Kobe — The Dragon's Shadow
Uncover the Yakuza dragon's vengeful curse behind Kobe's 1995 earthquake. Decode omens at haunted shrines and ruins to break the cycle before it strikes again.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the shadowy alleys of 1995 Kobe, as the Great Hanshin Earthquake ravaged Kitano-cho, whispers spread of a vengeful dragon spirit unleashed by the Yakuza
Kobe — The Dragon's Shadow
You are a municipal archivist in Kobe, September 1997, tasked with compiling a definitive historical record of the city's rebirth.
Your investigation begins at the Earthquake Memorial Park,
Follow the traces of the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake of January 17, 1995, which destroyed 80% of Kobe port and revealed the millennial strength of Shinto shrines.
The story that haunts this land
Kobe opens to the world in 1868 with the establishment of the Foreign Settlement over 0.5 km², housing 2,500 foreign residents by 1890. At Meriken Park, developed during the 1981 International Port & Harbour Exposition, the 113-ton Japanese anchor testifies to this era when the port became the Kansai gateway to the West. The 1995 earthquake destroyed 80% of port facilities, but the park was reborn in 1997 with its memorials, symbols of this merchant city's resilience.
The 1963 Kobe Port Tower, 108 meters high in red steel, withstood the earthquake with minor damage before its 1997 renovation costing 1.2 billion yen. Its 7 observation floors offer 360-degree views of Osaka Bay, attracting 1.5 million annual visitors before 1995. Illuminated in 16 different colors since construction, it embodies post-war Japan's industrial modernity facing the millennial traditions of Ikuta Shrine.
Ikuta Shrine, founded in 201 according to the 712 Kojiki, survives all earthquakes through devotion to Wakahirume-no-Mikoto, sister of sun god Amaterasu. Rebuilt in nagare-zukuri style in 1872 after fire, this 44,000 m² site has celebrated its Ikuta Matsuri festival for three centuries, classified as Important Tangible Cultural Property. The 1895 Chōyō-mon gate, 12 meters high in gion-zukuri style, survived the 1995 earthquake without major structural damage.
The Motomachi district, Kobe's first modern shopping street opened in 1889 over 1.2 km, preserves the Victorian style of early shops created by Foreign Settlement residents. Its 300 stores resisted the 1995 earthquake and reopened in 1996, perpetuating the Summer Festival organized since 1925. Nearby, the 1959 Kobe City Hall, damaged in 1995 then renovated in 2005 for 8 billion yen, houses municipal archives documenting this urban renaissance.
Your journey reveals how Kobe merges millennial Shinto traditions with port modernity since 1868. Between the Foreign Settlement dissolved in 1899 and earthquake memorials, you take away the story of a city that transforms each catastrophe into renaissance. Earthquake vestiges neighbor Ikuta's torii, witnesses to Japanese resilience where the sacred protects the profane, and where each reconstruction honors the past while building the future.
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
5-10 curated sites across the territory
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 14,90€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Clandestine Influence
Uncover the secrets of the yakuza organization that filled the void left by the state after the earthquake.
Reconstruction & Resilience
Explore the iconic sites of Kobe's reconstruction, symbols of a city rising again.
Secret Code
Reconstruct the 'Dragon's Code of Honor,' a document that guided the actions of the shadowy forces.
Kobe, a broken city, an unseen power.
Unveil the code that shaped a city's destiny.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Follow the traces of the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake of January 17, 1995, which destroyed 80% of Kobe port and revealed the millennial strength of Shinto shrines.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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