connection to Summer Time Rendering. And on my next visit, I dream of entering Bokido, the seaside cave hot spring, where one can bathe while watching the sunrise or sunset, hearing the sound of waves echoing off the cave walls, and gazing at the moonlight reflected on the sea.

Chiren
President, Japanese Institute of St. Louis

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（Reference Links）

Anime – Summer Time Rendering

Sightseeing (Tomogashima, Wakayama City, Kada, Saikazaki)

Tomogashima Ferry

Awashima Shrine

Accommodation – Kyukamura Kishu-Kada

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