, the first-ever permanent outdoor attraction in the monster-catching Pokemon franchise, is set to open on Feb. 5 as a new area of the Yomiuriland amusement park located in Tokyo¡¯s verdant Tama Hills region.
Spanning 26,000 square meters and boasting depictions of more than 600 Pokemon strewn around the area¡¯s greenery and attractions, PokePark Kanto is named after the setting of the first generation of games originally released in the mid-1990s, which is in turn inspired by the real-world Kanto region.
In PokePark¡¯s Entrance Plaza, visitors will be welcomed by life-size statues of Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle, the starter trio of critters from Pokemon Red and Blue, the franchise¡¯s first games released in 1996. After guests gear up at the Research Lab (which doubles as a ticket gate), they will step into the park proper as Trainers (no word yet on whether the Pokemon series¡¯ encyclopedia-like Pokedex will make up part of the entry process).
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