Before planning your route, here is an overview of the event and the essential details travelers need to know.

Event Dates and Participating Areas
The JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally 2026 runs from July 16 to August 31, 2026. Prizes can be redeemed through September 1.
Stamps will be installed at 36 stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area, including 35 JR East stations and one Tokyo Monorail station.
Additional stamps will also appear at seven Shinkansen stations: Shin-Aomori, Morioka, Sendai, Akita, Yamagata, Niigata, and Nagano.
That means you can enjoy anything from a quick, several-hour challenge around central Tokyo to a much bigger Pokémon journey through the Tohoku and Shinetsu regions. Simply choose a course that fits your itinerary.

Special Designs Celebrating Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary
Pokémon first launched in 1996, meaning the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026.
To mark the occasion, the rally’s stamps and prizes will feature First Partner Pokémon from different generations. Longtime fans may spot the Pokémon they chose for their very first adventure, while younger participants can look forward to characters from more recent games and series.
For families, it is also a fun opportunity for parents and children to compare favorites and share memories from different Pokémon generations.

The Rally Is Free to Join
Participation in the stamp rally itself is free. You only need to pay the normal transportation fares required to travel between stations, either with individual train tickets or a transportation IC card such as Suica or PASMO.
Travelers covering a wider area may find passes such as the JR TOKYO Wide Pass or JR EAST PASS useful, depending on the route and eligibility requirements.
For shorter trips around Tokyo, tapping through the ticket gates with Suica or Welcome Suica is one of the easiest ways to move between stations. It also offers a small taste of everyday life in Japan.

Stamp rallies are a popular Japanese activity in which participants visit designated locations and press unique stamps into a special booklet.
The JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally 2026 offers four courses, ranging from a quick Tokyo challenge to a major journey across eastern Japan.
Start by picking up a free Stamp Booklet for the 6-Station and Shinkansen Courses. It will be available from July 16 at major stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area and at participating Shinkansen stations.

The 6-Station Course: A Quick Tokyo Challenge
The 6-Station Course is ideal for travelers who want to enjoy the rally between sightseeing stops. Choose any six of the 36 participating stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area and collect their stamps. You could, for example, build a route around major sightseeing hubs such as Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Akihabara, and Tokyo Station.
Once you have collected six stamps, take your booklet to the Goal Counter on the second floor of OIMACHI TRACKS.
Participants will receive:
・A Special Ticket-Style Sticker
・A Pokémon Frienda Special Ex Treasure Pick featuring Captain Pikachu
・A Stamp Booklet for the 9-Station and 36-Station Courses
It is the easiest course to fit into a regular day of Tokyo sightseeing and a great introduction to the full rally.

The 9-Station and 36-Station Courses: Explore More of Tokyo
After completing the 6-Station Course, you can move on to the 9-Station Course.
Collect stamps from nine designated stations, then take your completed booklet to the Goal Counter at Dorin-no-Hiroba, outside Tokyo Station’s Marunouchi Underground South Gate. Successful participants will receive a Special Neck Strap.
For the ultimate Tokyo challenge, try the 36-Station Course and collect every stamp in the metropolitan area. Those who complete the entire route will receive a Special Keychain.
Visiting all 36 stations will likely take several days, but that is part of the fun. The journey can take you beyond Tokyo’s biggest attractions and into local neighborhoods, shopping streets, and lesser-known areas you might otherwise never discover.

The Shinkansen Course: Take Your Adventure Beyond Tokyo
No trip to Japan feels quite complete without experiencing the Shinkansen, the country’s famous high-speed bullet train! For the Shinkansen Course, collect a stamp from any one of the following stations: Shin-Aomori, Morioka, Sendai, Akita, Yamagata, Niigata, or Nagano.
Present the stamped booklet at the Goal Counter in Tokyo Station to receive a weighty Special Medal featuring Koraidon on one side and Miraidon on the other.
The medal makes a memorable souvenir, especially for fans who were already planning a day trip or overnight getaway outside Tokyo.
All prizes are available in limited quantities and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Distribution will end once supplies run out.

The adventure does not end at the stamp stations. Several special displays, trains, photo spots, and character events are planned throughout the rally period.

See Honda Koraidon Up Close
Honda Koraidon, created using mobility technology developed by Japanese automaker Honda, will appear in a special exhibition. Designed to recreate Koraidon’s Sprinting Build, the machine stands on four articulated limbs, moves its head and neck, and uses Honda’s balancing technology to remain upright, as though the Pokémon has stepped straight out of the game.
The display will run from July 16 to 26 at Station Conference Oimachi Tracks, directly connected to Oimachi Station. This ambitious fusion of Pokémon and Japanese engineering is sure to be one of the rally’s most exciting photo opportunities.

Spot Pokémon-Wrapped Trains Around Tokyo
Limited-edition Pokémon-wrapped trains will also take to the rails. The special design will appear on the Yamanote Line beginning August 1, followed by the Keihin-Tohoku Line and Chuo Line Rapid services from August 2. The trains are scheduled to operate through late August.
The colorful designs feature Meowscarada, Quaquaval, Skeledirge, Koraidon, Miraidon, and other Pokémon. Keep your camera ready while waiting on the platform. Seeing a Pokémon train roll past Tokyo’s skyscrapers could become one of the most memorable moments of your trip.

Visit Giant Photo Spots and Try a Layered Stamp
Special wall decorations and photo areas will appear at several locations, including:
・Silver Bell Square at Tokyo Station
・OIMACHI TRACKS
・WATERS takeshiba
WATERS takeshiba will also feature a special layered stamp activity. Press four different stamps in the correct order, and the separate layers will gradually combine to reveal a complete Pokémon illustration.

Meet Captain Pikachu in Person
Captain Pikachu greeting events will be held at OIMACHI TRACKS and WATERS takeshiba.
・OIMACHI TRACKS: July 18-20, July 25, and July 26
・WATERS takeshiba: August 1, 8, 15, and 22
Participation is free, but advance reservations through the official website are required. Spaces will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. For younger fans in particular, meeting Captain Pikachu and taking a commemorative photo could become the highlight of the entire rally.

Pick Up the Special-Edition Stamp Booklet
Serious collectors can purchase a Special-Edition Stamp Booklet that includes spaces for all 36 metropolitan-area stations and all seven Shinkansen stations.
The set also includes a Special Pokémon Pass Case and costs 2,420 yen, including tax.
It will be sold at selected NewDays convenience stores inside stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area. This is the best option for fans who plan to challenge every course from the beginning or want an additional collectible to take home.

With so much to see around the participating stations, it would be a shame to arrive, press a stamp, and immediately leave. Turn the rally into a full sightseeing adventure by combining Pokémon hunting with food, shopping, museums, historic landmarks, and day trips.

Tokyo Station serves as the Goal Counter location for the 9-Station, 36-Station, and Shinkansen Courses, but the station is also a major attraction in its own right.
The historic red-brick Marunouchi Station Building has stood for more than a century and looks particularly beautiful when illuminated after dark.
Below the station, Tokyo Ramen Street brings together popular ramen shops serving specialties from around Japan. Nearby Tokyo Character Street is packed with stores devoted to Japanese characters, anime, and games, including Pokémon merchandise.

Around Ueno Station, visitors will find spacious Ueno Park, Japan’s oldest zoo, and several major museums and art galleries. A short walk away, Ameyoko is a lively shopping street lined with snack stalls, restaurants, market-style shops, and bargain stores.
The neighboring Akihabara area offers a completely different atmosphere. Known internationally as a center of anime, gaming, electronics, and otaku culture, it is an obvious stop for Pokémon fans and pop culture enthusiasts.
Visiting Ueno and Akihabara together lets you experience two very different sides of Tokyo in a single day.

The Shinkansen Course is the perfect excuse to add a day trip or overnight getaway to your itinerary.
In Sendai, you can try the city’s famous grilled beef tongue, known as gyutan, and explore historic sites connected to the powerful samurai lord Date Masamune.
Around Nagano Station, travelers can visit the historic Zenkoji Temple, enjoy views of the surrounding mountains, and try authentic Shinshu soba.
The high-speed journey is part of the attraction. Watching the scenery change as the Shinkansen carries you out of Tokyo offers a memorable travel experience even before you reach your destination.

A little preparation will help you spend less time figuring out transportation and more time searching for Pokémon.

Compare Rail Passes and IC Cards
Travelers covering long distances should compare the cost of individual tickets with visitor rail passes such as the JR TOKYO Wide Pass or JR EAST PASS.
These passes may provide unlimited travel on eligible JR lines and Shinkansen services within their designated areas. Check each pass’s coverage and eligibility carefully before purchasing.
For shorter trips within Tokyo, an IC card or Mobile Suica can save time by letting you pass through ticket gates without purchasing a separate ticket for every journey.

Prepare for Japan’s Summer Heat
July and August in Japan are typically hot and humid. Drink water regularly, take breaks in air-conditioned buildings, and avoid spending too long outside during the hottest part of the day.
Vending machines selling cold drinks are widely available at stations, making it easy to stay hydrated between stops.
A Captain Pikachu sun visor will also be distributed free of charge at the 6-Station Course Goal Counter in OIMACHI TRACKS while supplies last. It is a fun souvenir, but remember that a visor alone is not enough protection from the summer heat.

Download LINE Before Your Trip
To redeem prizes for the 6-Station and Shinkansen Courses, participants must add the official JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally 2026 LINE account and present the distributed redemption coupon.
Downloading and setting up LINE before arriving in Japan can make the process much smoother. You can get the official app here.
Junior high school students and younger participants do not need to present the LINE coupon. However, staff may request identification, such as a passport, to confirm the participant’s age.

Yes. Pokémon illustrations and event posters inside participating stations will help you identify the stamp locations. Staff at the Goal Counters can also assist if you have trouble understanding the redemption process.

It may technically be possible, but it would be an exhausting schedule with little time left for sightseeing. Spreading the challenge across several days will make the experience far more enjoyable. Travelers with limited time should begin with the 6-Station Course and explore at their own pace.

The free booklet for the 6-Station and Shinkansen Courses will be distributed at major JR East stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area and at participating Shinkansen stations. The paid Special-Edition Stamp Booklet will be available at selected NewDays convenience stores inside stations.

No. All prizes are available in limited quantities and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans hoping to collect a particular item should participate as early as possible.

Shinkansen travel generally requires both a basic fare ticket and a limited express ticket. Tickets can be purchased at JR ticket offices, multilingual ticket machines, or online. Travelers using the Japan Rail Pass or another JR pass should confirm that their chosen route and train are covered.

The JR East Pokémon Stamp Rally 2026 offers more than a collection of stamps. It is a chance to explore Tokyo on foot, experience Japan’s railway system, discover unfamiliar neighborhoods, and meet Pokémon along the way.
Each new stamp becomes a record of somewhere you visited, whether it was a famous Tokyo landmark or a distant Shinkansen destination.
This summer, grab a stamp booklet, board the train, and set off on your own Pokémon adventure across Japan.

(Note: Images, illustrations, and designs are for illustrative purposes only and may differ from the actual items. Event details are subject to change or cancellation without notice. For the latest detailed information, always check the <@official Stamp Rally

(Source/Main Image :PR Times)