Yokohama — Black Ships Secret
Uncover the hidden conspiracy behind Commodore Perry's Black Ships in Yokohama. Decode clues from treaty sites and harbors to expose the secret pact that shattered Japan's isolation forever.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry's ominous Black Ships steamed into Yokohama's harbor, belching black smoke and shattering two centuries of sacred isolation under the Tokugawa Shogunate
Yokohama — Black Ships Secret
You are the Shogun's most discreet operative, tasked with a vital mission in Yokohama, 1854.
Your assignment is to decipher Commodore Matthew Perry's true intentions as his "
Discover Yokohama Port, the birthplace of Japan's opening to the world, where Commodore Perry's "Black Ships" shattered centuries of isolation.
The story that haunts this land
Your journey begins at Kaikō Hiroba, the Opening Port Square, a site from 1859 commemorating the opening of Yokohama Port. It was here, on June 2, 1859, that the Treaty of Peace and Amity signed by Commodore Matthew Perry was implemented. The square marks the exact spot where Perry's "Black Ships" anchored in 1854, ending Japan's sakoku isolation policy. The Perry Statue, erected in 1901 and relocated from its original 1871 position due to public opposition, reminds you of the significance of this event for the city of Yokohama and the entire Kanto region. This "Site of 1859 Port Opening" is an essential starting point for understanding the Meiji Restoration Origin.
A short walk away, the Yokohama Opening Port Museum, housed in the former British Consulate built in 1859, immerses you in this period. This building, Japan's first Western-style wooden structure, survived the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. Opened in 1975, the museum displays artifacts from the 1854 Perry expedition, including original treaty documents. Here, you'll discover replicas of the "Black Ships" and Perry's chronometer, tangible evidence of the "Black Ships Arrival 1854" that marked Yokohama's history.
Your investigation then leads you to the Osanbashi Yokohama International Passenger Terminal. The original pier, constructed in 1896, served as Yokohama's main international wharf during the Black Ships opening era. The current structure, rebuilt in 2002 by Foreign Office Architects, spans 28,000㎡. This site, just 0.6km from Kaikō Hiroba, was where the first Western ships arrived after the Perry Treaty. Its 400m long, wave-like wooden deck accommodates the largest cruise ships, showcasing the evolution of Yokohama Port.
Continue your path towards Kanteibyō (Yokohama Kwan Tai Temple), a structure built in 1872 by Chinese merchants who arrived after the port opening. Dedicated to Guan Yu, it is Japan's oldest wooden Chinese temple, located 0.9km from the starting point near the Chinatown entrance. This "Important Cultural Property" survived the 1923 earthquake and WWII bombings, restored in 1955 with its original 1873 bell. Its dimensions of 12m × 8m and hand-carved camphor wood altar make it a key site in Yokohama's multicultural history.
Finally, your journey concludes at Nippon Maru Memorial Park. This park contains the training ship Nippon Maru, built in 1984, the last of 88 ships built by NYK Line, founded in 1885. NYK Line, headquartered 0.8km from the departure point, was key to Yokohama's port opening commerce. The park, opened in 1989, offers a view of the ship's 70m masts, visible from Kaikō Hiroba. This interactive Yokohama tour will have allowed you to trace the history of a city that, thanks to the Perry expedition, became a major commercial hub of Kanto, a true "Perry Expedition Memorial" in real life.
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?
Secret Diplomacy
Delve into the Shogunate's tense negotiations, seeking to protect Japan from foreign interference.
Threatening Fleet
Feel the pressure exerted by Perry's 'Black Ships' and their display of power.
Tradition Facing Change
Discover how Japan's ancient traditions were shaken by the forced opening to the world.
The past is prologue. Understand it to master the future.
Will you be the first to decipher the secret intentions that shaped Japan'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
Discover Yokohama Port, the birthplace of Japan's opening to the world, where Commodore Perry's "Black Ships" shattered centuries of isolation.
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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