This Japanese airport wants to be the very best, like no airport was before.
The Pokémon Company is currently working to transform the Noto Satoyama Airport into a limited-time Pokémon paradise—for trainers and Pokémon alike. After the devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake that hit the Noto Peninsula on January 1, 2024, the Noto Satoyama Airport had suffered major damage, forcing it to keep its doors shut for over three years now. The earthquake was detrimental to the people living in the area, injuring thousands and killing hundreds. It also deterred many from visiting the area.
The solution the Ishikawa Prefectural Government proposed was a retheming of the airport to Pokémon, as a way to hopefully bring comfort and smiles to local citizens and children, as well as drive tourism numbers back up to where they were before the disaster. The initiative to re-theme the airport was funded through the successful “Pokémon With You Charity” campaign, which was started by the Pokémon Company itself to support children in need and revitalize disaster-stricken regions all across Japan. The campaign was first started back in 2011 to provide the country aid and relief after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami disaster, and has been in place ever since.
The airport’s retheming starts with a name change: the “Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport,” and will officially open on July 7th, 2026. So far, it’s been teased that all 111 Flying-Type Pokémon catalogued through May 2026 can be spotted across the four-story airport. However, it is important to note here that mega evolutions and regional forms will not be featured, according to the airport itself.
The atrium’s standout feature will be a large Pikachu merrily riding atop an airplane through the clouds, waving to passersby below. The observation deck has also been completely transformed, with clusters of Pikachu figures dotted around the area. While inside the airport, visitors will also be able to watch three original short animated videos on their smartphones. One of these three films is called “Fly, Bagon!” and it’s a story about a Bagon with a dream to fly through the skies one day. This film actually ties into a Salamence monument that visitors can find within the airport terminal.
Pokémon-themed food and merchandise can also be found within the airport. The airport’s primary restaurant, the An-non Restaurant, will serve themed pancakes and drinks on specialty placemats. For those who want to buy some Pokémon souvenirs, the airport will open with the Serendipity gift shop on the second floor. Here, travelers and trainers can purchase limited keychains, luggage tags, and T-shirts, among other Pokémon keepsakes.
Alongside the opening, the Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport has also planned to run Pokémon-themed events and attractions through to September 30th, 2029, when the themed elements of the airport are also set to “take off” for good.
Beyond the new airport, Noto as a whole has seen some recent Pokémon-themed installations and architecture as part of the peninsula’s overall recovery efforts. Decorated manhole covers have started filling the area. There’s also a new Pokémon hot spring footbath in the area, where guests can soak among Water-type Pokémon like Vaporeon, Mantyke, and Gyarados.
