Grand Chariot Hokutoshichisei 135°: Stars, Anime, and Awaji Beef

The 135th meridian east runs through Awaji Island. In Japan, this line is significant — it is the standard meridian from which Japan's time zone is calculated, a line that has carried a particular mystical significance in Japanese cosmology for centuries. Grand Chariot Hokutoshichisei 135° was built on this meridian deliberately, on the highest hill of the Nijigen no Mori anime park, its name taken from the Big Dipper constellation — Hokutoshichisei in Japanese — that guests lie on their wooden decks to observe through the island's dark sky.

It is, simultaneously, one of Japan's most atmospheric glamping resorts and its most concentrated collection of official anime collaboration rooms. Dragon Quest, Naruto & Boruto, Godzilla, Demon Slayer, Crayon Shin-chan, Hello Kitty — these are not themed amenities scattered around a standard hotel. They are full immersive environments built inside the resort's cocoon cottages, each one officially licensed, each one designed to put guests inside the world of the series rather than simply adjacent to its imagery.

The Cocoons: Round Cottages Under the Stars

The guest accommodations at Grand Chariot are called Cocoons — round log cottages whose curved walls and natural materials create the sense of being held rather than merely enclosed. Each cottage has a wooden deck looking out over the Akashi Strait, with views of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge — the second-longest suspension bridge in the world — and the distant lights of Kobe beyond the water.

The signature feature of every cottage is the skylight — a transparent ceiling section positioned more than five meters above the bed, designed for a single purpose: lying on your back at night and watching the stars. The 135° meridian position, combined with Awaji Island's relative distance from major light pollution sources, produces a night sky that guests consistently describe as transformative. Rooms are available in double (50–60m²) and quadruple (70–75m²) configurations, the latter adding bunk beds for families.

Every cottage — standard and collaboration alike — has a private hinoki (Japanese cypress) bath. The scent of cypress in an enclosed wooden room, combined with the particular warmth of the bath water, is one of the sensory experiences that guests most frequently cite in reviews. The minibar is complimentary. Fresh fruit and welcome sweets are included. The staff, multiple reviewers note with some surprise, kneel to welcome arriving guests.

The Anime Collaboration Rooms

The collaboration rooms at Grand Chariot are the reason many guests make the trip to Awaji specifically. Each room is a full environmental transformation — not a themed bedspread and some character artwork, but a complete redesign of the cottage space in partnership with the relevant IP holder. The Naruto & Boruto room, for example, was renovated specifically for the collaboration, with guests receiving dedicated Naruto- and Boruto-themed goods as part of their stay. The Demon Slayer room recreates the visual atmosphere of the series throughout the space, with exclusive goods and themed dinner options. The Godzilla room places guests inside the kaiju universe with scale-appropriate design choices that pay serious attention to the franchise's aesthetic.

The collaboration roster rotates and expands — new partnerships are announced periodically, and the hotel maintains current information on its official website. Availability for collaboration rooms is limited and books out far in advance. Checking the official site for current room types before booking is strongly recommended, as the lineup at time of publication may differ from what is available at time of your visit.

Dining: Awaji Beef and the Starry Sky Bar

Dinner and breakfast are included in all plans. The dinner menu is supervised by Chef Haruyuki Yamashita, who operates 13 restaurants across Japan and overseas, and centers on Awaji Beef — a brand certified from approximately 150 animals per year, sourced from the same Tajima cattle lineage as Kobe Beef. The signature Awaji Beef Tomato Sukiyaki Course is the dish guests return to repeatedly in their reviews: the combination of the beef quality, the tomato-based broth, and the island's own sea urchin and sea bream produces a meal that multiple guests describe as the most memorable of their Japan trip.

The Starry Sky Bar operates on the resort's wooden observation deck — a cocktail and drinks service under open sky, positioned to face the Akashi Strait. The city lights of Kobe reflecting on the water below, the Big Dipper visible above, a drink in hand: this is the image the hotel was designed to create and the experience that justifies the journey from Osaka.

Nijigen no Mori and Getting There

Grand Chariot sits within the Nijigen no Mori park — a 134-hectare anime-themed attraction on Awaji Island with experiences related to Naruto, Godzilla, Dragon Quest, Ghost in the Shell, and other major franchises. Hotel guests can access the park's facilities, which adds a full day of activities to any stay. Awaji Island is approximately one hour from Osaka by car via the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, or accessible by ferry and bus combinations from Kobe and Osaka. The hotel provides shuttle bus service from designated stops — confirm the current schedule when booking, as public transportation options to the park entrance require some planning.

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