When & Where Does Demon Slayer Take Place?
Although it’s set in a fictional universe, Demon Slayer is clearly influenced by Japan’s real-world history and mythology. This is clear from the outfits to the architecture, and it does a lot to add a sense of realism to the show. Saying that, when and where does Demon Slayer take place?
The events of Demon Slayer take place during Japan’s Taishō era, between the years 1912 to 1926. The setting jumps from village to village as the series progresses, though it’s all contained within Tokyo.
In most shonen anime, the setting doesn’t have much of an influence on the story, especially when superpowers and special abilities are introduced. Although it’s one of the most popular modern shonen anime in the world, Demon Slayer’s setting works in tandem with the story and frames its events beautifully. Read on to learn more about how the time and place add to Demon Slayer’s worldbuilding and characters.
What historical period does Demon Slayer take place in?
Demon Slayer takes place in the Taishō era, which spans from 1912 until 1926, concurring with the reign of Emperor Taishō. The Taishō era aesthetic is an interesting one, a mix between the traditional look of the Edo period and the Western-loving influence of the Meiji period.
For most of the Edo period, Japan was completely isolated from the west, the only notable exception being the Dutch. Nobody was allowed to travel outside of the country, and Japanese people who left could not return. Because of this, Japan developed its own unique cultures and traditions, without any influence from the outside world.
Towards the end of this period, Japan finally succumbed to the pressure to open international trade and the worsening economic situation. This is when the Meiji period started, characterized by the sudden introduction of numerous new cultures and technologies. In the period’s early years, Japan strove to accept and adopt as many Western technologies as possible, like rapidly constructing railways, importing Western machinery, making primary education mandatory for all citizens, and modernizing their army.
This was all very expensive, and Japan’s efforts to adopt Western fashion and ideals was mostly fruitless, until World War 1. As European Allies were forced to pour much of their money and resources into the war effort, Japan didn’t have to. Instead, they were able to use their time to supply consumer goods that European countries couldn’t supply for themselves. Japan became wealthier, and the ever-expanding middle class now had some cash to spend on fashionable Western clothes.
Right after this is the Taishō period. Now that you have the historical knowledge to recognize it, you can see Taishō period elements everywhere in Demon Slayer. Technological advancement was advancing at a rapid pace, but not in every part of Japan. You can see this when Tanjiro travels from village to village, some of them left without electricity. At the same time, we’ve also seen cities illuminated by electric lights, and Tanjiro is able to travel via train and railways constructed during the Meiji period.
When he sees the Mugen train, Inosuke thinks that it’s a monster. Having grown up on a mountain, it’s very in-character for him to think this way. Other than being a very funny moment, it’s actually true that many Taishō-era rural people called steam engines “fire dragons”.
The Taishō period is also when Japanese people were picking out what they liked from the West, while keeping their traditional aesthetic. Throughout the series, you can clearly see that most people are wearing traditional Japanese clothing. Tanjiro himself is wearing a haori and gakuran and Nezuko wears a kimono. When we encounter Muzan, he’s wearing an embroidered tuxedo and a white fedora, with a woman and a child wearing dresses. The characters in the background are also wearing a mix between Japanese and Western fashion.
Later on, Muzan takes on the appearance of a woman, wearing a kimono. Most other demons are also seen wearing traditional Japanese clothing. This is most likely a nod to the fact that the demons of Demon Slayer are “oni”, themselves part of Japanese mythology and culture.
During the Taishō era, electricity became much more widespread. Since the very first episode when Tanjiro goes to sell his coal, the city he walks into has electrical poles lining the streets. Electricity was even more commonplace in cities like Tokyo, as we can see from Tanjiro and Nezuko’s reaction to the modernity of Ginza. In fact, this is when Ginza started to truly become the hot spot for all things fashion, as it still is today.
Something you’ll notice if you pay attention to the background shots is that the architecture is a mix of traditional Japanese and Western-style buildings. Buildings in Japan were traditionally made out of wood, but now stone and bricks started being used. If you pause on the establishing background shots of any village or city in Demon Slayer, you can see how the period influenced the architecture.
Where does Demon Slayer take place?
Demon Slayer takes place in Tokyo, Japan. Tanjiro and Nezuko travel to wherever Tanjiro’s Demon Slayer Corps duties bring him, though the pair are originally from Mt. Kumotori, Okutama. Inosuke also hails from the same town, though he was raised on Mt. Odake. This town is on the western outskirts of Tokyo. Zenitsu is from Shinjuku, a very popular Japanese town in central Tokyo.
Tanjiro first meets Muzan in Asakusa, Nakamise Shopping Street. During the Taishō era, this location prospered, full of activity and liveliness. When Tanjiro first arrives in Asakusa, he’s shocked by how many people there are walking around in the streets. Having led a rural life until then, he was suddenly thrust into the midst of the hustle and bustle of the city. His reaction is completely normal for him and many other rural people who made their way into cities during the Taishō era.
The Entertainment District Arc itself takes place in Yoshiwara, one of Tokyo’s historic red light districts. Yoshiwara is a district that was constantly ravaged by fires and rebuilt again and again. Ufotable did an amazing job animating the dancing flames and apocalyptic destruction that the fires inflicted upon the district.
Due to the nightlife and constant chaos during that time, the demon Daki used her title of oiran to snatch humans away. Because of the constant rebuilding of the city, it was probably easy for her to change identities and create a new life for herself so as to not let others know she’s a demon.
As you can see, Demon Slayer is pretty unique in its setting and what it manages to accomplish with it. The story is not only told through the characters, but through the details in the backgrounds too. This makes for exceptional world building.
Most historical anime are set in the Edo or Meiji Periods. Until now, the Taishō era hadn’t gotten much representation in the world of historical anime and manga. Demon Slayer doesn’t just passively take place in the Tokyo of the Taishō era. It constantly makes use of the setting through what the main and background characters are wearing, their beliefs and traditions, the locations they find themselves in, and the technologies they make use of. Now, the research and effort that went into making this setting possible isn’t lost on you either.