Nagatacho — February 26 Coup
Uncover the hidden codes and clues of the 1936 February 26 coup in Nagatacho. Decode the rebels' secret plans, track their assassination paths, and expose the truth behind the failed plot that shook the Empire.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
February 26, 1936: In the snowy dawn of Tokyo's political heart, Nagatacho, young Imperial Army officers launched a daring coup
Nagatacho — February 26 Coup
You are Issei Sagō, rebel leader of the February 26, 1936 Coup, on a secret mission in Tokyo's government district of Nagatacho.
You arrive
Follow the trail of Japan's most audacious military coup that nearly overthrew the emperor in the heart of Tokyo on February 26, 1936.
The story that haunts this land
Tokyo welcomes you at Sakuradamon Gate, built in 1868 as the main entrance to the imperial palace of Edo after the Meiji Restoration. This 12-meter-high gate, a unique blend of Western and Japanese architecture with stone pillars and traditional roofing, witnessed the assassination of Prime Minister Ii Naosuke on March 24, 1860 by samurai from Satsuma and Mito. Classified as an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1953, it bears the scars of the February 26, 1936 Coup when rebel officers used it as a strategic passage point toward the neighboring palace.
The National Diet Building stands before you, constructed between 1919 and 1936 over 19,000 m² by architect Yoshiro Watanabe. Its 65-meter central dome and 712 seats in the House of Representatives make it the symbol of Japanese legislative power. On February 26, 1936, the 1st Infantry Division attempted in vain to penetrate it to arrest deputies favorable to parliamentary democracy. Ironically, this Parliament was inaugurated on November 1, 1936, eight months after the failed coup that aimed to destroy it.
The Kōkyo-gaien gardens stretch over 115 hectares, created in 1889 as the outer garden of the Imperial Palace. Its 2 km of yew trees planted between 1910 and 1912 for Emperor Taishō's coronation sheltered the conspirators' secret gatherings in February 1936. The Nijūbashi bridge, rebuilt in 1968 over 70 meters in length, was the rallying point for mutineers hoping to obtain imperial audience to legitimize their coup against the civilian government.
The Ministry of Defense in Ichigaya has occupied since 1910 a 23-hectare complex, former headquarters of the imperial army in earthquake-resistant reinforced concrete. Here Captain Kōji Kitaoka led the rebel faction of February 26, 1936, transforming these offices into an insurrectional headquarters. On February 28, after three days of siege, the mutineers surrendered within these same walls, marking the tragic end of a putsch that cost the lives of several high political officials.
Your journey ends in the Hibiya district, Japan's first public park opened in 1903 over 16.1 hectares. Its 1905 fountain, Asia's first in Western style, testifies to Japan's forced modernization that the 1936 rebels wanted to stop. Walking through these paths where post-coup political demonstrations were held, you carry away understanding of a pivotal episode: how 72 hours of military mutiny paradoxically sealed modern Japan's democratic destiny by definitively discrediting attempts at absolute imperial restoration.
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?
Dive into History
Relive the tense and bloody days of the February 26 Incident, a major turning point for Japan.
Field Investigation
Hunt for architectural and historical clues in Tokyo's iconic districts.
Secrets Revealed
Decipher a rebel officer's secret diary and uncover the deep motivations behind the failed coup.
The Emperor has spoken.
Loyalty to the throne, beyond all ideology.
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 trail of Japan's most audacious military coup that nearly overthrew the emperor in the heart of Tokyo on February 26, 1936.
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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