1. Pokémon Parks are created for children’s everyday fun

 

The sight and sound of children playing to their heart’s content is a joy to behold. At The Pokémon Company, providing places where children can have fun is one of our greatest pleasures. So for a number of years now, we have collaborated with local governments and created “Pokémon Parks” – Pokémon-themed playgrounds – in locations across Japan.

 

Our foremost aim was to give children attractive places to play outdoors, and the first thing that came to mind was a park setting. We further believed that if we created parks integrating Pokémon-themed playgrounds, Pokémon would become an enjoyable part of children’s everyday life – something they would look fondly back on after they grew up.

 

2. Pokémon Parks feature Pokémon themes appropriate to their location

 

In developing each Pokémon Park, we create a unique design focused on the “Ambassadorial Pokémon” of its specific locality.In Fukushima Prefecture, for example, we’ve created four “Chansey’s Lucky Parks”: playgrounds with equipment designed like the Egg Pokémon Lucky, known in English as Chansey. Chansey is said to make people happy, and under our “Pokémon Local Acts” initiative Chansey supports Fukushima and promotes its many attractions.

 

 

△Chansey, the “Fukushima Support Pokémon,” is known for the white egg held in its pouch.

 

In Iwate Prefecture, we’ve created two parks in which the central figure is the Rock-type Pokémon Geodude. Geodude uses its powerful arms for climbing rocky surfaces. So the Geodude Parks were designed as places where children can have fun climbing rock-like installations.

 

△From left: Geodude (the Ambassadorial Pokémon of Iwate), Aerodactyl and Onyx. All three are Rock-type Pokémon.

 

△The back side is designed for practicing climbing.

 

In Tottori Prefecture, which is famous for its sand dunes, we cooperated in the creation of Sandshrew Park. Here the main Pokémon is Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon who loves to burrow in sand. As you might expect, Sandshrew Park incorporates sandboxes where children can play.

 

△Sand pits are a central feature of Tottori’s Sandshrew Park.

 

Like the Pokémon Parks introduced above, others have been developed to highlight what their specific locality is known for. At sites associated with cherry blossoms, for example, the play equipment might be colored in pastel pink, or a local symbol may be integrated into the design of the playground equipment.

 

3. In designing Pokémon Parks, safety always comes first

 

When designing Pokémon Parks, ensuring the safety of all users is always accorded highest priority. To provide playground equipment of maximum safety while maintaining an authentic Pokémon-themed design, we collaborate closely with KOTOBUKI CORPORATION, a company that specializes in the design and production of playground equipment as well as a wide range of street furniture.

 

Achieving playground equipment that will attractively express both the charms of the park’s locality and its Ambassadorial Pokémon is always a challenge. Some Pokémon have parts that could potentially compromise our overarching commitment to ensuring playground equipment of optimal safety: sharp teeth, for example, or claws, or spiny appendages. While ideally our aim is to portray Pokémon as closely as possible, we always give safety first priority, making sharp features round or modifying the Pokémon’s pose to conceal any parts that would be of potential danger if left exposed.

 

△The features characteristic of Tyrunt, a Pokémon normally depicted with sharp teeth and claws, have been modified for maximum safety.

 

Developing playground equipment for public facilities for children comes with a big responsibility: ensuring that all users can always play with complete safety. Taking every measure to prevent accidents is our utmost duty and commitment.

 

4. Seeing Pokémon Parks on digital maps is a source of pride and joy

 

Today, there exist 8 Pokémon Parks in all: 4 Chansey’s Lucky Parks in Fukushima Prefecture, 2 Geodude Parks in Iwate, 1 Slowpoke Park in Kagawa, and 1 Sandshrew Park in Tottori. In July 2025, we will be adding 2 Oshawott Parks in Mie Prefecture.

 

△Named for the Water-type Pokémon Oshawott, the two Oshawott Parks will feature gently curving waterslides.

 

At Pokémon, seeing a Pokémon Park appear on digital maps is always a source of pride and joy. Whenever we see smiles on the faces of children who use our parks, we are happy to have contributed these “small-scale amusement parks” for their enjoyment and for the benefit of all local residents.

 

Pokémon Parks are places where Pokémon blend naturally into the everyday lives of local children. Going forward, we will continue to create ever more Pokémon-themed places to be loved and enjoyed by their local communities.