This week, five new Pokémon manhole covers, or Pokéfuta, as they’re called in Japanese, were installed in Japan’s old capital.
The Pokémon games and anime are set in a fictional universe, but many of the locations would-be Pokémon Masters’ travels take them to are based on real-life places.
In the case of the Pokémon Gold and Silver games, for example, the Johto region is based on Japan’s Kansai region, and things have come full-circle as you can now find Pokémon while out and about in Kyoto.
…while Totodile and Azumarill are waiting in Umekoji Park, just a quick 10-minute walk from Kyoto Station.