“Wow! It feels like we just entered Paldea!”
That was the typical reaction of Pokémon fans who visited Shima Spain Village in Mie Prefecture during the summer of 2024. For a limited time, this popular theme park on the picturesque Shima Peninsula south of Nagoya, which recreates the charming townscape of a Spanish village, hosted the special event “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” Pokémon Extracurricular Class in Shima Spain Village. It served as a perfect complement to the park’s regular offerings of exciting attractions and authentic Spanish cuisine.
The collaboration between The Pokémon Company and Shima Spain Village evolved out of an idea put forth by staff from the theme park. From the time “Pokémon Scarlet” and “Pokémon Violet” were released, comments were frequently heard that the scenery in those games – the Paldea region – closely resembles the real sights experienced in the Village. So, why not take advantage of that resemblance to recreate Paldea at Shima Spain Village as a special event? The suggested timing was the summer of 2024, when the park would be celebrating its 30th anniversary – and children would be on school holiday.
Pokémon liked the suggestion and without delay a joint project got underway.
Above all, both partners in the project wanted to make the park as similar to Paldea as possible. Plaza Mayor, the main square inside the Village, was thought to be the perfect location to serve as the centerpiece of the event. Many Pokémon fans had commented on the similarity between Plaza Mayor and the Battle Court through which Academy students pass in the games. For this special event, the statue at the center of the Plaza, King Felipe III of Spain, was covered over and specially decorated to add to the sense of being in the Battle Court. Music used in the games was played in the background, making visitors feel they were truly entering the world of Pokémon.
And the response from Pokémon fans visiting the park? “Wow! It feels like we just entered Paldea!”
Extra thought was put into choosing locations for placing Pokémon around the park. Originally the project team considered putting Pokémon at the park’s most photogenic spots, imagining where visitors would want to stop to take their prized photos together with Pokémon. But after considerable consideration, the team decided instead to place Pokémon in locations that would be more in keeping with their individual traits.
For example, the team chose to place the Sun Pokémon Sunflora in an area where many sunflowers are planted. Next to an olive tree, they opted for the Olive Pokémon Smoliv. In every case, decisions were made by staff from both Shima Spain Village and The Pokémon Company walking together through the park. The Village’s team member said the process was lots of fun, conjuring up images of where in the park various Pokémon would seem most likely to be in their natural habitat.
The staff member from Pokémon paid greatest attention to choosing and placing Pokémon in a way most faithful to the Pokémon worldview. For example, at first it was proposed to place the Mimicry Pokémon Tatsugiri – which many fans have said looks like sushi – near the restaurant that serves sushi. But while this idea can easily be understood, in the games Tatsugiri actually inhabits areas close to water. So in the end, the team decided to place Tatsugiri close to water – very near a fountain.
One special event of the summer that was developed for enjoyment by both children and adults was “Gimmighoul’s Treasure Hunt.” Here, relying on various hints, visitors took part in a rally in which they searched for the Coin Chest Pokémon Gimmighoul hidden around the park. In the “Pokémon Scarlet” and “Pokémon Violet” games, Gimmighoul lurks in various hiding places. At Shima Spain Village, visitors were thrilled to have an opportunity to hunt for Gimmighoul in the real world.
The collaboration between Shima Spain Village and The Pokémon Company also unfolded at the park’s restaurants, where visitors during the summer were offered a menu of specially created items. In Restaurant Alhambra, for example, which specializes in authentic Spanish cuisine, the summer menu offered a “Smoliv Olive Churro Sundae.” This was a delicious and refreshing blend of ice cream with olive oil and churro, perfect for the occasion. Another special menu item was tapas suggestive of the moves of the two Legendary Paradox Pokémon Miraidon and Koraidon: Collision Course and Electro Drift, respectively. This special tapas was offered as a set menu also including paella and dessert.
Another item specially developed for the summer event was a menu of sandwiches. In the games, players can make sandwiches of their own choosing, which they finish off by placing a pick through the sandwich to hold it together. With the special summer sandwich offerings, guests were able to do likewise using star-shaped picks. Pokémon fans showed delight at recreating in real life the experience they have enjoyed in the virtual world.
Pokémon fans who attended the “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” Pokémon Extracurricular Class in Shima Spain Village were amazed at how accurately and excitingly the world of Pokémon – and the region of Paldea – was recreated during this special event. Some fans could be seen carrying around their favorite Pokémon plushies; others wore Academy uniforms of their own making. Everybody seemed to have tons and tons of fun.
Like the hordes of visitors who came during this special summer event, the staff at Pokémon too were happily surprised and pleased at how the scenery and atmosphere of Shima Spain Village matched with the world depicted in Paldea. The event’s success owed to the passionate input and efforts of staff on both sides. Thanks to their close collaboration and cooperation, for several months this past summer the virtual realm of Paldea was brought to life in a perfect setting in one of Japan’s most attractive locations.
