Eki stamp

An eki stamp (駅スタンプ, eki sutanpu, "station stamp") is a free, collectible, rubber ink stamp found at many train stations in Japan.^[1] Their designs typically feature imagery emblematic of the station's associated city or surrounding area, such as landmarks, mascots, or locally produced goods. A time-limited event involving eki stamps pertaining to a specific theme, especially a collaboration with a product of Japanese popular culture, is called a stamp rally.^[2]

Some^[who?] suggest eki stamps were inspired by the success of shuinchō stamp books.^[2] Eki stamps have existed since at least 1931, the first having been installed at a station in Fukui City.^[3]^[4] Shortly thereafter, eki stamps were installed at major stations throughout Japan. In recent years, eki stamps have also spread outside to Japan to places such as Taiwan^{[citation needed]} and Indonesia.^[5]

Travelers may use their own notebooks or stamp books to collect these stamps, making it a pleasant way to document their journey.^[3] Today, eki stamps exist at nearly all (typically staffed) train stations and many subway stations in Japan. While not technically eki stamps (as eki in Japanese means "[train] station"), similar stamps can also be found at other passenger points of boarding, such as airports, ports, visitor information and tourist centers, roadside stations, and highway service areas.^[3]