Souvenir Stamps in Japan
Collecting souvenir stamps in Japan is so much fun! They make a great (and free!) souvenir of your trip. Here’s where to find them, how to locate the stamp, and Japanese phrases to ask the staff where the stamp is.
Souvenir stamps are rubber stamps with ink, that you can only get at one location, as a souvenir that you’ve been there. They’re sometimes called “eki stamps” – “eki” means station (but they’re not just at stations!).
The design of each stamp often reflects something special about the area, or a local landmark. I love how regional things are valued so much in Japan, for example regional souvenirs and specialty foods.
Which Places have Souvenir Stamps?
You can find souvenir stamps at:
- Train stations.
- Tourist attractions.
- Tourist information offices.
- Airports.
- Some major shops, especially official character merchandise shops.
- Service stations (michi no eki) if you’re driving around Japan.
- Look out for special promotions and stamp rallies dotted around eg in shopping malls.
You’ll see a small table or a booth with the stamp and an ink pad. They’re not usually manned by staff, so anyone’s welcome to go up and collect a stamp for free, as a souvenir.
It’s like proof that you’ve been there, and it’s extra special because you can only get the stamp at that one location.
What to Stamp
You can stamp anything you like, but it makes a great souvenir to collect them in a stamp book. I’d definitely recommend getting a book; to start with I used to stamp random scraps of paper and notes, or leaflets I happened to have in my bag. They always got screwed up and I ended up losing them, so a stamp book’s much better!
Some people stamp notebooks with removable pages, to cut them out and add them to their travel journal or scrapbook.
At some locations, a small postcard or note paper’s provided to collect the stamp, sometimes printed with a special border, but not always.
Where to get a Stamp Book
Really any A6, postcard size, 4×6” notebook with plain pages would do – but if you want a cute stamp book, I have two designs! You can get them here… (worldwide shipping).
They have good quality, thick paper so the ink won’t bleed through – they’re tried and tested in Tokyo!
What makes it really special is you build up a collection that’s unique to you, of all the places you chose to visit in Japan.
Where to Find the Stamp
In stations, there isn’t a solid rule about where stamps will be located.
Sometimes they’re near ticket machines, the ticket office, the JR counter, or one of the exits. If there’s a tourist office or information desk, that’s always a good place to look.
For example, at Shibuya Station – they’re in the ‘Midori no Madoguchi’ (that’s the name for the JR ticket office – it means “green window”).
At the new Harajuku Station, they’re by the lockers.
There are a few stations that don’t have stamps, but most of them do – and that includes metro stations and regular train stations. In some areas of Japan they’re less frequent, but certainly in Tokyo, there are lots!
How to Check Stamp Locations
Is it cheating to look up stamp locations?? If you can’t find the stamp, you can check the location on stamp.funakiya.com (use your browser to translate the page). Be prepared for spoilers – it has pictures of what the stamps look like.
Stamp Quest app also has the locations of many souvenir stamps. it’s available on Apple and Android.
Japanese Phrases
If you want to ask the staff where the souvenir stamp is, say: “Stampu wa doko desu ka?”, which means “Where is the stamp?”.
If you want to ask if there is a stamp: “Stampu ga arimasu ka?” (“Is there a stamp?”).
Video
See more about collecting stamps in my video – and subscribe to my channel for new Japan videos every week on Thursdays, with lots of tips for your trip!
Stamp Rallies
Sometimes there are stamp rallies with a series of special stamps dotted around set locations, to encourage you to visit them all. Sometimes they’re promoting a particular campaign, or even a game or anime.
I often include stamp rallies in my Japan Travel News videos, which are at the start of every month on YouTube.
There’s a usually a special pamphlet or booklet to collect stamps from the stamp rally (sometimes you have to purchase it), but you can just collect them in your book for fun if you want to. If you use the proper booklet, sometimes there’s a small prize if you collect them all.
There are also digital stamp rallies, where you scan a QR code with your phone to collect virtual stamps – but somehow that doesn’t seem like so much fun!
Goshuin
Goshuin are special stamps with beautiful calligraphy that you can collect from temples and shrines, in return for a small donation.
It’s a faux pas to collect goshuin in your souvenir stamp book, or mix souvenir stamps with goshuin, because goshuin have religious significance.
If you want a book for your goshuin, you can buy a goshuin-cho from major temples and shrines, or some bookstores in Japan. They’re usually concertina-style, sometimes with gorgeous decorated covers.
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