Official: Pokémon is coming to Universal Studios Japan

Pokemon is officially coming to Universal Studios Japan.

In a press release, The Pokemon Company and Universal Studios has announced that the multi-billion dollar franchise will join Nintendo, Harry Potter and other properties at the Japanese theme park.

“Based on a hyper-realistic experience that stimulates all five senses, it will bring the Pokémon world to life in an unprecedentedly interactive and rich way,” according to the press release. 

It is currently unclear if this will be a themed-land like Super Nintendo World, or a single ride.

No timeframe has been given for when the project will open. Universal Studios Japan’s Pokemon project is one of many projects that have been announced this year to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary.

This is a separate project from PokePark Kanto, another Pokemon thempark experience that’s set to debut this year.

The park will be split into the Pokémon Forest and Sedge Town. The Pokémon Forest is a trail filled with statues of Pokémon from across the series. Pokémon will be seen in approximations of their natural habitats. Despite the name, non-Kanto native Pokémon will also appear in the park.

Sedge Town will contain shops, performance spaces, and other attractions.

The first PokéPark began in 2005, but at that time was a travelling fairground attraction, rather than a permanent part of a larger theme park like its upcoming modern iteration. The original PokePark was open between March 18, 2005 and September 25, 2005 in Japan.