Gen 1 Pokemon locations based on real world locations
As the first region to be explored in the Pokemon Franchise has great meaning for fans of the Kanto Pokemon games. The fictional country was introduced in generation 1, named for the Kantō region of Japan, which lies on the country’s largest island, Honshū. The creator of PokemonSatoshi Tajiri, was born in Setagaya, Tokyo and grew up in Machinda, both located in Kantō, and was his inspiration for the creation of Pallet Town.
Other cities in the Kanto region take inspiration from their real-world counterparts, including Fuscia City, which was influenced by Tateyama in Chiba Prefecture, and Cinnabar Island, which is based on the volcanic island of Izu Oshima. In addition, many other natural places in the Kanto region are similar to other places in Japan, from lush forests to cave trails and islands.
7 Mt. Moon: Inspired by Mount Akagi
An integral part of Kanto’s landscape, Mt. Moon is an area where Clefairy congregate in abundance. It is known for its meteor falls, which lead to the formation of moonstones that help Clefairy evolve into Clefable. In the Johto games, Mt. Moon Square can be explored at the top of the mountain that looks like a giant crater.
The mystical mountain is based on Mount Akagi, which is located in Kanto’s Gunman Prefecture. It is a stratovolcano with a caldera crater at its summit, similar to Mt. Moon Square. Mount Akagi is an object of worship, with the Akagi Shrine on Lake Ōno.
6 Viridian Forest: Inspired by the Okuchichibu Mountains
Described in Pokemon FireRed And leaf green as “deep and expansive forest” and “natural maze”. [that] A lot of people get lost in it.” Viridian Forest will be remembered by players as this is the first major location they encounter after exiting Pallet Town. With plenty of Bug and Fly-type Pokémon to catch, it’s the perfect playground for players to train their team thanks to the many trees.
The Dogasu’s Backpack fansite notes that the Viridian Forest is geographically similar to the Okuchichibu Mountains, an area of folded mountains and dense forest. But Viridian Forest seems more based on Kashinokiyama Natural Park due to its abundance of trees and trails.
5 Victory Road: Inspired by Mount Ashitaka
In Kanto, Victory Road is off Route 23 and earned its name “because it must be traveled by all trainers who aspire to the top,” per Pokemon FireRed And LeafGreens description of the place. As a passageway to the Indigo Plateau, Victory Road is based on Mount Ashitaka, according to Rakuten Travel Experiences.
Mount Ashitaka is a stratovolcano southeast of Mount Fuji, which is Mt. Silver in the Pokemon world. Since Kanto and Johto are landlocked, these real-world counterparts make geographical sense. Hiking in Japan notes that Ashitaka “offers the best unobstructed southern view of Mount Fuji of any mountain in Japan.” It takes four to six hours to go up and down, so it’s quite a tough hike like Victory Road for trainers.
4 Indigo Plateau: Inspired by Mount Echizen-dake
The Indigo Plateau will be very familiar to older players, as that’s most likely where they faced the Elite Four for the first time. It’s also where Trainers from Kanto and Johto compete, as the two regions use the Indigo Plateau to challenge the most experienced competitors.
Rakuten Travel Experiences suggests that Mount Echizen-dake is where the Indigo Plateau would be located in real life. Echizen-dake, a volcanic peak southeast of Mount Fuji, is part of Mount Ashitaka’s lava dome. As one of the tallest peaks in the Mount Ashitaka range, hikers attempting to climb this peak can expect a four-hour round-trip journey, according to Must Love Japan.
3 Sevii Islands: Inspired by the Izu and Bonin Islands
Compared to an actual map of Japan, the Sevii Islands correspond to the Izu and Bonin Islands. Rakuten Travel Experiences states that the first five islands are inspired by the Izu Islands, while six and seven are based on the Bonin Islands.
The Izu Islands are known locally as the Izu Seven Islands and are of volcanic origin, as is the Bonin Islands according to the Japan City Tour. Mt. Ember and Naval Rock draw their environment from these locations, while Birth Island is based on Minami-Tori-shima. by Dr. lava further TwitterMinami-Tori-shima is a “strategic naval island over which the US and Japanese governments fought for 100 years”.
2 Kanto Power Plant: Inspired by Tokai Nuclear Power Plant
Located off Route 10, the abandoned Kanto Power Plant is home to the legendary bird Zapdos. Despite remaining unmanned, some machines still function thanks to a plethora of Electric-type Pokémon.
According to a Lemiapp user, the Tokai nuclear power plant “sparked the idea that would later become the power plant” that players encounter in Kanto. The user suggests an explosion at Tokai Pokemon Creator Satoshi Tajiri “the idea that such an incident could create a powerful being”, which led to Zapdos. This theory is unconfirmed, and it is widely believed that Zapdos is based on the Native American legend of the Thunderbird — a mythological creature responsible for thunder, lightning, and rain, “which protected people from evil spirits,” according to Legends of America.
1 Seafoam Islands: Inspired by Enoshima Island
The Seafoam Islands are on Route 20, which consists of two islands that are “shaped alike as if they were twins,” according to the description in Pokemon FireRed And leaf green. Players can catch the legendary Articuno here, and the islands are a common training ground for Misty. In Generation 4, Blaine’s gym is located here due to a volcanic eruption on Cinnabar Island.
In terms of the real world, Seafoam Islands take inspiration from the small island of Enoshima. A popular tourist destination, it is home to the Iwaya – two caves formed by natural erosion and five stories deep. According to Travel Japan, “a dragon was believed to have haunted this area, and the second rescue is dedicated to myth.”
