Japan opened the world’s first outdoor Pokémon theme park, PokéPark Kanto, marking a milestone year for the globally popular franchise’s 30th anniversary.
Due to strong demand, advance and lottery-based tickets are sold out until early April, with international visitors advised to book several months ahead.
The 26,000-square-meter attraction is located within Yomiuriland, around 30 minutes from central Tokyo, and spans parts of Tokyo and neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture. It was developed under the supervision of The Pokémon Company.
Pokemon (short for Pocket Monsters), one of Japan’s top cultural exports, began in 1996 with video games on Nintendo’s Game Boy console. and has grown into one of the world’s most successful entertainment franchises. It extends across video games, trading cards, television series, films, and mobile apps. More than 1,000 Pokémon species now exist across its expanding universe.
Inspired by the Japanese summer childhood tradition of bug-collecting, players catch and train in battle hundreds of “pocket monsters.” The phenomenon has evolved since then to become wildly popular worldwide, with anime series, movies, a trading card game and the augmented reality smartphone app “Pokemon Go.”
Features of the park
The park is divided into two main areas, Pokémon Forest and Sedge Town – a hilly outdoor zone nearly 0.5 km long full of Pokemon figurines, and a town modelled on those in the games for shopping and rides.
The Pokémon Forest features a 500-meter nature trail and more than 600 life-size Pokémon replicas. Visitors can navigate wooded paths, hills, tunnels, and rocky terrain designed to resemble the creatures’ natural habitats.
However, children under five and guests with reduced mobility cannot access the forest area, as the trail includes 110 steps, which is not wheelchair-friendly.
Sedge Town recreates a lively Pokémon hub with themed shops, attractions, and entertainment. A key highlight is the “Pika Pika Sparks!” live show at the Sedge Gym, where stage performances bring Pokémon battles to life.
The park also offers two family rides: Pika Pika Paradise, a flying attraction centered on Pikachu, and Vee Vee Voyage, a carousel-style ride inspired by Eevee. Meet-and-greet sessions and mini parades are scheduled throughout the day.
Ticket prices
Ticket prices are divided into three categories: Ace Trainer Pass at JPY 14,000 (US$90), Trainer Pass at JPY 7,900 (US$51), and Town Pass at JPY 4,700 (US$30).
You can watch the PokéPark KANTO Trailer.
AloJapan.com