We were surrounded by 600 Pokemon
I held my husband's hand. A real forest surrounded us. Trees, paths, rocks. And from behind every rock, someone familiar from childhood peered out.
Pikachu sat on a tree stump. Snorlax slept in the grass. Evie flew somewhere above.
We were adults. We stood there and smiled like children.
Here's how it works—and how to get in while tickets still last.
PokéPark KANTO: The World's First—and Already Sold Out Months in Advance
PokéPark KANTO, the world's first permanent outdoor Pokémon park, opened on February 5, 2026. It's located inside Yomiuriland, an amusement park in the Tama Hills in western Tokyo.
Area: 2.6 hectares. The park is divided into two zones: Pokémon Forest, a 500-meter-long nature trail with over 600 Pokémon in recreated natural habitats, and Kayatsuri Town, a mini-city with a Pokémon Center, Gym, attractions, parades, and a Trainer's Market.
Tickets are selling like hotcakes. We checked for January, and many dates through the end of March were already showing "sold out."
But that's no reason to panic. It's a reason to keep reading.
How to get there: the gondola takes precedence over everything else
Yomiuriland (Yomiuriland) 📍 4015-1 Yanokuchi, Inagi-shi, Tokyo (4015-1) 🚇 25 minutes from Shinjuku to Keio-Yomiuriland Station (Keio Sagamihara Line) → Sky Shuttle gondola (~5 min, ¥300 one-way) / Odakyu bus (~5 min)
Yomiuriland is accessible in about 25 minutes from Shinjuku – take the Keio Sagamihara Line to Keio-Yomiuriland Station.
Then there's your choice. We arrived at 9:30 AM, thinking we'd be there by 10:00 AM. No such luck. The line for the gondola was already stretching down the hill. We quickly switched to the bus.
Our advice: on weekdays and with children, the gondola is wonderful; on weekends during peak season, go straight to the bus without hesitation. Both options take the same amount of time. But the bus skips the line.
Tickets: Three types, each with a different price.
Elite Trainer's Pass: Adult from ¥14,000 / Child from ¥11,000. Includes access to Pokémon Forest + Kayatsuri Town + Yomiuriland. Trainer's Pass: Adult from ¥7,900 / Child from ¥4,700. Forest + Kayatsuri Town + Yomiuriland. Town Pass (coming summer 2026): Adult from ¥4,700 / Child from ¥2,800. Kayatsuri Town only.
Foreigners can book a separate reservation on the official English-language website. Residents of Japan can apply for a lottery from the 1st to the 12th of the month three months before their visit. International tourists are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis; please refresh the page daily.
Important: You cannot enter without a prior ticket. Tickets for PokéPark KANTO can only be purchased in advance on the official website; they are not available at the ticket counter.
Even more important: download the PokéPark KANTO app in advance. You will need it to enter the lottery for Sedge Gym demonstrations, store slots, and priority entry. Available in English for iOS and Android. Downloading it 2-3 days before your visit is mandatory.
Pokémon Forest: 500 Meters in the Game
Pokémon Forest is a 500-meter-long forest trail with varied terrain: hills, tall grass, tunnels, and rocky paths. Pokémon from Kanto and other regions live here—they run, battle, and share berries.
We walked slowly. On purpose. Because every ten meters was a new discovery. Charmander by the volcanic rocks. Squirtle on the shore of a small pond. Bulbasaur in the fern thicket.
Please note: Due to the difficult terrain, children under 5 and their guardians are not allowed to enter Pokémon Forest. Sedge Town is for them.
Sedge Town: When a Pokémon Center Really Exists
Sedge Town features the Trainers' Market with exclusive merchandise, the Pokémon Center, Poké Mart, the Primarina fountain, and Sedge Gym with the Pika Pika Sparks! show several times a day.
Sedge Town attractions: Pika Pika Paradise—an airborne ride with Pikachu and over 30 Electric-type creatures. Vee Vee Voyage—a carousel with Eevee and Ponta for the little ones. Both cost ¥1,200 for adults and ¥800 for children—purchase separately at Trainer's Market via a mobile kiosk.
Trainer's Market sells hats, t-shirts, pins, and stickers. A special feature: a stand with a random pin in a Poké Ball for ¥1,200. If you want a different Pokémon, inspect the pins on the staff's uniforms and ask for a swap. It's an unspoken ritual—and it works.
Daisuki Shop—entry only via a first-come, first-served ticket in the app. If you don't get one, there are several other shops throughout Sedge Town.
Park food: Pikachu and Eevee ice cream cones—one of the signature snacks. Themed dishes are scattered throughout Sedge Town. We got Pikachu-themed ramen from the cafe near the Gym. It was delicious. And funny. And it smelled like childhood.
Yomiuriland: What to do before PokéPark opens and afterward
Yomiuriland Amusement Park (Yomiuriland) 📍 Same address: 4015-1 Yanokuchi, Inagi-shi, Tokyo 🕐 10:00–20:30 (depending on season) 💴 One-Day Pass (admission + all rides): ¥5,900 adults / ¥4,700 teenagers / ¥4,100 children and seniors Included in any PokéPark KANTO ticket
Yomiuriland is one of Tokyo's oldest and most beloved amusement parks. Besides the rides, there are seasonal events: a swimming pool in the summer and a light show in the winter. In the spring, cherry blossoms bloom on the hills.
The main ride is Bandit: a steel rollercoaster with steep drops. The Sky Shuttle is a gondola with views of the surrounding area. In bad weather, there are plenty of indoor areas.
Our itinerary: We arrived at 9:45 AM, reached PokéPark at 10:00 AM, and explored until 2:00 PM. Afterward, we rode the slides at Yomiuriland until closing time. It was a busy, but not exhausting, day.
Where to stay: Two hotels near the park
The whole point: don't spend an hour there and back every day. Stay close and be the first to the park.
Toyoko Inn Tokyo Fuchu Nambu Line Minamitama Station (JR Fuchu Nambu Line)
📍 3-1-1 Yoshikata, Inagi-shi, Tokyo 206-0803 (JR Nambu Line 3-1-1) 🚇 1-minute walk from Minamitama Station (JR Nambu Line) - 15 minutes from Yomiuriland ⭐ 3 stars / 8.3/10 rating 💴 from ¥7,500–12,000 (~$49–$79) per night in April 2026
The most popular hotel near Keio-Yomiuriland Station according to Trip.com. Toyoko Inn Fuchu Nambu Line Minamitama Station is 3-4 km from Yomiuriland. 263 rooms with a refrigerator and flat-screen TV.
A complimentary breakfast buffet is available daily from 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM—essential for a park visit. Leaving full by 9:00 AM and arriving by 9:45 AM is ideal.
Transportation route: Minamitama Station → JR Nambu Line → Tachikawa → Keio Sagamihara Line → Keio-Yomiuriland Station. About 30 minutes. With an early breakfast, everything fits in.
Hotel Nobes Chofu (Japanese: Chofu Station)
📍 2-24-1 Fuda, Chofu-shi, Tokyo 182-0024 (Japanese: Chofu Station 2-24-1) 🚇 1-minute walk from Chofu Station (Keio Line) ⭐ 3 stars / 8.6/10 rating 💴 from ¥12,000–19,000 (~$79–$125) per night in April 2026
Hotel Nobes Chofu is a 15-minute drive from Yomiuriland. Chofu Station on the Keio Line offers direct access to Keio-Yomiuriland Station.
31 rooms, private bathrooms with showers and toilets, and free parking. Grocery stores, restaurants, and convenience stores are nearby. It's a quiet residential area.
Travel time: Chofu → Keio-Yomiuriland = 2 stops, about 15 minutes. This is the best option for those traveling by car—parking is free.
What else to do in the Tama area—beyond PokéPark
Sanrio Puroland (Sanrio Puroland) 📍 1-31 Ochiai, Tama-shi, Tokyo 206-8588 (Sanrio Puroland 1-31) 🚇 st. Tama-Center (Keio Sagamihara & Odakyu Tama Lines) 🕐 10:00–17:00 (Mon–Fri) / 10:00–19:00 (Sat–Sun); closed Wed 💴 ¥3,300–4,400 depending on the day. 8.2 km from Yomiuriland – Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi at the indoor theme park. If you're traveling with kids, two days, two parks. PokéPark + Puroland = a complete Japan experience for kids.
Mount Takao (高尾山) 📍 2176 Takaomachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo (東京都八王子市高尾町2176) 🚇 45 minutes from Shinjuku on the Keio Line to Takaosanguchi Station 💴 Free hike / funicular ¥490 one way. Cherry blossoms bloom on Mount Takao in April, and on a clear day, Mount Fuji can be seen. One of the best places to combine nature and iconic Japanese views.
Jindaiji Temple & Chofu (Jindaiji Temple & Chofu) 📍 5-15-1 Jindaiji Motomachi, Chofu-shi, Tokyo (Jindaiji Temple & Chofu Motomachi, Chofu-shi, Tokyo) One of Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temples (733), next to which famous soba buckwheat noodles are sold in atmospheric wooden stalls. Chofu is a 15-minute train ride from the park. In April, people come here to see the thousand-year-old sakura blossoms right outside the temple gates.
Tokyo Racecourse (Tokyo Racecourse) 📍 1-1 Hiyoshi-cho, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo (Tokyo Racecourse 1-1) A 4-minute drive from the nearest Toyoko Inn. Japanese horse racing in April isn't just a sport. It's a national holiday. We stopped by by chance and spent two hours there. The roar of the stands, the smell of the stables, the crowd in kimonos.
Total cost as of April 2026
Total with Toyoko Inn: ≈ ¥65,000–90,000 Total with Hotel Nobes Chofu: ≈ ¥74,000–104,000
In Chinese Yuan (CNY) as of April 2026: Exchange rate: 1 JPY ≈ 0.049 CNY
With Toyoko Inn Minamitama: ≈ ¥3,185–4,410 CNY for two people
With Hotel Nobes Chofu: ≈ ¥3,626–5,096 CNY for two people
What we realized when leaving the forest
We left the Pokémon Forest after 90 minutes. My husband was carrying a bag containing an Eevee figurine—the same one I'd accidentally dropped on the path and hadn't wanted to go back for. He came back on his own.
"It's Eevee," he said. As if that explained everything.
But you know what? It does.
PokéPark KANTO isn't an amusement park. It's a place where, for two hours, you become who you were when you were eight years old. No shame, no irony.
That might be the best thing a trip can give you.
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