PokéPark Kanto: Our Family Visit from Tokyo

Trip dates: June 8, 2026

PokéPark Kanto was one of our days out from Tokyo. Getting there involved a train and a gondola. Getting the tickets involved Katharine waking up at 5 a.m. several days in a row. The gondola was the easier part.

Getting the tickets

These were hard to get. Katharine kept getting up early and trying until she managed to get two forest passes and one trainer pass. Oliver and Ady had the forest passes, and Wesley had the trainer pass. All five of us had access to the park.

There was a lot of work behind what looks like a fairly simple day out in the pictures. By the time we arrived, she had already done the early mornings and sorted the plans.

My wife Katharine is a travel advisor, and she did all the planning for Universal, PokéPark, and Disney on this trip. If you’re planning a trip of your own, you can find her at Katharine Moore at Dream Vacations.

The trip to Yomiuriland

We took the train out from Tokyo and rode the gondola at Yomiuriland. The view opens up as you get above the trees, with the park and the surrounding hills below. A nice way to arrive, and another thing to take pictures of on the way back.

The view from the Yomiuriland gondola · 17 seconds. Trees, a temple roof, and the park below, filmed through the gondola window.

There was a family photo at the PokéPark sign, of course. We had made it.

Pokémon everywhere

There were giant Pokémon, smaller Pokémon, and plenty of places to stop for a picture. Ady and I found the big Gyarados display. It was not going to fit in anyone’s suitcase.

Chris and Ady beside the large Gyarados and other Pokémon sculptures.

Pikachu was out too. Snorlax had someone holding an umbrella for him. Seems like a pretty good arrangement.

Pikachu greeting visitors at PokéPark Kanto.

Snorlax on the move · 10 seconds. A short encounter with Snorlax and his umbrella escort.

Squirtle and Charmander

Ady got to meet Squirtle and Charmander. We stopped for pictures with both of them. A few more for the collection.

Ady standing beside Squirtle at PokéPark Kanto.

There were Pokémon snacks too. Ady had a blue Pokémon hat on while working through hers. Plenty of commitment to the theme.

Ady wearing a blue Pokémon hat and eating a snack at a table. — Snack time. Still from a short video.

Back to Tokyo

After the park, we headed back into Tokyo and walked around Shinjuku. Another family picture in Kabukicho, this time with considerably fewer Pokémon behind us. The next day we were packing up and taking the train to Osaka.

If you’re planning a visit, check PokéPark Kanto’s official ticket page for the current pass names, access rules, and booking options.

More of the trip is in Japan, Week 1: Tokyo and Osaka, including our one-day VIP visit to Universal Studios Japan.

More from Japan: Week 1 · Week 2 · Week 3 · Universal