Japan is world-famous for, among other things, its top-tier train system. One of its other most valuable exports is Pokemon, which is currently the highest-grossing franchise in the world, making billions off its games, movies, playing cards, and other merchandise. With a franchise that huge, it’s natural that the country leans heavily into Pokemon with plenty of events and other attractions surrounding the monster-catching series that would leave any visiting fan blown away. From the Pokemon Center merch stores full of exclusive items to the limited-time Pokemon events that happen only in the country itself, there are a lot of reasons for Pokemon fans to have the country where the whole series started high on their travel bucket lists.
Now, the East Asian island country has put together its trains with its most valuable franchise to create a transport system that will likely attract a lot of Pokemon-enthusiast tourists whenever they visit. It’s a train completely covered in Pikachu from head to toe, and it has a lot to offer.
Japan’s All Pikachu Train
A video posted to YouTube by Itsuka Japan showcases the Pikachu train that currently runs on a line between two small cities, Ichinoseki and Kesennuma, in the northern part of the country. According to the video, the actual name of the train is the “POKEMON with YOU Train” and it doesn’t appear particularly hard to find as the main station where the train boards and lets off is covered in Pikachu signs, statues, and other memorabilia pointing riders to the correct platform.
The train is divided into two different cars, one with all of the reserved seats while the other is a playroom where small children can enjoy themselves in a car decorated with soft and fluffy Pikachu designs. The train itself takes about two hours to travel 62 kilometers (38.5 miles), which is significantly slower than the famous Japanese bullet trains that can travel upwards of 200 miles per hour, but this is a much smaller, tourism-focused train, so the speed isn’t the draw.
While most of the train is Pikachu-themed, there are a few of the other hundred Pokemon teased in small places around the cars. For example, it can clearly be seen in one shot that the lights on the roof of the train car contain silhouettes of Pokemon like Gengar, Arceus, and Thundurus. There are some other notable Pokemon references, as well, like Poke Balls, Great Balls, Ultra Balls, Master Balls, and a number of other balls usable throughout the video games lining many of the seats.
The train is available to be ridden once a day for any Pokemon fans and travelers interested in riding. The video stresses that reservations are essential, though, since it is naturally a very popular and sought-after ride. The ticket is shown in the video to be roughly the equivalent of $13 USD for a one-way fare. It’s worth noting that the train is a little off the typical Japanese tourist path, being located about 280 miles north of Tokyo.
