Get ready for Pikachu mania. This summer, a total of 1,500 Pikachus will takeover Yokohama’s streets for the annual Pikachu Outbreak festival. For its fifth anniversary this year, you can also expect a longer day to night event, complete with special digital effects in line with this year’s theme ‘Science is Amazing’.
Yokohama station is only a 30-minute train ride from Shinjuku. It makes a perfect day trip – so head down there to catch up on kawaii culture while updating your Instagram feed with hordes of the beloved yellow rodent. Pikachu is widely regarded as the mascot of the Pokemon games and franchise.
Held from August 10 to 16, pika-pika voices will follow you everywhere in the city’s Minatomirai harbor and Red Brick Warehouse area. You’d want to stay until it gets dark for the debut of a night parade filled with the yellow chubby creatures in flashy light-up costumes. Plus, there will be a night version of the afternoon Splash Show, albeit in a digital form, where Pikachu is joined by its many Pokemon friends.
That’s not all: Minatomirai’s inner harbour will set the stage for the mesmerising ‘Pikachu Parade on the Sea’. This show utilises the latest digital technology to present a unique visual storytelling of a new Pokemon adventure, surrounded by Yokohama’s picturesque scenery.
Oh, did we mention that the event is FREE? So, come see ‘em all – but put your Poke Balls aside, they’re not for catching.
More event details will be released closer to the date. For more information, check the official website (soon to be updated).