Iwami-cho Tourism Association in Tottori Prefecture reported on its official Twitter on April 6 that they found a scribbling written as "for the team Free! 4/2/2014" in the premise of Arasuna Shrine, one of the most famous shinto shrines in the region. The 11,000-populated small town along the Sea of Japan is known for its having been the stage of Free!, Kyoto Animation's 12-episode swimming club-themed popular TV anime in 2013. Since the start of the TV anime in July 2013, many fans have visited the city as a seichi junrei (holy place pilgrimage) tour to see the same places as the anime used as a background.
This 5x10cm-size scribbling was found at an azumaya (arbor) in the observatory of the shrine by the fans
on April 4. It was written with a black oily pen. The association has found more scribblings at the place
in addition to the one reported in the posted photo. Judging from the act and date notation, they
have guessed that these were written by a foreign fan who thought it was the place to write scribblings.
The association says, "The coast area of the town has been designated as a national park of Japan.
To keep the beautiful scenery, please stop the scribbling."
Shinto shrines are very sacred religious places, as same as Christian churches and Islamic mosques.
The tweet with the photo has been retweeted more than 15,000 times as of today. The fans of the
series have replied as:
"It's unbelievable."
"Really shameful...."
"What a lack of common sense...."
"Whoever wrote it, I want to curse you."
"This person deserves to die."
"It doesn't mean you can do whatever you want if you love the series."
"The characters must be very mad at it!"
* Accroding to Mainichi's April 10 article, another scribbling written as "I only swimm free" with a
red ballpont pen was found on April 9.
Arasuna Shrine
Source: Nihonkai Shimbun, Iwami-cho Tourism Association
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