Ultimate Guide to Collecting Free Stamps in Japan

This post and its photos may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy.

Collecting free stamps in Japan was honestly one of our favorite things to do. For those that aren’t familiar, businesses in Japan offer visitors the opportunity to use a customized rubber stamp to stamp a piece of paper or, as in our case, a stamp book. The stamp stations are found all over and it becomes a bit of a scavenger hunt for both kids and adults alike. The best part, of course, is that this is a free souvenir plus the fun of finding the stamps is its own kind of adventure.

We found our first free stamp at ITM Osaka Airport and from there it was game on with us always on the hunt for stamps. We’d always try to build in time at the train stations just to have the opportunity to look for them. Sometimes they are easy to spot and other times they are tucked in a corner or even in the manned ticket booth (you can simply say “Eki Stampu” in a questioning tone to ask if there is a train stamp at the station).

In addition to the free stamps we also had fun participating in stamp rallies and layered postcard stamps, and saying a prayer at temples and then receiving a Goushin (which is a specific stamp/calligraphy blessing in a special book to prove that you visited the temple and offered a prayer). Both the stamp rallies, layered postcard stamps, and the Goushin cost a minimal fee from a couple USD dollars for the stamp rallies and postcards and up to 1,000 yen for very specialized and gorgeous Goushin, more on that later.

There are a few different types of free stamps in Japan you can collect:

Eki/Train Station stamps
Stores/Museums/Attractions stamps
Stamp rallies
Layered postcard stamps

Train Stations, Airports, Stores and More

Train Stations:

I honestly can’t remember all the stations where we found them and it sometimes was just luck that we found them at all. We would usually find them near the ticket machines, inside the ticket office, or on our way out of the train station after we had paid to exit. I know there are other travel influencers that have indicated exactly where they are located a lot better (#Fail lol), but part of the fun is hunting them down.

After 17 days of traveling around Osaka, Kyoto, Yokohama, Kamakura, and Tokyo, we found 27 train station stamps.

Airports

Haneda Airport

Tokyo Tourist Information Center (You’ll need to ask)

Airport Terminal 3 ( Round desk in the middle of the floor, it’s across from the tourist information center. You’ll need to ask)

Osaka Airport ( I believe we asked at the Information desk)

Stores:

This is definitely not all of them just what we found.

Jump Shop – Jump Shop is a store that sells all kinds of manga (comic) and anime goods related to Shonen Jump magazine.

One Piece Store – Features a wide selection of official “ONE PIECE” merchandise, including goods that can only be purchased in Japan.

Kiddy Land – A toy and character store with goods ranging from Miffy to Snoopy. The stores are usually multiple floors and each floor might have different stamps.

Tokyo Station Character Street: The Penguin Store, One Piece Store

Rainbowholic – Japanese stationary.
Side Quest: Take you Lego passport to Tokyo with you and get it stamped at the Lego store in Tokyo Station/Character Street.

More:

Tokyo Sky Tree (There is a fee to go up in the Sky Tree, but once there the stamps are free)

Layered Postcard Stamps

These might change or be limited time on when they are available. You’ll want to double check if they are still happening before you go. We found layered postcard stamps at the following locations:

Side Quest: If you go to Disney be sure to visit the House of Greetings store and send yourself a postcard from the park, it will be stamped with a special Disney stamp before being mailed.

Stamp Rallies

We only did two stamp rallies when we were in Japan. Stamp rallies are where business or locations create a scavenger style hunt to collect stamps across a specific area. Once you collect all the stamps on the sheet you can turn it in to get a prize.

Disney Spark Joy: The Spark Joy Rally you didn’t have to buy the card they had them next to the first stamp and you walked around the mall to collect all 4. This one we didn’t turn in, but there was a prize if you did!

Mario: For the Mario Stamp Rally you did have to pay for your card I believe it was 500 yen and then you went around to all the locations listed to get the stamps (10 stamps total). After you collected all the stamps you could “turn it in” which really you just show a designated person that its completed and they give you a prize! For the Mario one we received stickers and a cool mini folder.

When finding stamp rallies we searched a lot on Instagram and even FB Groups. Be sure to follow Rainbowholic on IG as she was a good resource for all things stamping. I’m sure we missed a lot happening when we were there but I wasn’t too sure where to look so if you have any ideas let me know!