A pilgrimage to sacred places: I walked around the area depicted in Eve's music video "Bōto" at the north exit of Nakano Station in Tokyo

The song begins with Nakano's landmark, "Nakano Sunplaza"

The large diagonal building that appears on the far right for the first four seconds is Nakano Sunplaza. Although only a portion of the back of the building is shown in the music video, it is clear from the buildings of Shinjuku in the background on the left and the buildings of Nakano-dori lined up next to it (the red sign is a karaoke chain store).

This is what the whole view of Nakano Sun Plaza looks like.

Since the music video was shot from a high vantage point, I wanted to see it from a similarly high vantage point, so I went to Nakano City Hall near Nakano Sun Plaza. Nakano City Hall will be relocated to its current location on May 7, 2024, and you can look down on the town of Nakano from the rooftop garden on the 11th floor.

Here, a scene from the music video is recreated! You can clearly see the Shinjuku skyscrapers.

Please note that the rooftop garden is only open on weekdays from 8:30am to 5pm.

Nakano City Office

164-8501 4-11-19 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo

The office moved to the new building on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

A distinctive arch at the entrance! "Yakushi Ai Road Shopping Street"

"If the first scene is Nakano Sunplaza, then the shopping street that appears in the scene from 4 to 6 seconds in the MV must also be in Nakano," I guessed, and I was right! It was modeled after the Yakushi Ai Road Shopping Street.

In the music video, it is a single apple mark, but in reality it is the character "Yakushi." This arch is at two entrances, but due to the shape of the surrounding buildings, it is drawn on the Arai Yakushi side, not the Nakano Broadway side.

A one-eyed character that often appears in Eve's music videos. The Yakushi Ai Road shopping street is a temple town of "Arai Yakushi Baishoin," which is deeply revered as a medicine god for the eyes, so it may have been chosen in honor of that. At the beginning of the chorus (from 46 to 48 seconds), a girl in a uniform is running with her back to the arch.

Speaking of Nakano, this is the place! Don't worry about the rain: Nakano Nakano sun mall Shopping Street

Nakano Nakano sun mall Shopping Street appears 48 seconds into the MV.

An arcade that continues straight from the north exit of Nakano Station. Looking up, you'll notice that the store signs are in the shape of the sun, which represents the "Sun" in Nakano sun mall! Just like the poles on the ceiling in the MV, paintings and other items are hung from time to time, so it's fun just to walk through.

Nakano Nakano Sun Mall Shopping Street

164-0001 5-67-1 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo

This is a 224-meter-long arcade shopping street located in Nakano Ward, Tokyo. It is directly connected to the north exit of JR Nakano Stati...

The last stop is Nakano's gateway! Nakano Station

The scene at 49 seconds into the MV is platform 8 at Nakano Station. The sign's colors are somewhat retro. I was able to shoot the same as in the MV from the East-West connecting passage, which can be reached by taking the escalator to the left immediately after leaving the north exit of Nakano Station.

Conclusion

This was my first time making a pilgrimage to this sacred place, and I discovered a new joy in walking around the town, searching for filming locations to recreate scenes from the music video and visiting multiple times at different times of the day.

I hope that not only Eve's fans, but also those who have never heard of Eve before, will take a walk around Nakano just like in the music video. Why not take a walk around Nakano, feeling like you're the main character in the music video?