A wildfire rages just 100 meters from a house in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, on Feb. 26. (Atsuo Negishi)
ASHIKAGA, Tochigi Prefecture--Anime fans poured out their grief on social media after a small shrine associated with an online game featuring personified characters of legendary swords was destroyed in a spreading wildfire here.
The shrine, which was unmanned and located on the city's Mount Ryogaisan, was regarded by fans of “Token Ranbu” as a “holy site.”
Although the Shinto shrine did not have a particular name, local residents referred to it as either Mitakejinja or Ontakejinja. Its origin and history are not known, according to city officials.