PokéPark Kanto is a new, permanent Pokémon theme park opening in Japan next February. Visitors to PokéPark will take on the role of Pokémon Trainers, and explore a town and forest areas designed to bring the anime and games to life. However, those eager to channel their inner Ash Ketchum and “catch ‘em all” may be surprised to discover that strict rules could make a huge portion of the park out-of-bounds for many visitors.

PokéPark Kanto will be located inside the existing Yomiuriland, Tokyo’s largest theme park. The PokéPark is divided into a large, nature-filled area called the Pokémon Forest, and Sedge Town, which features stores, rides and Sedge Gym, where you will be able to watch Pokémon stage shows. More details about the attractions can be found in IGN’s previous coverage.

『ポケパーク カントー』が、2026年2月5日（木） に開業決定！
オープンに先駆けて、『ポケパーク カントー』の楽しさをギュッとまとめたオフィシャルトレーラーをお届けするよ！
くわしくは公式サイトをチェックしてね。https://t.co/ahldUwjQv1 #ポケパークカントー pic.twitter.com/CNrcjznT2V

— ポケモン公式 (@Pokemon_cojp) November 11, 2025

According to the Area Rules on PokéPark Kanto’s official site, the Pokémon Forest is a 500m long nature trail, featuring steep hills, tunnels and stairs. While walking through the forest, visitors will be able to spot statues of many Pokémon playing, resting or battling in their natural habitats.

However, for safety reasons, the Pokémon Forest has many restrictions on who can enjoy this huge part of the park. PokéPark Kanto’s official English website says that visitors who cannot walk up 110 steps without assistance will not be allowed to enter the Forest, which will impact a wide range of people with mobility issues. The official Japanese language site specifies that people who need to use wheelchairs cannot access the Forest. Children under five will also not be allowed, even if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Those who are pregnant, have heart conditions, have either high or low blood pressure, have consumed alcohol, or simply feel unwell on the day are also prohibited from entering the Pokémon Forest.

Although PokéPark Kanto is clearly taking visitors’ safety very seriously, the problem is that purchasers of tickets to the park could lose out on a huge chunk of the experience if they don’t meet the entry requirements for the Pokémon Forest. When it opens next February, PokéPark Kanto will only offer two types of ticket: the Ace Trainer’s Pass (14,000 yen) and the Trainer’s Pass (7,900 yen), both of which give access to the Pokémon Forest. The Ace Trainer’s Pass lets you freely enter the Pokémon Forest and Sedge Town areas, and comes with added perks like priority lane access for attractions, reserved seats for the Sedge Gym show, meet and greets, and original merch. The Trainer’s Pass gives unlimited access to Sedge Town but gives you a timeslot for the Pokémon Forest.

To counteract this, PokéPark Kanto has special tiered pricing for each ticket: children aged 3-12, seniors, and people with disabilities can access the park at reduced rates. Despite this pricing, the strict restrictions on the Pokémon Forest sparked much criticism on Japanese social media when they were announced. Users questioned why children aged 3-4 will be charged the same price as older kids for Ace Trainer’s and Trainer’s Passes, even though they cannot enter the Forest. Others expressed sadness that the Pokémon Forest doesn’t have a wheelchair-accessible path. Said one commenter: “I’d been looking forward to it, so I wish there had been more consideration.”

Although Pokémon Forest has many restrictions on who can enter, the Sedge Town area will be more accessible. The park is planning on introducing a Town-only pass by summer 2026 to “ensure everyone can safely and comfortably enjoy the park.” This will be the cheapest ticket, priced at 4,700 yen for adults, 4,200 yen for seniors, and 2,800 yen for children and those with disabilities, according to the park’s Japanese language site.

PokéPark Kanto also has rules against recording the inside of the park. This includes any kind of unpermitted filming or photography for commercial purposes, or any kind of recording deemed to disrupt the experience for other visitors or affect the park’s operation. Visitors will have their bags checked at the entrance, and suitcases, drones, selfie sticks and pets (with the exception of service dogs) are among the things that are prohibited in the park. There is also a ‘No Outside food’ rule, which prohibits visitors from bringing food and drink into PokéPark Kanto (including those purchased in other parts of Yomiuriland), although they make exceptions for small children and those with dietary restrictions.

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.