A cool/kweh-l reason to visit fantastically beautiful Fukushima.

A good trip and a good RPG share a lot of appeal points. In either case, there’s the sense of anticipation that comes with venturing into a realm you’ve never been to before, the wonder of encountering new experiences, and the rewards of coming back with treasure (whether glittering gold or local foodstuffs and handicrafts).

And so it is that Final Fantasy, which has been beckoning fans into its fantasy video game worlds for decades, is now encouraging us to head forth, to Fukushima Prefecture!

The primary part of the promotion is a stamp rally, in which travelers collect stamps from various locations and then submit their stamp sheet to win prizes. The Fukushima Fantasy event looks to link the fun of fantasy and real travel, with the video above showing off some of the RPG-class scenery that Fukushima boasts, featuring photos of travelers in Final Fantasy-inspired garb ascending the hillsides of Hanamiyama Park in Fukushima City, traversing the paths of the shibazakura (“lawn sakura”) flowers of Jupia Land in the town of Hirata…

…and taking in the beauty of the weeping sakura trees along a three-kilometer (1.9-miles) section of the decommissioned Nicchu Line in Kitakata.

As proof of how smoothly these locales could be slotted into a Final Fantasy game, adding a party of pixel-art adventurers, in the style of the series 16-bit era, doesn’t look at all out of place.

A lot of stamp rallies don’t bother with any sort of lore, but the Fukushima Fantasy one goes the extra step with a backstory of Chocobos being sighted in Fukushima. Since this would be even more unusual than deer showing up in Osaka, stamp rally participants will take on the role of members of the organization Fukushima Chocobo Researchers and tasked with searching for signs of the beloved bird mascot of the Final Fantasy franchise.

▼ “Chase the mysterious Chocobo!” says the event’s flier.

And it won’t just be Chocobo stamps for fans to find, as Final Fantasy developer Square Enix and Fukushima Fantasy partner East Japan Railway Company/JR East say there will be three Chocobo statues waiting for fans in Fukushima at the Koriyama, Aizu Wakamatsu, and Yumoto train stations.

▼ The statues will be 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) tall, with a most likely immeasurable amount of cuteness.

Also shown on the flier are a number of other Fukushima locations with otherworldly beauty to them, such as Abukuma Cave in the town of Tamura and a boat voyage along the waters of Mugenkyo, whose name translates literally to “Mist Illusion Ravine.”

Stamp sheets can be obtained at any of the 10 stamp locations, three of which are located at train stations.

● Stamp locations
Kitakata Station
Fukushima Station
Attakayu (Takayu Onsen Tourism Association)
Abukuma Cave
Oze Kaido Mishimajuku Michi no Eki
Jupia Land Hirata
Aquamarine Fukushima
Haranomachi Station
Shioyasaki Lighthouse

Stamp sheets are then submitted by mail for a chance at winning the following prizes, depending on the number of stamps collected.

● 1-stamp prize (400 to be given): Original puffy Chocobo sticker
● 2-stamp prize (50 to be given): Original insulated mug
● 6-stamp prize (50 to be given): Original hooded towel
● 10-stamp prize (5 to be given): Commemorative collectible pin set

The Fukushima Fantasy stamp rally runs from April 1 to June 30. Meanwhile, if your Japan travel plans instead involve venturing to Nagoya, it’s got a Final Fantasy collaboration of its own going on right now.

Source: JR East (1, 2)
Top image: YouTube/JR東日本公式チャンネル
Insert images: JR East, YouTube/JR東日本公式チャンネル
Flier photographs ©SoraNews24
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