Nagoya Heroes Pilgrimage Stamp Rally – Conquer the Warlords and Local Specialties!

For those who find the intersection of history and gastronomy compelling, Nagoya offers a unique opportunity to trace the footsteps of Japan’s most influential military commanders. The Nagoya Heroes Pilgrimage Stamp Rally is an immersive urban exploration that invites participants to visit sites dedicated to legendary figures—including Toyotomi Hidenaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Kato Kiyomasa, and Maeda Toshiie—while simultaneously indulging in the city’s renowned culinary landscape.

Unlike a standard sightseeing tour, this event gamifies the experience of historical discovery. By combining “sacred site” visits with gourmet checkpoints, the rally ensures that the journey is as rewarding for the palate as it is for the mind.

Event Overview: How to Participate

To begin your journey, you must first obtain a stamp rally booklet. These are available at various designated locations throughout Nagoya City, including several tourist information centers. To “conquer” the rally, participants must visit a total of nine specific spots: all six commander-related sites and any three of the thirty available gourmet and souvenir locations.

● Event Period: Saturday, October 10, 2026 – Monday, January 11, 2027 (Public Holiday)

Participation Fee: Free. However, please note that transportation costs and any expenses incurred at eating, drinking, or souvenir shops are the responsibility of the participant.
Flexibility: The order in which you collect stamps is entirely up to you.
Limit: Stamp booklets are limited to one per person.

For a detailed look at the rally structure, you may view the Stamp Rally Booklet PDF.

Commander Spots: Journey through the Stories of Heroes

The commander spots are designated as self-stamping locations. This means you are responsible for applying the stamp to your booklet; local staff at these sites will not do so for you.

1⃣ Toyotomi Museum

Address: 23-1 Kinoshitayashiki, Nakamura-cho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City (Located inside Nakamura Park)
Stamping Location: Museum Shop Rest Area
Business Hours: 9:00–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)
Closed: Generally open every day, though temporary closures may occur at the organizer’s convenience.
Nearest Station: Approximately a 10-minute walk from “Nakamura Koen” Station on the Higashiyama Subway Line.
Note: The Museum Shop is a free area. Admission to the “Toyotomi Brothers! Nagoya Nakamura Taiga Drama Hall” is paid, though free entry can be earned via the Commander Award.

2⃣ Asahi Shrine

Address: 3-22-21 Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: In front of the shrine office
Business Hours: 8:00–17:00
Closed: Generally open every day
Nearest Station: Approximately a 5-minute walk from “Sakae” Station on the Higashiyama and Meijo Subway Lines.

3⃣ Okehazama Battlefield Tourist Information Center

Address: 2037 Makiyama, Okehazama, Midori-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: Inside the Tourist Information Center
Business Hours: 10:00–16:00
Closed: Year-end and New Year holidays
Nearest Station: From Meitetsu Arimatsu Station, take a city bus to the “Okehazama Kosenjo Koen” stop (approx. 3-minute walk).

4⃣ Osu Shopping District

Address: 3-38-9 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: Next to the elevator at the Osu Shopping District Association Hall
Business Hours: 10:00–22:00 (Hours applicable specifically to the stamp location)
Closed: December 29th – January 3rd
Nearest Station: Approximately a 5-minute walk from “Osu Kannon” Station (Tsurumai Line) or “Kamimaezu” Station (Meijo Line).

5⃣ Nagoya Castle

Address: 1-1 Honmaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: Nagoya Castle Main Gate <Drama Hall Ticket Sales Booth>
Business Hours: 9:30–15:00 (Staff may not always be present)
Closed: Generally open every day, subject to organizer’s convenience.
Nearest Station: Approximately a 10-minute walk from “Nagoya-jo” Station (Meijo Line) or a 12-minute walk from “Asama-cho” Station (Tsurumai Line).

6⃣ Arako Kannon-ji Temple

Address: 138 Miyamado, Arako-cho, Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya City
Stamping Location: Stamp stand near the front of the main hall
Business Hours: 7:00–17:00
Closed: Generally open every day
Nearest Station: Approximately a 7-minute walk from “Takahata” Station (Higashiyama Line) or a 9-minute walk from “Arako” Station (Aonami Line).

Gourmet & Souvenir Spots: Savor Nagoya’s Proud Local Specialties

To integrate the city’s flavors into your pilgrimage, you may visit the participating vendors listed in the List of Gourmet & Souvenir Spots.

Unlike the commander spots, these stamps must be applied by store staff. To receive a stamp, you must purchase a product at the store and present your booklet at the register during payment. Stamps cannot be added retroactively if the booklet was not presented at the time of purchase.

Key Participation Rules:

You can collect a maximum of three stamps from the thirty available gourmet/souvenir spots.
Each person is limited to one booklet and one stamp per store.
Group Participation: At dining spots, stamps will be applied to one booklet per person for one or more orders per visitor. At souvenir spots, stamps are applied to one booklet per individual payment.
Staff will not stamp a booklet for a person who did not make a purchase, even if the payment was made by a companion.

Rewards for Your Conquest

The rally offers a tiered reward system based on the number and type of stamps you collect.

【Commander Award】
This reward grants free admission to the “Toyotomi Brothers! Nagoya Nakamura Taiga Drama Hall” located within the Toyotomi Museum.

2+ Commander Stamps: 1 free visit.
3+ Commander Stamps: Up to 2 free visits.
4+ Commander Stamps: Up to 3 free visits.

To redeem this, present your booklet to the staff at the Drama Hall entrance. Please note that this award is based solely on commander stamps; gourmet stamps do not count toward this specific reward. The maximum number of free admissions is three, regardless of whether you collect more than four stamps.

【Specialty Award】
Upon collecting just one stamp from any gourmet or souvenir spot, you can receive a Tourism Envoy Piyorin coaster. This prize is collected at the Toyotomi Museum vestibule and is limited to one per person.

【Lottery SNS Award】
For those who wish to share their journey digitally, a lottery is available via the Nagoya Heroes Sacred Site Pilgrimage Official X Account.

How to enter:

Follow the official account (@nagoya_eiketsu).
Post a photo taken at any commander or gourmet spot.
Include these three hashtags: #なごや英傑聖地巡礼スタンプラリー, #豊臣兄弟名古屋中村大河ドラマ館, and the name of the spot (e.g., #豊臣ミュージアム).

Ten lucky winners will receive a luxury goods set containing a Toyotomi Brothers! Tote Bag, an Asahi Shrine Original Ema, an Okehazama Battlefield Preservation Society Commander’s Seal, a 1,000 yen Osu Shopping Voucher, a Nagoya Castle Golden Shachihoko Figurine, and an Arako Kannon-ji Temple Maeda Toshiie Goshuin. Winners will be contacted via DM starting Tuesday, January 12, 2027.

【Conquest Award】
The ultimate achievement for participants: collect all nine stamps (all 6 commander spots and 3 gourmet spots) to receive a Commander’s Seal Book, ideal for Goshuin and stamp collecting. This is available at the Toyotomi Museum vestibule.

Important Logistics and Prize Distribution

Redemption Point: Toyotomi Museum

Address: 23-1 Kinoshitayashiki, Nakamura-cho, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya City (Inside Nakamura Park)
Redemption Hours: 9:00–16:30
Closed: Generally open every day (subject to organizer’s convenience).
Nearest Station: Approx. 10-minute walk from “Nakamura Koen” Station (Higashiyama Line).

General Guidelines:

Prizes for the Conquest and Specialty Awards must be claimed at the Toyotomi Museum vestibule by presenting your booklet.
Only one prize per person will be awarded, regardless of the number of booklets held. In group settings, prizes are limited to the lesser of the number of booklets or the number of participants.
Prizes are available on a first-come, first-served basis; alternative items will be provided if the primary prizes run out.

🛏️ View hotels near the event

Quick Reference Summary:

Dates: October 10, 2026 – January 11, 2027.
Location: Various sites across Nagoya City.
Price: Free participation (excluding personal expenses).
Contact: Nagoya Convention & Visitors Bureau, Tourism Department, Domestic Tourism Group (TEL: 052-202-1143).
Organizer: Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Nagoya Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Co-organizers: Nagoya City and the Nagoya City Taiga Drama “Toyotomi Brothers!” Promotion Council.

Precautions:
The organizers are not responsible for accidents, injuries, or property damage occurring during the rally. The event may be altered or cancelled without notice due to weather or unavoidable circumstances, in which case no compensation for travel or purchase costs will be provided. Please respect private property and strictly adhere to the business hours of each location. For the latest updates, refer to the official website or X account.

Who are the “Nagoya Heroes”?

The “Nagoya Heroes” are the three samurai leaders credited with ending the Sengoku period and unifying Japan in the late 16th and early 17th centuries: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Each was born in or near what is now Aichi Prefecture, and their careers form the basis of the Nagoya Heroes Pilgrimage Stamp Rally.

Oda Nobunaga was born in 1534 on the site now occupied by Nagoya Castle. A local warlord who expanded his territory through military innovation and strategic alliances, he made the first sustained attempt at national unification. His use of firearms at the Battle of Nagashino in 1575 is often cited as a turning point in Japanese warfare. His aggressive campaigns earned him the nickname “Demon King.” He was killed in 1582 during the Honnō-ji incident in Kyoto, before unification was complete.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was born in 1537 in what is now Nakamura Ward, Nagoya. He began as a foot soldier in Nobunaga’s army and rose through the ranks to become one of his principal generals. After Nobunaga’s death, Hideyoshi defeated his rivals and took control of the country, completing the unification process. His land surveys, tax reforms, and social policies provided the administrative foundation that the Tokugawa shogunate later maintained.
Tokugawa Ieyasu was born in 1543 at Okazaki Castle, southeast of Nagoya. He survived the unification campaigns as both an ally and a rival of Nobunaga and Hideyoshi, then established the last and longest-lasting shogunate after his victory at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. His son Tokugawa Yoshinao was installed at Nagoya Castle, making the city the political and cultural seat of the Tokugawa family in central Japan.

Known collectively as the “Three Great Unifiers,” these men are commemorated throughout Nagoya’s castles, temples, museums, and battlefields. The stamp rally connects the places where they were born, fought, and governed, offering a route through the region’s samurai history without dressing it up in more drama than it needs.