The world’s first-ever permanent outdoor theme park dedicated solely to the Pokémon franchise will open next year in Japan, offering fans and families the chance to step directly into the imaginative world of the pocket monsters.
The Pokémon Company confirmed on their website that PokéPark Kanto will operate within Yomiuriland, an amusement park in the Tama hills west of central Tokyo, and occupy roughly 26,000sqm of landscaped forest and town-themed grounds.
It will draw explicitly on the franchise’s roots: the fictional “Kanto” region of the original video games (1996’s Pokémon Red and Green) was itself modelled on Japan’s real-life Kantō region.
The Pokémon Company began teasing the park earlier this month with a promotional video and early concept art, including a hand-drawn map and a short trailer showing parts of the themed landscape. Visitors will enter through a “Pokémon Research Lab” which serves as the gateway to the park’s two sections: Pokémon Forest and Sedge Town.
『ポケパーク カントー』が、2026年2月5日（木） に開業決定！
— ポケモン公式 (@Pokemon_cojp) November 11, 2025
オープンに先駆けて、『ポケパーク カントー』の楽しさをギュッとまとめたオフィシャルトレーラーをお届けするよ！
くわしくは公式サイトをチェックしてね。https://t.co/ahldUwjQv1 #ポケパークカントー pic.twitter.com/CNrcjznT2V
The park will be divided into two main zones: “Pokémon Forest”, a woodland trail with more than 600 Pokémon placed in natural terrain with some Pokémon figures enough for children to sit on or “ride” as part of the encounter; and “Sedge Town”, a small walkable settlement animated by performances and themed attractions. It will also feature a Pokémon Center, the series’ iconic healing hub, alongside shows and character appearances.
According to official materials, the park is “a Pokémon-packed Trainer’s Area, where Pokémon Trainers can embark on the unforgettable adventure through forest and town alike”.
Tickets will be sold through an initial lottery and pre-sale system from 21 November 2025, with two main ticket types announced: the Trainer’s Pass and the Ace Trainer’s Pass.
The admission includes access to the park’s two main zones, with premium “Ace Trainer” passes offering added benefits such as priority entry, reserved seating for live shows, and exclusive merchandise.
Pokémon has been a cultural fixture for three decades: launching in Japan in the mid-1990s, the franchise has transcended its video-game origins to become a global phenomenon encompassing trading cards, animation, merchandise and more.
This will not be the franchise’s first attempt at real-world environments, but it is the first permanent one. In 2005 and 2006, temporary PokéParks were opened in Nagoya and later Taiwan, although both were short-term installations that closed after a few months.
