The dream of many players of Pokémon GO is to encounter one of the monsters in the real world. Now, Pokémon fans can rejoice, as one city has made Chansey its mascot and is building 4 parks dedicated to it. We at MeinMMO will show you what these parks are and why they are being built.
Which monster was chosen as the mascot? The Japanese city of Fukushima has made the Pokémon Chansey its mascot. The monster was sent as a Pokémon ambassador from The Pokémon Company to the region, to be active there as part of the “Pokémon Local Acts” campaign.
Why was Chansey chosen? Many Pokémon fans will know this Normal-type monster from the original series, where it helps Nurse Joy at the PokéCenter to heal injured or sick monsters. Chansey has similar goals in the Fukushima region.
The pink monster Chansey is said to bring good luck. This also aligns with the meaning of the name Fukushima, as “Fuku” also means luck (via local.pokemon.jp)
To properly honor the new mascot, 4 new parks will be built in the region around Fukushima, all associated with Chansey. As the reddit user Hantel explains, the region aims to become more attractive after the nuclear meltdown in 2011 through this initiative (via reddit.com).
The “Pokémon Local Acts” campaign was launched by The Pokémon Company after the earthquake in 2011. It aims to help regions in Japan boost their tourism. For this purpose, so-called Pokémon ambassadors are dispatched, who become the mascots of their respective cities.
The first Chansey park is already open
As the site NintendoSoup reports, there are currently four parks planned in the Fukushima region centered around Chansey (via nintendosoup.com). The first of these parks was opened last weekend in the small Japanese town of Namie. It is primarily intended as a destination for families with children.
The Twitter user BoonSlevin now shows the first pictures of the new Chansey park. The post reveals numerous playground equipment. Chansey is not alone, as it has brought reinforcement from Slurpuff, Pii, and Fluffeluff. Additionally, the first PokéStops and Gyms for “Pokémon GO” players have already been created at this location.
According to NintendoSoup, the other three themed parks are expected to follow in the spring of 2022 in the towns of Kōriyama, Yanaizu, and Shōwa (via nintendosoup.com).
Due to the reactor catastrophe in 2011, the region around Fukushima has faced issues with its image and tourism. The parks are meant to help Fukushima become attractive and worth visiting again, so that more visitors travel to this region.
Due to current COVID-19 regulations, traveling from Germany to Japan is generally possible, but travelers must quarantine for up to 14 days and undergo necessary tests during that time. (via auswaertiges-amt.de)
What the Pokémon community says about the new park
The new park is celebrated in the reddit community. Some trainers living in Japan announce that they plan to visit the park with their children soon (via reddit.com).
Other users, like aceallaround, hope that the Chansey parks will also remain permanently and not disappear quickly. Trainers from other areas also wish for similar parks:
- 1337pikachu: “I hope this will also be possible in other places”
The playground equipment: But especially the playground equipment is causing much amusement among trainers on reddit. Some trainers find it crazy that children have to climb up the rear of the Slurpuff slide to then slide out over the long tongue. Some would have wished for a different design:
- KawaiiSlave: “I find it strange that they don’t let you climb on the back of the Slurpuff. Instead, they decide that you should take the ‘back door.'”
Special Chansey event: Along with the joy over the new park, disappointed trainers have also expressed their concerns. The background is the Chansey event that took place locally in Pokémon GO for the opening. Some trainers wished for this event to be global.
- LuluHottum: “So the speculations about a Chansey Community Day were indeed referring to this regional event?”
- 1337pikachu: “I would like a Chansey Community Day.”
Whether similar Pokémon parks will emerge in other parts of the world soon, and whether Pokémon GO will hold a worldwide Community Day with Chansey remains unknown at this time. If there is further information, you will find it here at MeinMMO.
What do you think of the first opened Chansey park? Would you like something like this in Germany as well? And which Pokémon should grace this park? Please share your thoughts here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange ideas with other trainers.
This isn’t the first time a Pokémon-themed park has been opened in Japan. A nature park fulfills the dreams of many trainers by allowing them to meet the monsters in the real world.
