Pokémon in Yokohama: the Pikachu Outbreak, the Pokémon Center and everything else

I’ve been living in Yokohama for years, and there’s something that still surprises me every August: the city I live in turns, for a few days, into the most Pokémon place on the planet. That’s not an exaggeration. The Pikachu Outbreak brings tens of thousands of people to Minato Mirai, Pikachus are everywhere, and the atmosphere it generates is hard to find at any other event of its kind in the world.

But Pokémon in Yokohama doesn’t begin or end with the Outbreak. The city has its own permanent offer for fans of the franchise.

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The Pikachu Outbreak (ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ！)

The Pikachu Outbreak is an annual event organised by The Pokémon Company that takes place in Yokohama, typically for about a week in August. The core idea is simple: hundreds of people dressed as Pikachus take over the Minato Mirai waterfront promenade, with parades, performances and activity zones spread throughout the area.

What started in 2014 as a marketing event has become one of Japan’s largest themed events. Visitor numbers in recent years have exceeded one million people across the full week.

What it’s actually like:

The Pikachus are grouped into “packs” of different types (Pikachus in swimwear, costumed Pikachus, baby Pikachus) that parade along the promenade at scheduled times. The parades are free to watch from the street, though people arrive hours early to claim spots with good sightlines. There are activity zones, limited merchandise stalls, and photo spots with special decorations spread throughout the Minato Mirai and harbour area.

When it is:

The exact dates vary each year. It typically falls in the second or third week of August, for a full week. The Pokémon Company announces the dates a few months in advance on their official website. If you’re planning to go specifically for the event, don’t book accommodation until the dates are confirmed.

Getting there:

The event area is Minato Mirai, Yokohama’s skyscraper and waterfront district. From Tokyo: Tōkyū Tōyoko Line from Shibuya to Minato Mirai Station, around 30 minutes. From Yokohama Station, the Minatomirai Line covers the area in two stops (about 5 minutes).

Practical tip:

The busiest days are weekends. On weekdays, especially Monday and Tuesday, the atmosphere is much calmer and the Pikachus are equally accessible. If you can choose, a weekday morning in the first part of the event week is the most comfortable combination.

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Pokémon Center Yokohama

Pokémon Center Yokohama is in Takashimaya Times Square Yokohama (the large department store next to Yokohama Station), on the upper floors of the building.

Pokémon Centers are the official Pokémon merchandise stores in Japan, distinct from electronics shops or toy kiosks. The selection at a Pokémon Center is much broader and better quality than what you find elsewhere: plush toys of all sizes, clothing, stationery, accessories, limited edition products, and a Yokohama-specific section with exclusive city merchandise.

What to look for:

Plush toys are the most popular items. Pokémon Centers stock plushies of virtually every Pokémon, in sizes ranging from small keychain versions to large ones that wouldn’t fit in any standard suitcase. Prices run from ¥880 to several thousand yen for the bigger ones.

Regional limited-edition items are one of the specific draws of the Yokohama Pokémon Center. Each city with a Pokémon Center tends to have exclusive products — in Yokohama’s case, merchandise with Pikachu in nautical motifs or with the Minato Mirai skyline.

When it’s quieter:

Like any popular shop in Japan, weekday mornings have the lowest footfall. Weekends can have queues to get in, especially during special seasons or during the Outbreak week.

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Pokémon merchandise beyond the Pokémon Center

Yokohama has other options for finding Pokémon merchandise:

Akihabara vs Yokohama: For more alternative or second-hand merchandise (cards, figures, discontinued products), the Akihabara district in Tokyo remains the reference point in the Kantō region. But for new official merchandise, the Yokohama Pokémon Center is comparable in selection and more convenient if you’re already in the city.

Konbini and drugstores: During the Pikachu Outbreak, the konbini in the Minato Mirai area often stock Pokémon items in special event editions. Family Mart branches in the area during that specific week typically carry them.

Gachapon: In the Minato Mirai area and at Yodobashi Camera stores there are gachapon machines (capsule toy dispensers) with Pokémon figures. Prices run from ¥200 to ¥500 per capsule and the selection changes regularly.

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Combining with the best of Yokohama

If you’re going specifically for the Pikachu Outbreak or to visit the Pokémon Center, Yokohama has enough to fill a full day or even two:

The Minato Mirai area has Cosmo World (an amusement park with Yokohama’s iconic Ferris wheel), the Yokohama Museum of Art and the waterfront promenade. Yokohama’s Chinatown (one of the largest in Asia outside China) is 15 minutes’ walk away. Yamashita Park and the Yamate neighbourhood (historical Western-style houses from the Meiji era) complete the historic port area.

For a combined day visit: Pokémon Center in the morning, lunch in Chinatown, afternoon in Minato Mirai — and if it’s Outbreak week, the evening parades are the most spectacular (they’re held after dark with full illumination).

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FAQ

Is the Pikachu Outbreak free? The parades and most street activities are free. Some specific events inside enclosed venues or special interactive experiences may have paid entry or require advance registration. The Pokémon Company publishes full details on their official website a few weeks before the event.

Is it worth going if you’re not a Pokémon fan? The Outbreak in particular has value even if you’re not a fan: the visual spectacle of hundreds of Pikachus parading together is genuinely surreal and hard to replicate in any other context. For the Pokémon Center, if you’re not a fan, the appeal is more limited.

Can I bring children? The Outbreak is ideal for children. Minato Mirai is a large, easy-to-navigate space with prams or small kids. The Pokémon Center too, though the temptation to want to buy everything can be hard to manage.

When do they announce the Outbreak dates? Usually between April and May of the same year. The official Pokémon Company website in Japanese (pokemon.co.jp) is the most reliable source.

Do I need to book accommodation far in advance for the Outbreak? Yes. During the event week, hotels in Yokohama and nearby Tokyo fill up and increase in price weeks in advance. If you’re going specifically for the event, book as soon as the dates are announced.

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The Pikachu Outbreak is one of those events you either already know about and have on your radar, or you discover it and wonder how you’d never heard of it before. For those of us who live in Yokohama, it’s the annual reminder that this city has things that simply don’t exist anywhere else.

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Pikachu Outbreak dates vary each year. Check pokemon.co.jp for the exact 2026 event dates. Merchandise prices as of 2026.