© Kaz Empson
Pikachu Tairyou Hassei Chu debuted in 2014 to celebrate the release of new Pokémon movie. Now it's an annual event held in the Minato Mirai district of Yokohama.
© Cat Chu
Every year, the festival has a special theme. In 2016 it was “This Time We'll Be Getting Wet???”, and in 2017 "Not only Pikachu—Pikachu Outbreak." These changes keep visitors interested and strengthen a desire to come back next year to check what the festival has prepared for them.
© Cat Chu
The highlight of the festival is the Pikachu Parade where all the yellow cuties unite and march together. The one-week event greets the audience with over 1,000 Pikachus, many Pikachu balloons, fantastic concerts, striking parades, and well-remembered shows.
The festival is held during summertime, usually between late July-early August every year.