In 2024, the summer of record-breaking heat finally came to an end, and the season began to take on an autumnal feel.
For anyone wondering where to go sightseeing, we recommend the “Meguri: Kindaichi Kosuke Mystery-Solving Rally,” held from Wednesday, October 2 to Sunday, December 22, 2024.
The Kindaichi Kosuke mystery novels by Yokomizo Seishi still have many devoted fans. Many of the stories are set or filmed in Okayama Prefecture.
Here, we’ll share what makes this event, which takes you around places connected to the stories while solving mysteries, so appealing.
The information presented was current when this article was published in October 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Overview of the “Meguri: Kindaichi Kosuke Trail Mystery-Solving Rally”
Yokomizo Seishi lived as an evacuee for three years from April 1945 in what is now Okada, Mabi, Kurashiki City. Perhaps influenced by this experience, Okayama Prefecture became an essential element of his works, serving as their setting or as a filming location for movies and television dramas.
The “Meguri: Kindaichi Kosuke Trail Mystery-Solving Rally” is a stamp rally that takes participants to 12 locations carefully selected from places connected to the author, Yokomizo Seishi, or the settings and filming locations of his works. Participants solve a mystery at each location to receive an original sticker, using both a smartphone and a leaflet.
Leaflets are available at each event location and tourist information center, and can also be downloaded below.
Prizes are as follows:
- Collect stamps at all 12 spots using your smartphone to enter a drawing for local specialty products from the participating municipalities.
- On the leaflet, which lists the spots divided into Groups A–D, solve the mysteries at at least one spot in each group (four or more in total) and collect stamps at at least one checkpoint in both Groups A and B to receive an original sticker. (First 500 participants)
- Solve all 12 mysteries and collect stamps at all six checkpoints to receive a secret prize. (First 100 participants)
※ To redeem the secret prize, all mystery answers and checkpoint stamps must be on a single leaflet.
Original stickers and secret prizes can be redeemed at spots marked with a ★ and at the Kasaoka Tourism Federation.
Redemption of the secret prize has ended.
The locations connected to the stories are spread across six cities and one town: Niimi City, Takahashi City, Soja City, Kurashiki City, Yakage Town, Ibara City, and Kasaoka City. The spots are further divided into the following four groups.
- Group A
★Makido Cave (Niimi City)
★Hirokane Residence (Takahashi City)
★Nakasei Yume-ga-hara (Ibara City) - Group B
★Kurashiki City Mabi Furusato History Museum (Kurashiki City)
★Yokomizo Seishi's Wartime Residence (Kurashiki City)
★Soja City Machikado Local History Museum (Soja City) - Group C
★Former Yakage Honjin Ishii Residence (Yakage Town)
Kiyone Station (Soja City)
Old Yunoki House (Saiso-tei) (Kurashiki City) - Group D
★Inoue House (Kurashiki City)
★Nozaki's Historical Residence (Kurashiki City)
Sumiyoshi Port (Minato Kobanshi) (Kasaoka City)
The number of original stickers is limited. Please check with the facilities in advance before visiting to redeem one.
※ Redemption at the Kurashiki City Mabi Furusato History Museum ended (as of October 28, 2024).
How to participate in the mystery-solving rally
You will need a leaflet and a smartphone to participate.
- Use your smartphone to access the QR code on the leaflet and register as a user. You can visit the 12 spots in any order.
- Scan the QR code at the bottom left of the poster displaying the “mystery” at each spot with your smartphone to receive a stamp for that spot.
The stamp includes a hint for the mystery. - Write your answers to the mysteries in the “Answers” section of the leaflet. At spots with checkpoints, remember to get a stamp at the counter.
I visited the Former Yakage Honjin Ishii Residence, where Mystery 7 in Group C is located, and will introduce it here as a reference.
The “mystery” displays are near the entrances to each facility. If you’re unsure, ask at reception or a staff member.
The “mysteries” are unrelated to Kindaichi Kosuke or Yokomizo Seishi’s works, so you can enjoy them even if you’re unfamiliar with the stories.
Scan the QR code at the bottom left of the poster with the “mystery” to receive a stamp with a hint, as shown in the image. (Check the hint for yourself.)
Next, write your answer to the mystery on the leaflet. (Find the answer for yourself.)
At facilities with checkpoints, be sure not to forget to get a stamp.
What makes the mystery-solving rally appealing and efforts behind the event
We spoke with Kurashiki City Tourism Division staff members Noriko Yasuhara and Miyake Takahiro about the “Kindaichi Kosuke Trail” and the “Meguri: Kindaichi Kosuke Trail Mystery-Solving Stamp Rally,” including participants’ reactions and details about the prizes.
The “mystery” on the desk in the image is an example from 2023.
When did you start using the name “Kindaichi Kosuke Trail”?
Yasuhara (surname only)
It dates back to 2009, when it began as a Kurashiki City project. At first, it focused on Mabi, but gradually expanded to include bus tours and other activities. Since 2015, it has been run as a Takahashi River Basin project.
It now spans six cities and one town, including Niimi City and Kasaoka City, allowing visitors to explore a wide area of places connected to Yokomizo Seishi’s works and Kindaichi Kosuke.
Could you tell us more about this year’s mystery-solving rally?
Miyake (surname only)
The 12 selected spots are divided into four groups, A through D. Participants must solve at least one mystery at one of the three spots in each group. In addition, to receive an original sticker, they must get a stamp in the checkpoint section at at least one spot in each of Groups A and B.
Prizes are limited, so please check the website or the prize redemption spots listed in the leaflet.
What are the original stickers like?
Yasuhara
They feature famous characters from the Kindaichi Kosuke series. This year’s (2024) original sticker features Sukekiyo Inugami, from The Inugami Family.
Miyake
The original stickers were introduced with the 2022 mystery-solving rally, and this is the third time they’ve been offered. The first featured “Kindaichi Kosuke,” and the second featured “Tajimi Yozo” from The Village of Eight Graves.
They are all popular characters and have been well received by participants.
How are the spots assigned to Groups A through D?
Yasuhara
We want visitors to enjoy as many spots as possible, so we make sure they aren’t concentrated in one area. Groups A and B require participants to collect checkpoint stamps, and they can also ask staff for information about the sightseeing spots.
Miyake
The filming locations, story settings, and places connected to the author include a variety of spots, such as historic buildings, stations, and ports. Visitors may enjoy the experience even more by also visiting nearby attractions and places to eat.
Are there other ways to enjoy the event besides solving mysteries?
Miyake
In the “mystery-solving rally,” you can write your answers on the leaflet and collect stamps at checkpoints, while also enjoying a stamp rally on your smartphone.
The stamp rally uses the JAF Drive Stamp Rally. Collect stamps at all 12 spots to enter a drawing for a gift set of local specialty products from the participating municipalities.
Yasuhara
We also display “fan-favorite character illustrations” submitted through an open call, drawn by fans of Yokomizo Seishi’s works. This year, artists were asked to choose from three works: “The Honjin Murders,” “The Inugami Family,” and “The Village of Eight Graves.”
The fan-favorite character illustrations are displayed at all spots except Kiyone Station and Old Yunoki House. Please be sure to take a look. If you’d like to learn more about the characters, we encourage you to read the works.
You’ll enjoy them even more if you watch the movies or TV dramas.
There are also other events besides the mystery-solving rally, including the cosplay event “1000 Kindaichi Kosuke.” For details, please check the website.
From the Writer
Yokomizo Seishi was a mystery writer who represented the Showa era. His wartime evacuation to Okada, Mabi, Kurashiki City, now had a major influence on his works, and place names, characters, crime settings, and filming locations make exploring Okayama even more enjoyable.
I also visited several places, and found myself getting caught up in the fun of solving mysteries while heading for the next sightseeing spot.
If you haven’t yet watched (or read) his works, take this opportunity to do so. By following the Kindaichi Kosuke Trail, you may discover a new side of Okayama that you never knew before.
Meguri: Kindaichi Kosuke Trail Mystery-Solving Rally Information
| Name | Meguri: Kindaichi Kosuke Trail Mystery-Solving Rally |
|---|---|
| Held | October 2–December 22, 2024 (Wednesday–Sunday) |
| Location | Kurashiki City, Takahashi City, Ibara City, Kasaoka City, Niimi City, Soja City, Yakage Town |
| Participation fee (tax included) | Varies by facility. Please check in advance. |
| Website | Kurashiki City Tourism WEB “Meguri: Kindaichi Kosuke Trail” |
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