For Pokémon trainers and fans, Yokohama is the place to be this summer. The city has gone into full Pikachu mode leading up to the Pokémon World Championships, which will take place in Yokohama this August. In the meantime, there’s a host of fringe Pokemon events happening across the city, including the Pokémon Card Art Walk around Yokohama's Minatomirai neighbourhood, currently running until Saturday September 30.
The art walk is essentially a free, large-scale public exhibition revolving around Pokémon's collectible card game. There's a massive catalogue to choose from, so it's no surprise that there are thousands of cards on display in Minatomirai. The main locations for the exhibition include the Sky Building, Grand Mall Park, Mark Is, Landmark Plaza and Queen's Square shopping centre.
One of the coolest exhibits is the stunning Pokémon Card Flower Carpet, which features colossal Pokémon cards of Pikachu (at Landmark Plaza) and Charzard (at Mark Is). You can help create the mosaics of these jumbo cards by placing artificial flowers, coloured sand and woodchips. To get the best view of these artworks, head up to a higher floor and see it from above.
The Pokémon Card 151 Illustration Collection, which takes place at Mark Is, highlights the 151 original Gen-1 Pokémon species from the franchise’s first two games: Pokémon Red and Green.
Additionally, you’ll find the Pokémon Card Legendary Corridor at Landmark Plaza with massive versions of Legendary Pokémon cards on display. The Pokémon Card Art Museum on the tenth floor of the Sky Building, on the other hand, has over 1,000 cards.
Even as you’re passing through Minatomirai Station, you’ll get to enjoy the Pokémon vibes as the station has also been decked out in full Pocket Monster décor.
Outside of Minatomirai, additional installations can be found at Yokohama's Yamashita Park, Yokohama Park, Marine and Walk and Yokohama City Hall. These installations are available from Tuesday August 1 and feature larger-than-life Pokémon cards. They also double as photo spots for you to pose like you are part of the card.
For more information on the event, visit the website.
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