New Studio Ghibli stamp rally set to start in Japan, with exclusive merchandise for anime fans

All the details on how to collect the stamps and get the commemorative prize.

Japan has a knack for tapping into the human spirit and understanding what nourishes us as a species. One of the ways it does that is through stamp rallies, fulfilling our desire to collect things, achieve goals, and get our hands on a good freebie.

Now there’s aStudio Ghibli stamp rallycoming our way, withfour digital stamps to collect and an exclusive commemorative badge for those who collect them all.

▼金曜ロードショーとジブリ展とSAGAスタンプラリー = Friday Road Show and Ghibli Exhibition and Saga Stamp Rally

Held alongside the Friday Road Show and Ghibli Exhibition, which showcases Japan’s Friday Road Show TV programme and its long-running history of broadcasting Studio Ghibli films, the event is also encouraging visitors to explore Saga City, where the exhibition is being held from 3 November 2026 to 14 February 2027.

The Friday Road Show and Ghibli Exhibition and Saga Stamp Rally will be held throughout the exhibition period, and although it’s free to participate, an admission ticket to the exhibition is required.

You’ll also need to download Fukuoka Broadcasting System’s free FBS app – you can scan the QR code at one of the rally points to download it – and then you simply visit all four stamp rally locations around Saga City and scan the QR code at each one to collect your stamps. Unlike a traditional stamp rally, where participants physically stamp a piece of card or paper, this event is all done digitally, so you’ll be collecting the stamps on your smartphone.

There is, however,a physical reward that you can clutch in your hands like No Face with a mound of gold, because once you collect all four, you can show your completed stamp collection at the prize exchange counter at any of the four locations to receive your badge.

The four locations and their stamp designs are:

▼ Saga Prefectural Art Museum – Friday Ojisan

▼ Saga Mado – From Up on Poppy Hill

▼ Saga Castle History Museum – Princess Mononoke

▼ Saga Balloon Museum – Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind

▼ The stamp rally route stretches around 2.9 kilometres (1.8 miles) and takes around 41 minutes to complete on foot or eight minutes by car.

For visitors who don’t have a car and prefer not to walk, Saga has a convenient bus network that’ll get you to the locations, and it’s drawing attention to that fact with specially wrapped buses for a limited time. The vibrant look ties in with the prefecture’s “Let’s walk Saga Prefecture” initiative, which encourages visitors to use public transport while exploring the area on foot.

Visitors who use the participating bus services or JR trains to reach the exhibition can also receive a free A4-sized clear file featuring Friday Ojisan,the Friday Road Show mascot character. These limited-edition freebies are available while stocks last, and visitors will need to show their exhibition ticket along with the required proof of travel – pick up a “clear file exchange ticket” on one of the wrapped buses or snap a photo of the special photo panel inside the ticket gate at JR Saga Station – to claim one of the files.

As another initiative to get people on the buses, there will be special in-car announcements by voice actress Sumi Shimamoto, who voiced the main character of Nausicaä in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, as well as voicingSatsuki and Mei’s mother in My Neighbour Totoro and Toki in Princess Mononoke.

You can collect the stamps in any order, and you don’t have to visit all four locations in one day as the stamps you’ve collected will be automatically saved in the app. The commemorative badge measures approximately six centimetres (2.4 inches) in diameter and features the exhibition’s key visual, acting as a sweet souvenir and reminder of your efforts. It’s not available for sale, and only one can be claimed per person per device, so it will be a very sought-after item.

▼ A true collector’s item.

Stocks of the badge are limited, so although the rally runs until February, you’ll want to collect your stamps earlier rather than later to avoid missing out. Be sure to check the opening hours of the locations too, so you can plan your visit accordingly and get the most out of each location. Happy stamping!