Kochi — The Omiya Conspiracy
Uncover a secret 19th‑century plot that almost changed Japan’s course, hidden in the streets and samurai homes around Kochi Castle.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate, a shadowy network of samurai and reformers in Kochi plotted to overthrow the old order and force Japan into modernity
Kochi — The Omiya Conspiracy
You are Takechi Hanpeita, leader of the Tosa Loyalists on a secret mission in Kochi in 1863.
You investigate the mysterious assassination of an imperial emissary
Dive into the world of Tosa's conspiring samurai, following the footsteps of Sakamoto Ryoma and the revolutionaries who overthrew the shogunate in 1867.
The story that haunts this land
Kochi reveals its secrets in Sakamoto Ryoma's birthplace, reconstructed in 1928 at 1-2-18 Kami-kitahama. Born January 3, 1836 in this low-ranking fish merchant's home, Ryoma would become the architect of the Tokugawa regime's downfall. The adjacent museum displays his blood-stained rain cape, worn during his assassination in Kyoto in 1867. Here you discover the first evidence of the Omiya conspiracy: coded letters between revolutionaries hidden in the walls.
Kochi Castle, built in 1601 by Yamanouchi Kazutoyo, dominates the city from its 51-meter tower restored in 1749. This Tosa daimyo resided there until 1650, establishing a dynasty that would rule for 250 years until the Meiji Restoration. In its halls, the Yamauchi clan orchestrated Bakumatsu intrigues. You walk through corridors where Sakamoto Ryoma pleaded his vision of a modern Japan, exactly one kilometer from his birthplace.
The former Yamauchi clan residence reveals its 3-hectare landscaped gardens, classified as Important Cultural Property in 1953. Built in the early 17th century, this mansion was the theater of secret negotiations between Yamanouchi Yodo and imperial emissaries. Its ponds and artificial hills concealed clandestine meetings where Japan's future was decided. You retrace the alliances that allowed Tosa to switch to the imperial side in 1868.
Harimaya-bashi bridge, 34.4 meters long and built in 1875, spans the Kagami River in the O-Banza commercial district. Rebuilt in 1950 after war damage, this covered bridge has housed a local cookie shop since 1875, mentioned in Mario Mizuki's tanka. Sakamoto Ryoma often crossed this area during his youth, meeting merchants who would finance his revolution. Here you decipher the final clues of the Omiya enigma.
Your investigation concludes at Tosa Shrine and Chikurin-ji temple, the 31st stop of the 88 Shikoku temple pilgrimage. Founded in 737 by Gyoki and rebuilt in the 17th century, this temple preserves a 3-meter Kannon statue from 1250. Tosa samurai prayed here before their Bakumatsu missions, carving their oaths into the 700-year-old cypress altar. You take away an intimate understanding of a revolution born in these Kochi streets, Bakumatsu samurai heritage inscribed in every stone of the route.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
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
8 stages through the city
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 · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Track the Culprits
Conduct your own investigation to unmask the forces that orchestrated Ryoma's downfall.
The Age of Samurai
Dive into the power struggles and political intrigues of dying feudal Japan.
The Dawn of a New Era
Understand how the death of one man shaped the birth of an empire.
Only the past holds the key to the truth.
The mystery of Ryoma's assassination
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
Dive into the world of Tosa's conspiring samurai, following the footsteps of Sakamoto Ryoma and the revolutionaries who overthrew the shogunate in 1867.
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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