World's First Pokémon Airport Opens in Japan on July 7

ISHIKAWA, JAPAN – Japan is set to open the world's first Pokémon-themed airport on July 7, 2026, as Noto Satoyama Airport in Ishikawa Prefecture adopts the nickname "Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport." The initiative will remain in place until September 2029 and forms part of a broader strategy to support the recovery of the Noto Peninsula following the devastating 2024 earthquake.

While themed airports have become increasingly common around the world, the project extends far beyond branding. It combines tourism, placemaking, architecture and regional regeneration, demonstrating how public infrastructure can become a catalyst for economic recovery and cultural identity.

A Tourism Strategy Supporting Regional Recovery

The project is the result of a partnership between Ishikawa Prefecture and the Pokémon With You Foundation, a long-running initiative that supports children and communities across Japan.

Rather than constructing a new attraction, the project reimagines an existing transportation hub as both an airport and a destination, encouraging visitors to explore the Noto Peninsula instead of travelling directly to Japan's larger tourism centres such as Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto.

The initiative reflects a wider regional revitalisation strategy aimed at increasing visitor numbers while creating a positive symbol of recovery following the January 2024 earthquake.

Transforming Infrastructure into an Experience

The Pokémon concept has been integrated throughout the passenger journey, turning the terminal into an immersive visitor experience.

Themed elements are incorporated across key areas of the airport, including:

• Airport entrances
• Departure and arrival halls
• Passenger waiting areas
• Boarding bridges
• Interior walls
• Directional signage
• Retail and merchandise spaces

Rather than concentrating the installations in a single exhibition area, the design weaves the Pokémon theme throughout the building, combining wayfinding, architecture and storytelling into a cohesive visitor experience.

Designed Around the Theme of Flight

One of the project's defining features is its focus on Flying-type Pokémon.

All 111 Flying-type Pokémon will appear throughout the airport, creating a visual identity directly linked to aviation. Instead of relying solely on Pikachu, the design uses the concept of flight itself as the organising narrative, allowing graphics, suspended installations and decorative elements to reinforce the experience of travel and movement.

At the centre of the transformation is the airport's second-floor atrium.

Visitors will be welcomed by a suspended installation featuring Pikachu attached to an aeroplane balloon, surrounded by Flying-type Pokémon.

Beyond its visual impact, the installation functions as a landmark within the terminal, creating a memorable arrival experience while strengthening the airport's identity as a destination in its own right.

Extending Beyond the Airport

The Pokémon experience continues beyond the terminal through a series of regional tourism initiatives, including themed manhole covers, Pokémon-inspired attractions and visitor experiences connected to destinations across the Noto region.

In this way, the airport serves as the gateway to a wider tourism narrative rather than simply functioning as a themed transport facility.

The project also represents the latest chapter in Pokémon's long-standing relationship with transportation. While Japan has previously introduced Pokémon-themed trains, aircraft liveries and regional tourism campaigns, Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport becomes the first airport in the world to officially adopt the Pokémon name and integrate the brand throughout the passenger experience.

By combining architecture, tourism and storytelling, the project demonstrates how existing infrastructure can be reimagined to support post-disaster recovery, strengthen regional identity and create new reasons for visitors to explore destinations beyond Japan's traditional tourism gateways.