When people travel to Japan, they might think of food, shopping and hot-springs. But now, anime and manga are playing a bigger role in attracting tourists to Japan. It's part of government efforts to lure in 40 million visitors to Japan by 2020. Mayu Yoshida has more on what Japan's Anime Tourism is all about.

These boxes of Anime goods are just half of what James Gurol bought during his week-long trip to Tokyo from California. He calls himself an "Otaku", which refers to avid fans of Japanese anime and manga. Anime-loving tourists like James are giving a boost to Japan's tourism dollars. Mr. Gurol's love for Japanese anime started when he was a child, and now he visits Japan at least once a year, sometimes spinning turntables at a club in Akihabara, the mecca of Otaku pop-culture.

JAMES GUROL ANIME FAN "You can easily to get Anime products online, use auction sites but I think kind of benefit of coming here is you know, you kind of get to participate in the consumer's culture, you know, the big store display and lights."

Japan expects inbound tourists' spending to hit 8 trillion yen, or US$72 billion, next year, and anime is expected to be one of the backbones. Even shrines and temples are cashing in on the anime fandom.

MAYU YOSHIDA TOKYO "Touring around real-life locations featured in popular comics and animated TV series is called Anime Pilgrimage. One popular pilgrimage site is this ancient shrine located near Akihabara. Kanda Myojin has more than 1,000 years of tradition. But its bold steps to opening up to the new turned one of Tokyo's oldest shrines into a popular go-to place for anime enthusiasts."

MASANORI KISHIKAWA REPRESENTATIVE OF KANDA MYOJIN "When we first started collaboration with anime, many people showed dissatisfaction. But we told them that shrines have always been a place to accept new culture. After 100-years, anime culture could become a page of history. Now people are supportive of this idea. And we're also seeing more younger visitors."

There are over 80 locations designated as pilgrimage sites. Influx of foreign visitors to those sites, particularly those from China and other Asian nations, helped put spotlights on areas that would otherwise see few visitors. To make anime more global-friendly so Japan can lure in more visitors, some experts say creators will need to reduce excessive nudity on some characters.

NORIMICHI SUZUKI, MANAGING DIRECTOR ANIME TOURISM ASSOCIATION "I think we've reached a point that content creators need to give full consideration of expression, so more countries can air them, especially since overseas markets, especially China and the US, are becoming so big for the Japanese anime industry."

As inbound tourists seek out new experiences, the anime industry is finding new opportunities for revenue – and spreading the message worldwide.