Pokémon-themed airport – Japan’s Noto airport will reopen as the “Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport” from July 7, through September 2029, in a bid to spur tourism after past earthquakes.
A newly redesigned airport in Japan’s Noto region is betting on something more whimsical than infrastructure upgrades to drive recovery from one of the country’s recent disasters, turning the terminal into a Pokémon showcase meant to draw visitors back.
From July 7 this year through September 2029. the hub will carry the name “Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport.” Inside. murals. illustrations. and sculptural installations will feature Pokémon characters throughout the space. with the organizers explicitly tying the attraction to regional tourism and rebuilding efforts.
The project is a partnership with the Pokémon With You Foundation. an organization founded in 2011 in the wake of a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off Japan’s coast. the largest in the country’s history.. Since its creation, the foundation has supported disaster preparation and recovery efforts across Japan.
Noto sits in Japan’s Hōsu District in Ishikawa Prefecture. along the country’s coastline about 300 miles northwest of Tokyo.. The area was hit again in 2024 by a devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake. which caused extensive damage in a region that relies heavily on tourism and led to the closure of the local airport.. Some activity has returned, but the region remains in recovery mode, leaving room for initiatives designed to rebuild demand.
The Pokémon redesign places characters across the terminal wherever there is “blank surface” space.. A staircase will include a mural depicting local natural scenery filled with Pokémon.. A two-story atrium is set to operate as a kind of indoor gallery. allowing fans to try to spot their favorite characters.. Additional themed touches are planned for entrances and exits. the boarding bridges connecting the terminal to planes. and even information signs.
The foundation has also redrawn the airport’s logo. replacing it with a smiling. waving Pikachu perched atop a cartoon airplane.. For travelers who want a souvenir. the airport will sell original and exclusive merchandise throughout the facility. including T-shirts. keychains. luggage tags. and totes.
While the Noto airport is described as the first in the world to carry the Pokémon name. it is not the franchise’s only tourism-linked effort in the area.. In Wakura Onsen. a resort town on the Noto Peninsula. a Pokémon-themed hot spring footbath opened earlier this year featuring Pokémon statues and artwork.
Although the airport’s official opening is still weeks away. reaction has already spread online. reflecting how quickly the concept has caught public attention.. One user on X wrote that Japan is “turning a quiet regional airport into Pokémon central for three years. ” saying Noto already has a Pikachu statue and that the new terminal will “pull in fans and boost the local economy big time.”
Another post said Japan has “looked at the rest of the world building AI data centers” and responded instead by “building a Pikachu airport,” calling it the “most important infrastructure project of 2026.”
For Noto, the hope is that the playful rebranding translates into real-world foot traffic at a time when getting visitors back is as important as repairing what was damaged.
Japan tourism Noto earthquake recovery Pokémon With You Foundation themed airport Ishikawa prefecture Wakura Onsen footbath