Japan Is Turning a Disaster-Struck Airport Into the World’s First Pokémon Terminal

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Summary

  • Noto Satoyama Airport in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, will reopen on July 7 as the “Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport,” becoming the world’s first airport officially branded after the Pokémon franchise
  • The activation runs through September 2029 and is a partnership between Ishikawa Prefecture and the Pokémon With You Foundation, a non-profit established in 2011 following Japan’s most devastating earthquake to support disaster-affected communities
  • The terminal will house all 111 Flying-type Pokémon, a giant Pikachu atrium balloon, 3D monuments of Pikachu, Plusle and Minun, an original animated smartphone series, themed dining, exclusive merchandise, and Pokémon-wrapped sightseeing buses across the Noto Peninsula

A Pokémon-themed airport is opening in Noto, Japan on July 7th. Noto Satoyama Airport, located in Ishikawa Prefecture, is being renovated in partnership with the Pokémon With You Foundation. This project aims to revitalize the area after recent earthquakes, turning a local airport into a major attraction.

As a huge Pokémon fan, walking through this airport terminal was incredible! They’ve completely decked it out with Flying-type Pokémon – all 111 of them (not counting the different regional forms or Mega Evolutions). It’s like a Pokémon scavenger hunt throughout the whole building, with Pokémon appearing on signs, walls, and even the boarding gates! And the centerpiece? A massive Pikachu and airplane balloon hanging over the main area, with more Flying-types seeming to fly all around it. But the observation deck is where it really shines. They created this amazing little countryside scene with tons of Pikachu figures, like a miniature Japanese landscape, and hid even more Pokémon for dedicated fans like me to discover. It’s a dream come true!

The most meaningful details connect to the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake. The airport’s arrival area features “Akarui Mirai” (Bright Future), a large art installation originally created to help rebuild the Noto region. The artwork’s central characters – Pikachu, Plusle, and Minun – have been made into 3D sculptures that greet visitors. A new piece, “Sky of Hope,” showing Pokémon flying through rainbow skies, will be used throughout the airport, on merchandise, and on Pokémon-themed buses run by the Hokuriku Railroad Group. These buses connect the airport to local attractions, including a Pokémon footbath where visitors can relax with Water-type Pokémon like Gyarados, Vaporeon, Psyduck, Poliwag, and Quaxly.

The airport is also debuting a new animated series you can watch on your smartphone while you’re there. One episode, called “Fly, Bagon!”, tells the story of a Bagon learning to fly while training near a Salamence statue inside the airport. It’s a story about never giving up, and the location makes it extra special.

The core idea is providing emotional support. The Pokémon With You Foundation was created in 2011 after the devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake in Japan, with the goal of offering comfort to communities impacted by natural disasters. The recent 7.6-magnitude Noto earthquake, which caused widespread death, injury, and damage, was precisely the type of crisis the foundation was designed to address. Their ongoing airport project, planned through 2029, is their biggest effort yet, using the popular Pokémon brand not for promotion, but to truly help rebuild the affected region.

The Serendipity gift shop inside the terminal offers unique items like T-shirts, keychains, and luggage accessories featuring original artwork inspired by Flying-type Pokémon, rainbows, travel, and optimism. You can also enjoy Pokémon-themed pancakes and drinks at Restaurant Annon on the third floor, served with a special “Sky of Hope” placemat.

I’m so excited! The Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport is opening in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan on July 7th, and it’s going to be open for a really long time – all the way through September 30th, 2029! I can’t wait to visit and see all the Pokémon fun.

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2026-05-18 12:56