We visited Japan’s Pokémon theme park, PokéPark Kanto, and left filled with nostalgic pleasure (and carrying merchandise)

Final week, I had the possibility to be one of many first individuals on this planet to go to PokéPark Kanto, which is able to open in Japan’s Yomiuriland on February 5, 2026.

Stuffed with a whole bunch of Pokémon statues, a life-sized Pokémon Middle, and a 300-seat Pokémon Health club theatre, PokéPark has turned Yomiuriland from a quaint attraction on the outskirts of Tokyo, to a must-visit Pokémon pilgrimage.

The enlargement of the native park sits in stark distinction to the remainder of the land – suppose attaching Star Wars land to Blackpool Pleasure Seaside – however after exploring it a bit, this really felt like a sensible alternative.

Simply days after I visited, it was introduced that Pokémon will lastly increase into Common Studios Japan with a fully-fledged attraction. Whereas Pokémon has appeared in USJ as a part of parades and different activations earlier than, the lengthy awaited Pokemon trip, and even Pokémon-themed world, is on the way in which.

PokéPark Kanto shouldn’t be a Common-style theme park, no less than not what you’re picturing a Pokémon theme park to be. There aren’t any high-octane rollercoasters themed after Rayquaza or log flumes alongside Wailord. It’s a way more peaceable, family-focused expertise that units itself aside from what Common is planning.

I Will Journey Throughout The Land, Looking out Far And Extensive

As our group arrived in PokéPark Kanto, we had been greeted by statues of the land’s mascots, Pikachu, Eevee, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander. Right here, we obtained our first style of the impressively high-quality fashions which are discovered all through the park.

Behind that stands a 6-ft-tall Pokeball, which we had been informed will emit lights and sounds based mostly on the 18 Pokémon varieties. On this small courtyard, the place guests will begin and finish their day, we had been flanked by the present store (extra on that later), and the professor’s analysis lab. That is the place each PokéPark customer’s day begins.

The professor’s analysis lab is the queue space to enter the Pokémon Forest, however additionally it is a visible attraction in itself. Modelled after Professor Oak’s lab, it accommodates life-size props of the machines and furnishings discovered within the sport. The professor’s analysis lab provides us the primary style of the design fashion that PokéPark Kanto goes for.

With immersive lands like these based mostly on Harry Potter and Star Wars, it’s pure to shoot for photorealism. You need to really feel such as you’re really on the set of a kind of movies, or, when the phantasm is at its strongest, roleplaying such as you’re really there.

Conversely, with the likes of Tremendous Nintendo World, Common has taken the aesthetic of recent Mario video games, which means the entire park is designed to make you are feeling such as you’ve stepped into the online game, quite than making an attempt to combine Mario right into a extra toned-down visible fashion.

PokéPark takes the center lane, mixing the sport aesthetic with real-life foliage and forestry, whereas sustaining the broad visible identification of the video games in its buildings and ornament. The Pokémon aren’t presupposed to seem like Detective Pikachu, however PokéPark Kanto’s setting isn’t attempting to make you imagine you’re really within the online game both. They’re high-quality fashions based mostly on the present 3D renderings of the creatures, positioned within the Pokémon Forest.

On the finish of the Professor’s Analysis lab sits a big Pokeball-themed door which gates entry into the forest. The Professor’s Analysis Lab serves as a holding space earlier than teams are allowed to depart into the Pokémon Forest. PokéPark Kanto will invite small teams to enter the forest at a time to keep away from overcrowding, which, at this level, seems like an nearly unsolvable challenge.

It was then time to enter Kanto.

Throughout Each River, Behind Each Tree

The Pokémon Forest portion of PokéPark is a extremely themed nature path. Areas of the path are damaged up into biomes stuffed with statues of Pokémon, dwelling of their pure habitat.

Whereas the vast majority of the forged is from the Kanto area, there are many cameos from throughout the collection. It’s simple to know why some might have believed that these sections could be fast, museum-like walkthroughs of some statues, however fortunately, the expertise feels extra compelling than that.

In observe, exploring the Forest is an evocative and thrilling expertise for followers. As a 30-year-old Pokémon diehard, what you’re . However the degree of care, not solely within the high quality of the fashions, but additionally within the path of how they’re organized within the park, is sufficient to remind you of the primary time you ever met these previous mates.

Shortly, our group descended right into a sport of Pokémon Snap, shouting with pleasure as we observed a brand new creature for the primary time. Even after circling an space a number of instances, there have been but extra Pokémon to seek out.

Sadly, as a result of employees had been nonetheless making closing changes to PokéPark throughout our go to, we weren’t capable of take our personal photographs of the Forest. Nonetheless, Japanese media shops, which visited a bit later, have printed imagery that offers you a good suggestion of what to anticipate:

Removed from being caught on one path, PokéPark Kanto needs guests to discover. There are Pokémon hidden excessive in timber, and deep-cut references to be discovered for many who need to look additional exhausting by means of the timber. An space themed round Pikachu and Eevee provides method to a walkway surrounded by Drilbur and Excadrill.

The park is constructed to cycle out Pokémon fashions, and it’s simple to see the place additional enlargement to the path may very well be made, or seasonal occasions may freshen the forged. These areas are, in fact, complemented by the soundtrack to the unique video games.

You aren’t supposed to hurry by means of this part. It’s a leisurely stroll that rewards guests for a way lengthy they spend wanting. Later within the day, we swapped tales of Pokémon we discovered, or references we picked up on. It was like a bus filled with actual Pokémon trainers recounting their adventures whereas making an attempt to Catch-Em-All.

These aren’t flimsy fashions both. Company can contact the Pokémon, and even trip them in some particular instances. Regardless of being statues, the Pokémon are posed in a approach that’s emotive, and the entire path is Meowth-nip for anybody trying to do a Pokémon-themed Instagram shoot.

There was beforehand some gentle concern over warnings on the park’s website concerning the path requiring a sure degree of health.

The path options one part with some pretty steep stairs, and a piece the place followers might want to duck below a 4ft-ish ledge. The Pokémon Forest part isn’t accessible to those that will discover these sections troublesome or not attainable to navigate. Sedge City is fully accessible, and PokePark Kanto will provide cheaper tickets for these trying to skip the Pokémon Forest part.

As our group got here to the top of the Pokémon Forest part, bigger and bigger Pokémon appeared. Pokémon I assumed could be too costly to truly mannequin rose from the bottom and had been genuinely stunning. As a fan, I totally loved exploring Pokémon Forest. The one factor that may very well be held in opposition to it’s that, as a result of being a part of an energetic themepark, occasional rollercoaster carts will fly overhead within the forest, however that seems like a small criticism.

Younger followers will enjoy with the ability to rise up shut and private with so lots of their favourites, and older followers will get loads out of the fashions themselves, the references, and the final ambiance. I’d have fortunately walked by means of a path that was 5 instances as lengthy, however after round 40 minutes, our group had arrived on the town.

I’m On The Highway to Sedge City

Sedge City is the principle thoroughfare of PokéPark Kanto. You enter the city by way of the Forest and are greeted with an enormous fountain surrounded by water-type Pokémon. On both facet of the fountain, there’s a Pokémon Middle and a PokeMart.

The Pokémon Middle will function a performer dressed as Nurse Pleasure, standing alongside her trusty Chansey.  The PokéMart will provide meals choices, much like these present in Tokyo’s Pokémon Cafe and Pikachu Sweets store, however unique to the park.

Sedge City’s primary avenue is lined with stalls that can promote meals, some restricted merchandise, and home carnival video games. I performed a Wiglett-themed ring toss and managed to go 0-3. Whereas I wasn’t capable of strive any of the meals as a result of being proven around the park so early, beforehand launched photographs of the park’s meals choices embody popcorn in a big Snorlax-themed tub, cold and warm choices, and loads of candy treats. 

On the reverse finish of Sedge City from the place friends will enter sits an enormous statue of Moltres, Zapdos, and Articuno. Behind it, a towering Pokémon Health club. The Pokémon Health club is the PokéPark’s efficiency house. This 300-seat theatre shall be residence to exhibits like Pika Pika Sparks, which we’re informed will function dancing Pikachus, human performers, and cameos from different Pokémon favourites.

Sadly, there’s no indication that Pokémon Stay!, the superb Pokémon musical, shall be revived for PokéPark Kanto, however I can dream. In a pleasant contact, every seat within the theatre incorporates a silhouette of the corresponding Pokémon based mostly on the Pokédex quantity.

Sedge City options two rides. The primary, Eevee’s Voyage, is a vintage-style carousel that includes high-quality fashions of the Eeveelutions, and another favourites. On the opposite facet of city, Pika Pika Paradise is a Dumbo-style trip that includes Pikachu. As I discussed at the beginning, this isn’t a park for thrill-seeking older followers. Sedge City is stuffed with extra photograph alternatives and can host performances. There are additionally areas the place followers can chill out among the many Pokémon and take a break.

After exiting the Pokémon Health club, there’s a closing photograph alternative, as soon as once more displaying off the extraordinarily excessive degree of workmanship featured within the park. A 2vs2 battle between Gyarados, Raichu, Garchomp, and Tyranitar makes for the most effective visible showpieces within the park. The concrete beneath the Pokémon has been specifically deformed to incorporate footprints from the Pokémon themselves and battle harm from the continuing struggle.

Uncommon Sweet and glossy surprises

Theme park followers love merchandise. Pokémon followers love merchandise. We’re pleased to report that the primary wave of merchandise accessible at PokéPark Kanto will please each. The store, which is giant sufficient however actually may very well be the scale of the higher Tokyo space and nonetheless be busy, gives plush, t-shirts, sweet, themed hats, wearable Pokémon ears, clear recordsdata, and extra.

As ordinary, the premiere merchandise is the unique Pikachu and Eevee plush. There are two variations of every Pokémon, and a number of other sizes of those costumed creatures. Plush of the remainder of the unique 151 are additionally accessible, however these are from the Pokémon Match vary, which is offered at each Pokémon Middle in Japan, and within the UK because the Sitting Cuties vary.

There’s a wide variety of merchandise themed after the Eevee’s Voyage trip, which options the classic hand-painted artwork that’s discovered across the carousel itself. Keyrings, glassware, stationery, pillows, and extra are all accessible that includes this artwork fashion.

On opening day, two t-shirts shall be accessible depicting the PokéPark Kanto key artwork and the park’s emblem. One incorporates a crimson emblem, and the opposite inexperienced, in an apparent nod. No phrase but on whether or not a blue shirt shall be launched as a mail-order merchandise in CoroCoro to rejoice a million t-shirts offered.

The character-ears headband is a themepark staple, and it’s no shock that PokéPark Kanto has gone exhausting on this particular merchandise. You will get headbands that includes Eevee and the Eeveelutions, Pikachu, Vulpix, Clefairy, Gengar, Minum, Plusle, Mincino, Sprigatito, and Skitty. Extra will certainly be added, and anticipate these headbands to be a staple of your go to to the PokéPark.

My private favorite is the character hats depicting Psyduck, Mr Mime, Clefairy, Aipom, Bidoof, Shinx, Dedenne, Goomy, Skowet, and Fidough. One other piece of merchandise that shall be an enormous hit with collectors is the blind field Pokémon pins. Every of those Poké Balls accommodates a pin of one of many unique 151, which is able to shortly change into collector’s gadgets.

We All Stay In A Pokémon World

PokéPark Kanto seems like one thing I’d have dreamt up after I was seven-years-old, and the closest bodily attraction up to now to the world of the Pokémon anime and video video games.

This isn’t the Pokémon model of Tremendous Nintendo World at Common Studios; that’s on the way in which. As a substitute, this can be a stress-free, nostalgic stroll within the woods that can delight younger followers and depart 30-year-olds questioning the place on a regular basis has gone.

Whereas we didn’t see it in its absolute closing type, Sedge City looks like a tranquil space to spend a day. That, in fact, comes with the massive caveat that I skilled it with out the crowds that might come following its official opening.

Assuming they’re managed, nevertheless, when you’re going to Japan and also you’re a giant Pokémon fan, PokéPark Kanto is a must-visit journey down reminiscence lane. The robust craftsmanship, nods to the franchise’s 30 years, and the eye to element are a pleasure, and tremendous followers may even discover themselves getting a bit emotional in locations.

Whereas Common’s effort will seemingly give attention to thrills and spills, there’s a lot it ought to study from PokéPark Kanto. What may’ve been merely a pleasant place to go to when you’re within the space, has been elevated to a necessary journey to any massive Pokémon fan. It’s additionally managed to do one thing legacy franchises have failed at in theme park type earlier than: enchantment to all age teams.

Pokémon’s thirtieth anniversary is off to a fantastic begin, and I can’t wait to return, and never solely to avenge my loss on the Wiglett ring-toss.