First permanent Pokemon theme park to open in Tokyo
Japan has welcomed a record influx of visitors in recent months, boosting demand for tourist attractions, including the Making of Harry Potter film-studio park that opened in Tokyo in 2023.
Named PokePark Kanto, the new 2.6ha area will be located in Yomiuri Land, Tokyo's largest amusement park, the company said on Tuesday.
"We want to create a space where Pokemon are always present and where people can have fun with them," its chief creative officer, Junichi Masuda, said in a video announcement.
The park will have two areas: a Pokemon forest described as a spacious wilderness and an area for shopping and rides.
Pokemon became a global hit after its 1996 launch as a role-playing game for Nintendo's handheld Game Boy console.
Inspired by the Japanese summer childhood tradition of bug-collecting, players catch and train in battle hundreds of round-eyed "pocket monsters", 'creatures' ranging from mice to dragons.
The franchise also includes movies, an animated TV show, and the 'Pokemon Go' augmented-reality mobile game.
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