This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series, and while Tokyo is celebrating with an art exhibit starting in November, the capital isn't the only place getting into the Eva spirit. From now until the end of February 2026, the city of Hamamatsu in Shizuoka prefecture is putting on an Evangelion-themed tourism initiative that includes all manner of fanfare from giant statues to a stamp rally.
The themed campaign isn't random. Portions of Hamamatsu were used as a model city for the final Evangelion film, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time – and the city hopes to capitalise on its connection to the franchise to attract visitors.
The most noteworthy part of the campaign is the massive Eva statue erected in Hamamatsu's City Hall, on display until January 25 2026 (closed December 29 – January 3). The six-metre-tall humanoid figure is a replica of Eva-01, the mecha piloted by 14-year-old protagonist Shinji Ikari throughout the Evangelion series and films. The statue is open to the public, natch, and can be viewed from 8.30am to 5.15pm on weekdays and from 10am to 4pm on weekends. (If you come on a weekend, grab your free viewing pass from the reception desk at the entrance.)
(Time Out tip: Scan the QR code next to the statue and fill out Hamamatsu's quick tourism survey to receive a Hamamatsu x Evangelion sticker.)
But the giant replica fun doesn't stop there. Head to Tenryu Futamata Station about a half hour's drive from City Hall and join its ¥600 railway tour (¥300 for children) to see a 3.6m replica of the Spear of Longinus, an extra-terrestrial weapon used in the franchise. The 40-minute tour takes place at 1.50pm on weekdays, and at 10.50am and 1.50pm on weekends and holidays.
The location of the spear is well-chosen, as Tenryu Futamata Station and its surrounding area were used as the model for the layout of Village-3 in the fourth and final Evangelion film. The location also serves as one of the checkpoints for another facet of Hamamatsu's tourism drive: an Evangelion stamp rally.
The stamp rally features 11 different Evangelion stamps to collect, spread across 21 popular tourist destinations throughout the city, as well as along the Tenryu Hamanako Railway and the Enshu Railway. To make things a bit easier on your wallet during your stamp-hunting adventure, Hamamatsu is offering Evangelion-themed one-day passes for its two train routes: one for the east route, the other for the west, at the price of ¥1,600 each. Upon completion of the stamp rally, you can pick up a commemorative sticker at select stations.
Last but not least, don't miss the little hidden gem that is the Hamamatsu Diorama Factory, tucked away on the first floor of Zaza City Hamamatsu shopping centre. It's less of a factory and more of a mini-museum, where you'll find over a dozen dioramas featuring recreated scenes from Evangelion. This place isn't only about Evas, though – dioramas of scenes from Alien, Ultraman, Godzilla and more abound, all of which are gradually replaced with new exhibitions throughout the year.
Except for the City Hall statue, all the aforementioned Evangelion goings-on are available until February 28 2026, so you still have a bit of time to get in on the action.
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