The hugely popular Pokémon franchise will open its first permanent theme park in Tokyo in spring 2026, Pokémon Company, a subsidiary of Japanese video game giant Nintendo, has announced.

In recent months, Japan has seen a record influx of tourists, leading to increased demand for tourist attractions, including the Making of Harry Potter film studio, which opened in Tokyo in 2023.

The new 2.6-hectare park will be called "PokePark Kanto" and will be located in Yomiuri Land, the largest amusement park in the Japanese capital, the company said, quoted by AFP.

"We want to create a place where Pokémon are always present and where people can have fun with them," said the company's chief creative officer, Junichi Masuda, in a video message.

The park will have two areas: a "forest" with Pokémon, described as "spacious wilderness," and a shopping and attractions area.

Pokémon became a global hit after debuting in 1996 as a role-playing game for Nintendo's Game Boy handheld console.

Inspired by the Japanese summer tradition of collecting insects, players catch and train hundreds of round-eyed "pocket monsters" inspired by everything from mice to dragons.

The franchise also includes films, an animated television series, and the augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go. | BGNES