Sendai — Hasekura's Forbidden Faith
Uncover the conspiracy that doomed Hasekura Tsunenaga upon his return. Decode edicts, trace hidden signs of persecuted Christians, and expose the shogunate's deadly plot before it's too late.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1620, samurai Hasekura Tsunenaga returned to Sendai after a perilous embassy to Europe, bearing a secret Christian faith forged in foreign lands
Sendai — Hasekura's Forbidden Faith
You are Hasekura Tsunenaga, a samurai and diplomat, returning to Sendai, Japan, in 1620, after your secret mission to Europe.
Your objective: conceal the
Delve into Sendai, Japan, and uncover the secret of Hasekura Tsunenaga, the samurai who defied the ban on Christianity in the 17th century.
« 青葉城恋歌 (Aoba-jo Koi-uta) »— Official song of Sendai, since 1995
The story that haunts this land
Your journey begins at the Aoba Castle Ruins, built by Date Masamune between 1600 and 1607, the seat of the Sendai Domain. The castle keep was destroyed in 1874 during the Meiji era, but the site now houses the Aoba Castle Museum, opened in 2001. From this viewpoint, dominated by the bronze statue of Date Masamune erected in 1957, you gaze upon the city of Sendai, searching for clues to the legacy of Hasekura Tsunenaga, dispatched by Masamune on a diplomatic mission to Europe from 1613 to 1620. The site, originally covering 270,000 m², is an Important Cultural Property Japan that still resonates with the history of the powerful daimyo.
A short walk away, 0.2 km along the park paths, is the Sendai City Museum. This museum, established in 1981 on the Aoba Castle ruins, features a permanent exhibit on Hasekura Tsunenaga, including his 1615 portrait brought back from Mexico. In 2007, a special exhibition was held, and a museum publication detailed Hasekura's diplomatic mission to the Vatican and Spain. It is here that you will unearth artifacts related to his voyage, concrete evidence of his transcontinental journey and faith, essential elements for your mission.
Your path then leads to Aoba Shrine, 0.5 km downhill from the castle ruins along a wooded trail. This shrine, founded in 1654 to enshrine Date Masamune, was relocated to its current Aoba-yama site in 1926. It holds treasures such as Masamune's armor and sword. Masamune, despite the national ban on Christianity post-1614, supported Hasekura's Christian mission. Annually, the festival draws 100,000 visitors, testifying to the veneration for the lord of Sendai and the complexity of this period in Tohoku's history.
Continue to Nishi Park, established in 1871 as Sendai's first public park on former castle outskirts. This 7.3-hectare site features a statue of Ō Date Shigemune, grandson of Masamune, erected in 1893. The park, a renowned cherry blossom site with 300 trees, is linked to Edo-period domain history and is part of a 1.5 km historical walk zone connecting it to the Aoba Castle site. It is a place for contemplation and reflection on Masamune's descendants and their role in preserving the family legacy, including Hasekura's secrets.
Your investigation finally brings you to Osaki Hachiman Shrine, constructed in 1607 by Date Masamune. This National Treasure, designated in 1952, in gongen-zukuri style, is an impressive Tohoku monument with its main hall 16.5 m wide and 11.8 m deep, its vermilion color symbolizing victory. Masamune prayed here before Hasekura's 1613 voyage. Located 1 km south of Aoba Castle, this shrine is UNESCO-associated via Jesuit mission history in the Tohoku region. It is here, at the heart of this historical site, that you piece together the last fragments of Hasekura's story and fully comprehend the extent of his courage and forbidden faith, a unique Tohoku heritage.
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?
Conflict of Conscience
Follow the journey of a samurai torn between his Christian faith and his duty to his lord.
Historical Secrets
Unravel a plot where truth was concealed by power and fear of persecution.
Clash of Civilizations
Explore the impact of the encounter between feudal Japan and Renaissance Europe.
A samurai's destiny, an era's secret.
What history books dare not tell.
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
Delve into Sendai, Japan, and uncover the secret of Hasekura Tsunenaga, the samurai who defied the ban on Christianity in the 17th century.
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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