Game page Escape Game Unlocking Japan

Goal of this escape game: Unclock the full story of how Japan’s history has been changed by the West.

Preparation for playing Unlocking Japan

It is best to craft the globe and globe holder before you start the game. For this you need scissors and glue that is not too wet. Consider, for example, prit marker.
Make use of a magnifying glass (or the modern version via the zoom function of the camera on your smart phone).
Make use of a magnifying glass (or the modern version via the zoom function of the camera on your smart phone).
If necessary but use apps or the Internet such as, for example, Google Translate (and the camera function that automatically recognizes and translates a language). You can also recognize Japanese characters through this list:

Only read this part if you bought Unlocking Japan BEFORE december 1st 2024.

At the first batch of games (for example, purchased at Spiel Essen 2024 or the Spellenspektakel), some incorrect files were accidentally used during the printing process. You can still play the game properly, but you need to make a few changes to the materials. Please do this carefully.

On this image, a few additional crosses need to be added. This ensures that there is only one solution for this puzzle. Be very precise when placing the crosses.

Only read this if you bought Unlocking Japan AFTER december 1st 2024.

When making the Globe, you will find on the sheet with the two 12-corners figure a pair of extra gores. You use these for the southern hemisphere. On the large sheet with the gores to build the globe you find a few double gores for the southern hemisphere. For solving the puzzles this does not matter but it makes the globe more beautiful.
A few extra crosses should be placed on this image. This way you can only get one solution to this puzzle. Be very careful when placing the crosses.

Hints (EN)

Scroll with ships

Hint 1

First, determine which of the two ships contains the secret code.

Hint 2

The secret code is hidden in the Dutch ship. What stands out about this ship?

Hint 3

The secret code is indeed hidden in the flags. Do you also see the flags with numbers elsewhere?

Hint 4

Take a good look at the “VLAGGEN & VERKLARINGEN der KOLEUREN” sheet. What do you notice?

Hint 5

Different letters are underlined.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

You only need the underlined letters from the flags on the ship with numbers. If you note them in order, you get: WILLIAM ADAMS

Scroll Japanese Birds

Hint 1

What do you notice when you look at each image of each bird?

Hint 2

Each bird has its own melody. Can you do something with that?

Hint 3

The rhythm of the bird always involves something with long and short tones.

Hint 4

Can you link these long and short tones to something you see on other material? And do you perhaps see a clue for this on the scroll with birds?

Hint 5

With the first bird, you see a symbol of 6 lines (a double trigram, also called a hexagram) in the bottom right corner, and you also find it on the back of the sheet with the colored flags “VLAGGEN & VERKLARINGEN der KOLEUREN”.

Hint 6

Match the correct rhythm for each bird to the correct symbol.

Hint 7

Each found symbol has a number between 1 and 26. What can you do with that?

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

Each number is the position of the letter in the alphabet: Bird 1 (1=A), Bird 2 (11=K), Bird 3 (5=E), Bird 4 (3=C)…etc. In the end, you get the name as the solution: AKECHI MITSUHIDE

Japanese playing cards Karuta

Hint 1

If you closely examine the karuta cards, you’ll notice that something is partly missing each time. Can you do something with that?

Hint 2

Something is missing on the back of each card. They seem to be half symbols. Can you somehow complete them?

Hint 3

Take a look among the other materials to see if you can find something you can use.

Hint 4

There is an image of a large yellow Japanese flag with waves and 5 black sections. For more hints, click on the image of the large yellow Japanese flag.

Red Seal

Hint 1

The front side with the red seal contains no puzzle or secret code. On the back side, you collect all the answers from all the other puzzles.

Hint 2

Behind each symbol, you’ll find a series of boxes where you can fill in the answers. Do you notice anything here?

Hint 3

Behind each symbol, you’ll find a series of square boxes. Only some are slightly rotated, forming a diamond shape. What could you do with this?

Solution (Warning! SPOILER)

The bottom symbol only contains diamonds. These are all the letters you find in all the diamond-shaped boxes located between the regular boxes. The answer you then get is: DIRCK GERRITSZ.

Letter with secret code

Hint 1

Even though the entire page is in secret code, you don’t need to decipher everything to find the hidden message.

Hint 2

Have you checked if the symbols of the secret code are also found on other Unlocking Japan materials?

Hint 3

You need both the wind roses and the “base sheet” that holds the wind rose.

Hint 4

On one of the three wind roses, you’ll find the symbols of the secret VOC code. This is the wind rose you need to use.

Hint 5

At the bottom of the VOC letter with the secret message, you’ll always find groups of three numbers: 1.1.1, 4.5.2, etc. How can you turn each group of three numbers into letters?

Hint 6

For example, in 4.5.2, the 4 refers to the line number, the 5 to… etc.

Hint 7

For example, in 4.5.2, the 4 refers to the line number, the 5 to the word in that line… etc.

Hint 8

Now you know which symbols to decipher. For that, you need the wind rose again. How to rotate the wind rose is determined by where the wind “blows” from. Use the back of the base sheet with the wind directions.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you rotate the largest wind rose with NOORD TEN OOSTEN towards the blowing man on NOORD, you can decipher the symbols. The answer you get is: JAN JOOSTEN VAN LODENSTEYN

Maritime Flags

Hint 1

The card with maritime flags and the title “VLAGGEN met VERKLARINGEN der KOLEUREN” must be used in combination with another item from Unlocking Japan.

Hint 2

Do you see any material where the flags resemble the flags on this image with maritime flags?

Hint 3

You need the scroll that has a Japanese ship on one side and a Dutch ship on the other.

Hint 4

For more hints, click on the image with the Japanese ship.

Scroll with the story

Hint 1

Have you noticed that there are three identical scrolls, but each in a different language? You need the English version.

Hint 2

You can read through the entire story, but information is missing in various places. This missing information is marked with different symbols. Have you seen these symbols on other items?

Hint 3

At the bottom of the scroll, you see a flower symbol inside a hexagon. The dashes look different compared to the dashes near the symbols. Keep this in mind and examine the scroll carefully again.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you carefully review the text again, you’ll notice that some letters have a dash consisting of three dots underneath. If you combine all these letters, they spell: MELCHIOR VAN SANTVOORT.

Map with cardinal directions

Hint 1

This beautiful image of the cardinal directions is full of clues. For at least one puzzle, you need to use additional material. That is the letter with the secret code. Further hints can be found by clicking on the letter with the secret code in this image.

Back, Bottom Left Hint 1

You are looking for a ship’s name consisting of 8 and 4 letters.

Back, Bottom Left Hint 2

You see numbers 1 through 12 in a strange figure. Where else do you see this figure?

Back, Bottom Left Hint 3

You see that figure in the bottom left on the front. Inside it, it says LAND GEHVIERT. Can you do something with that?

Back, Bottom Left Hint 4

How many letters does LAND GEHVIERT have? And how many numbers are in the strange figure on the back?

Back, Bottom Left Hint 5

Link the 12 numbers and 12 letters. What is the correct order?

Back, Bottom Left Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you link the numbers to the letters exactly as they are and then arrange them in order from 1 to 12, you’ll read: VLIEGEND HART. That is the name of the ship you are looking for.

Back, Bottom Right Hint 1

You are looking for a ship’s name consisting of 2 and 6 letters.

Back, Bottom Right Hint 2

To solve this puzzle, you also need the three circles (wind roses).

Back, Bottom Right Hint 3

Based on the circles next to the puzzles at the bottom right and top right, you can determine which two wind roses you need for each puzzle.

Back, Bottom Right Hint 4

For this puzzle, you need the two smallest wind roses. If you look closely, you see letters and numbers on the wind roses. How can you use these to solve the secret code YG 5UGDYG?

Back, Bottom Right Hint 5

Use the clues L’ESTE and Circius Gallicus to correctly align the circles. (Caesar Cipher)

Back, Bottom Right Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you place the smallest wind rose on the middle one and align them so that L’ESTE and Circius Gallicus match, you’ll see that the letter Y corresponds to “D” on the small wind rose. Doing this for all letters in YG 5UGDYG gives you the ship’s name: DE LIEFDE.

Back, Top Right Hint 1

You are looking for a Dutch name consisting of 5 and 13 letters.

Back, Top Right Hint 2

To solve this puzzle, you also need the three circles (wind roses).

Back, Top Right Hint 3

Based on the circles next to the puzzles at the bottom right and top right, you can determine which two wind roses you need for each puzzle.

Back, Top Right Hint 4

For this puzzle, you need the two largest wind roses. If you look closely, you see letters and numbers on the wind roses. How can you use these to solve the secret code PHGFI DMH4GL46RH4GL?

Back, Top Right Hint 5

Use the clues “OESTE” and “NOORD OOST/TEN OOSTEN” to correctly align the circles. (Caesar Cipher)

Back, Top Right Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you place the medium wind rose on the largest one and align them so that “OESTE” and NOORD OOST/TEN OOSTEN” match, you’ll see that the letter “P” corresponds to “J” on the medium wind rose. Doing this for all letters in PHGFI DMH4GL46RH4GL gives you the Dutch name: JACOB QUAECKERNAECK.

Samurai Battle

Hint 1

Of course, the front is important. But have you also seen what’s on the back? You are looking for a name consisting of 8 and 6 letters.

Hint 2

Have you noticed the different samurai on the back?

Hint 3

Have you seen the samurai from the back on the front as well?

Hint 4

How many of each type of samurai do you see?

Hint 5

What could you do with the counts of each type of samurai?

Hint 6

Link the counts of each type of samurai to the alphabet.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

For the first samurai, you count 20 (T), for the second, you count 15 (O), for the third samurai, you count 11 (K)… and so on. If you go through them all, you get: TOKUGAWA IEYASU.

3 Compass cards

Hint 1

You need to use the three compass cards with or in combination with two other materials. Can you figure out which ones?

Hint 2

The two materials you need to use are the letter with the secret code and the image with the compass cards and cardinal directions. For more hints, you can click on both images.

Components for the Globe and Ribbon

Hint 1

Once you’ve built the globe, there should be a ribbon left with all kinds of dashed symbols. These are hexagrams. You are looking for a ship’s name with 6 letters.

Hint 2

Have you seen these hexagrams anywhere else?

Hint 3

You’ll find a table with hexagrams and numbers on the back of the sheet with the maritime flags, titled “VLAGGEN met VERKLARINGEN der KOLEUREN”.

Hint 4

To determine which hexagrams you need, you must combine this ribbon with another material.

Hint 5

You need to wrap the ribbon around something. Around what?

Hint 6

You can use the rolled-up holder of the globe to wrap the ribbon around.

Hint 7

Once you’ve wrapped the ribbon around the globe holder, read it in the direction of the small arrows.

Hint 8

Each hexagram has a number associated with it. This number helps you find the answer.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you convert all the numbers associated with the found hexagrams into letters, you’ll find the ship’s name: TROUWE.

Training Samurai

Hint 1

Have you closely examined the back? You see a symbol with 9 dots. Here, you’ll eventually enter the answer of 8 and 9 letters. It’s a Japanese name. What else do you see on the back?

Hint 2

Compare the symbols on the back with those on the front.

Hint 3

What stands out about the samurai?

Hint 4

Where are the weapons pointing?

Hint 5

The weapons each point to one of the symbols along the edge.

Hint 6

On which material have you seen these symbols before?

Hint 7

You’ll find the same symbols on the back of the sheet “VLAGGEN & VERKLARINGEN der KOLEUREN”.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you take the correct order of the symbols, the answer you get is: TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI.

Japanese Flags Puzzle

Hint 1

On this back of the map of Asia, you’ll find a grid (a type of table) that has the same shape as the parallels and meridians on the front of the map. But now with Japanese flags. Look closely at the image. You’re looking for a ship’s name with 6 letters. NOTE: In the game’s introduction, it states that some extra squares need to be marked with an X. If you don’t do this, you might find a different solution.

Hint 2

If you’ve looked closely at the image, you’ll see a summary of the flags and their values at the bottom. Assign these values to the flags in the grid and try to find a solution.

Hint 3

This puzzle is actually a nonogram or Japanese puzzle. Some squares are filled in, and others have an X. Can you figure out why? If so, continue solving the Japanese puzzle.

Hint 4

For example, if we look at the white flag with a red dot (value 7) furthest to the right, it means all 7 squares in that column are included. So, all 7 should be filled in. You also see a column with 7 Xs that doesn’t have a flag above it. These don’t count. Mark those with an X.

Hint 5

It’s now up to you to solve this puzzle further. Take your time. If you’re still unsure, find an example somewhere to better understand the Nonogram principle.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you’ve colored all the correct squares and filled the rest with Xs, the colored squares together form the ship’s name: GELOOF.

Japanese Flag

Hint 1

On the back, you see a symbol with several dashes next to it. Here, you are looking for a Japanese name consisting of 3 and 8 letters.

Hint 2

On this beautiful image, there are Japanese characters, and next to each black area, a part of a character. How can you figure out what the three characters mean?

Hint 3

The translation of the three Japanese characters is “OPEN.” But what needs to be opened?

Hint 4

Around the word “OPEN,” there are 5 black rectangles. Do you recognize these shapes in your other materials?

Hint 5

The 5 Japanese playing cards (Karuta) fit perfectly on the black areas. That can’t be a coincidence.

Hint 6

Place the playing cards so that the symbols become complete. How can you now figure out what it says?

Hint 7

In the introduction to this game, you were given a table with Japanese characters. What is the Western name for these characters?

Hint 8

Then, in the middle, the word “OPEN” is still there. Where does it point to?

Hint 9

There is a playing card with an arrow. Can this card be opened?

Hint 10

Once you’ve opened that card, you can use the table with Japanese characters again.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you read all the characters one after the other, starting with the card with the arrow, you will find: ODA NOBUNAGA. That is the Japanese name you are looking for.

Sea Map Asia

Hint 1

On this sea map of Asia, you are looking for a ship’s name consisting of 4 letters. Study the map carefully to find the secret code.

Hint 2

The secret code is located at the bottom of the sea map. This code always consists of a group of 2 numbers with the word “Par” in between, and the small groups are connected by a line. How can you use this to find the ship’s name?

Hint 3

This secret code represents “coordinates.”

Hint 4

First, try to link the word Par to something on the sea map.

Hint 5

Par stands for parallel, or on this map, it is referred to as Parallelus (number) Borealis.

Hint 6

Find all the intersections of the (number) parallel with the (number) meridian.

Hint 7

If you connect all the coordinates with lines, these points and lines will form a letter each time.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you have connected all the coordinates correctly, you will get the ship’s name: HOOP.

Components for the Globe

Hint 1

These two A4 sheets are used to create the globe. The light-colored sheet is meant to be rolled up. The “roll” you create will eventually go through the two globe parts. Here, you are looking for a name consisting of: 7 and 7 letters.

Hint 2

Once you’ve completed the globe, you will see two images with place names inside the globe. What can you do with these in combination with the “roll”?

Hint 3

Rotate the two globe parts (north and south) so that they align perfectly with the square and the oval.

Hint 4

When the globe parts are properly aligned, you can link the place names to numbers.

Hint 5

The numbers indicate the order, but of what?

Hint 6

The numbers indicate the order of the underlined letters in each place name.

Solution: Warning! SPOILER

If you place the underlined letters in the correct order, you will get: RODRIGO GIRALDO.