Kyoto now has Pokémon manhole covers as Generation 2 comes to the real-life Johto region

City’s famous Gion and Arashiyama neighborhoods welcome Kyoto’s first Pokéfuta.

The Pokémon games and anime are set in a fictional universe, but many of the locations would-be Pokémon Masters’ travels take them to are based on real-life places. In the case of the Pokémon Gold and Silver games, for example, the Johto region is based on Japan’s Kansai region, and things have come full-circle as you can now find Pokémon while out and about in Kyoto.

This week, five new Pokémon manhole covers, or Pokéfuta, as they’re called in Japanese, were installed in Japan’s old capital. These are Kyoto’s first-ever Pokéfuta, and while many of the other covers are in less-traveled parts of Japan, these five have been placed in public parks not too far off the beaten path, making for easy side-trips during visits to one of Japan’s most sightseeing attraction-packed cities.

The stars of the show this time are, naturally, Gen-2 Pokémon who made their debuts in Gold and Silver, starting with baby Pikachu Pichu, accompanied by Cleffa and Igglybuff, on the Pokéfuta in Maruyama Park.

▼ The shidarezakura (weeping cherry blossom) tree they’re frolicking under actually exists in the park, which sits inside Kyoto’s Gion geisha quarter.

Over at Nishikyogoku Athletic Park, at the western edge of downtown, you’ll find Chikorita and Shiftry.

Cyndaquil and Darmanitan hang out in Okazaki Park, right across the street from Heian Shrine…

…while Totodile and Azumarill are waiting in Umekoji Park, just a quick 10-minute walk from Kyoto Station.

Finally, Ho-Oh, befitting its Legendary Pokémon status, takes the longest journey from the city-center starting point to find, but having another excuse to venture into Arashiyama Park, in the beautiful Arashiyama neighborhood, is always a plus.

Exact locations can be found here on the official Pokéfuta website.

Source, images: PR Times
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