Sherlock Holmes · Murder mystery

Osaka Self-Guided Detective Murder Mystery Game

4.4 on Google (24 reviews)

  • 1.5–2 hours
  • 1–4 players per team
  • In the free Loquiz app on your phone
  • Start any time within 12 months
  • Free cancellation until you start

Work a detective murder case on foot through Osaka, starting at Triangle Park and following the clues at your own pace.

A murder in Osaka, one victim called Balthasar, and a suspect list that only gets shorter if you go and look.

This is a self-guided murder mystery game you play outdoors, at your own pace, with Osaka for a board. Your phone carries the case file and the city carries the evidence. Clues to gather, digital characters to question, codes to break and a name to give at the end - a detective game with no host at a meeting point, no timetable and no group to keep up with.

You will be standing at Dotonbori, Umeda Sky Building and Namba Yasaka Shrine, among other places.

The Walk Through Osaka

So do Kuromon Ichiba Market and アメリカ村 DROP. The route runs 3 to 4 km and rewards the people who look up rather than the people who walk fast.

How Your Case in Osaka Plays Out

You move, the case moves. Each stop has something to solve and each digital character has something to say once you have solved it, and the suspect list shortens accordingly. Figure on 1.5 to 2 hours across 3 to 4 km, with as many breaks as you feel like taking. The habit is the one the Sherlock Holmes stories are built on: notice the thing nobody else bothered to look at, then say out loud what it means.

Who Plays This in Osaka

With friends. Four of you on one phone and everybody gets a say. Somebody always commits to a theory early, loudly, and wrongly - that is half of what you will talk about afterwards.

With your team. Two teams on one case turns it competitive, which is the whole point. No booking a room, no briefing, no waiting for stragglers: a team outing in Osaka that starts when the last person shows up.

With kids. Eight years old is about the floor. The distance is not the problem it sounds like, the photo tasks are where children beat adults outright, and the codes end up being solved by the whole family at once.

Before You Book

How does the murder mystery game work?

Everything sits in the Loquiz app. Start it wherever you like in Osaka, follow what the case tells you, solve what each location puts in front of you, and hand in a name when you are sure.

How long does it take?

About two hours of playing and 3 to 4 km of walking. How long the whole outing takes is up to you, because you can stop for as long as you like and carry on after.

How many people can play on one ticket?

One ticket covers one to four players on a single device, €19.95 in total. Bigger groups buy one ticket per four and race each other through the same murder.

Do we need to book a time?

A date is all we need. The starting time is yours, because there is no host, no departure and nobody else's schedule involved.

Is it suitable for children?

Eight and up handle it well. Nothing along the way is beyond them, and more often than you would expect it is the youngest player who notices the detail that decides the case.

What happens if it rains?

Nothing forces you to keep walking. Duck into a cafe, let it pass and carry on when you feel like it - there is no time limit on any part of this.

Is this a detective game or a walking tour of Osaka?

It is a detective game first. But you see Osaka properly while you play it, and people tend to remember a street they searched better than one they were shown.

What else is there to do in Osaka?

There are other city games in Osaka built on the same idea and a different story, and Japan has plenty more where this came from.

  1. Dotonbori542-0071 Osaka
  2. Umeda Sky Building531-6023 Osaka
  3. Namba Yasaka Shrine556-0016 Osaka
  4. Kuromon Ichiba MarketKuromon Ichiba Market, 542-0073 Osaka
  5. アメリカ村 DROP542-0086 Osaka
  6. Osaka Castle Park540-0002 Osaka
  7. Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum542-0076 Osaka
  8. Shitennō-ji, 1-chōme-11-18 Shitennōji543-0051 Osaka
Show all 15 stops
  1. Nakanoshima Park530-0005 Osaka
  2. Osaka Museum of History540-0008 Osaka
  3. Hozen-ji Temple542-0076 Osaka
  4. National Bunraku Theatre542-0073 Osaka
  5. Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street542-0085 Osaka
  6. Tsūtenkaku556-0002 Osaka
  7. Namba Hatch556-0017 Osaka

How it works

  1. BookYour ticket arrives by email.
  2. Go to the startThe start point is in your email. Any day within 12 months.
  3. PlayOpen the link on one phone per team and press start.

What players in other cities say

4.4 on Google (24 reviews)

  • ★★★★★

    Wir (Mein Mann, unsere 9-jährige Tochter und ich) haben heute ganz spontan das Spiel "Moordmysterie Düsseldorf" gebucht und gespielt. Die Buchung verlief schnell und reibungslos. Es hat super viel Spaß gemacht! Die Story, die Rätsel, das Konzept, die Route, die Gestaltung der App... richtig gut!!! Das Spiel würde ich vor allem Familien mit Kindern empfehlen. Für Erwachsene waren die Rätsel (meiner Meinung nach) zu einfach. Aber trotzdem wegen der schönen Route durch Düsseldorf, der Story, den lustigen Anweisungen zwischendurch eine schöne Aktion, die man zusammen machen kann.

    Lingling Z.October 2026 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    Had great fun playing secrets of Haarlem!

    Martin M.March 2026 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    Game in Amsterdam was fun!

    Enzo L.March 2026 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    Had So much fun playing while exploring the city

    Philip C.March 2026 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    I had a fantastic experience with CityGame! The concept is creative, engaging, and a great way to explore a city in a completely new way. The games are well-designed, combining puzzles, storytelling, and adventure so you’re constantly discovering something interesting around every corner. What I especially love is how CityGame turns a normal walk through the city into an interactive experience. It’s perfect for friends, families, or team outings, and it makes sightseeing much more exciting than the usual tours. Everything was easy to use, the challenges were fun and clever, and it really encouraged us to look closer at the city and its hidden details. Highly recommended if you’re looking for a unique and memorable way to explore!

    Jessica S.March 2026 · via google
  • ★★★★★

    This is an interesting way to conduct a self-guided Amsterdam city tour. It used the GPS on your phone to guide you to stops on a route. There are mini quizzes once you arrive at the stops on the path. The quizzes draw your attention to features in front of you or to a brief history of the place. In many cases, we visited a spot that would not have been obvious as a regular passer by. The tour as a whole was interesting to us as newcomers, but I would have liked more information on many locations we visited - a few links outside of the app for each place would have been helpful. Beyond that, the interface was a bit clunky and sometimes awkward to navigate. We definitely don't regret trying this out and feel like we got our money's worth on the experience.

    JaibhijaiJune 2024 · via google
How we check reviews

These reviews were left by players on Google and other review sites and are copied from there as they are, with their source.

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