The annual "Detective Conan" movie has been a staple for fans, and this year's 28th installment, titled "Detective Conan: The Remnant of the One-Eyed Man," hit Japanese theaters on April 18. Post-Golden Week, it's already smashed past the 10 billion yen mark at the box office, racking up impressive numbers and critical acclaim.
But here's the real plot twist: the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan's "Nobeyama Radio Observatory" in Minamimaki Village, Nagano Prefecture, which features in the film, has become a hot new pilgrimage site for fans! This observatory, built in 1982, houses a radio telescope that made the world's first black hole discovery. It was facing closure due to funding shortages, but now, thanks to Conan, it's seeing a ray of hope.
The Nobeyama Radio Observatory, operational since 1982, made history in 1994 with the world's first observation of a black hole. Its groundbreaking work significantly contributed to the research of three international scientists who later won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2020.
However, in recent years, reduced government subsidies, aging facilities, rising labor costs, and electricity bills pushed the observatory to the brink. But now? It's absolutely swarming with people! Visitor numbers have skyrocketed by 3.5 times compared to the same period last year, with weekday attendance jumping by a whopping 10 times. Guided tours? They're selling out faster than you can say "Conan"!
The observatory staff are absolutely floored, hoping this tourism boom will help them upgrade their equipment and, even better, spark an interest in space and astronomy among more children.
After news of this surge broke, netizens quickly jumped on the bandwagon with fan art and even created new logos for the observatory!
The "Detective Conan" movies have always had this incredible power to put cities on the map. Last year's "Detective Conan: The Million-Dollar Pentagram" turned Hakodate City, Hokkaido, into a massive talking point, with fans absolutely flooding Goryokaku Tower and the Hakodateyama Ropeway. In 2023, "Detective Conan: Black Iron Submarine" put Hachijojima, Tokyo, in the spotlight, and back in 2017, "Detective Conan: Crimson Love Letter" made Osaka and Kyoto must-visit pilgrimage spots.
Now, Conan has passed the torch to Nagano, and with the box office already soaring past 10 billion yen, it looks like Conan's charm is only getting stronger!