A Traveler's Guide to the World of Pokémon/Regions/Kanto



Kanto (カントー地方) is a Pokémon region in the Pokémon fictional universe and the first to be featured in the popular series of games; followed by Johto, Hoenn, Orre and Sinnoh. It is modeled and named after the Kantō region, a region in Japan, which includes, amongst other cities, the Japanese capital Tokyo. The resemblance between the bay formations seen on the in-game map and the actual Sagami Bay, Suruga Bay, and Tokyo Bay formations is particularly striking.

Kanto lies to the east of Johto; they presumably make up a small continent. South of Kanto are the Sevii and Orange Islands. Hoenn, introduced in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, is supposedly further to the southwest.

In the first generation of games, Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow, Kanto was the only explorable region, featuring a variety of environments, such as urban locales and mountainous, wooded, and oceanic routes. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, which introduced Johto, players were able to travel to Kanto (by either steamboat or magnetic levitation train) after completing their journeys through Johto.

Two areas of the Kanto region, Saffron City and the Pokémon Stadium, are playable in HAL Laboratory's popular Super Smash Bros. fighting games. In the Nintendo 64 version, Saffron City is a cityscape battlefield while the Pokémon Stadium is a basic arena. The Stadium in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Stadium 2 in Super Smash Bros. Brawl transform to different types of battlefields resembling different Pokémon types.

In the anime, the protagonist Ash Ketchum is a resident of Pallet Town and began his journey by touring Pokémon gyms in Kanto with Misty and Brock. Season 1 and Season 9 of the anime are set in Kanto. Location names in the anime sometimes differ from those in the games.

Cities and towns
Most of the cities in Kanto are named after colors, such as Pewter City, Viridian City, Saffron City and so on. Pallet Town is the kickoff to the series of colors, as Pallet (Palette) is a collection of colors.

Pallet Town
Pallet Town (マサラタウン) is the hometown of the protagonist of the games, Ash Ketchum in the anime, and Red in Pokémon Adventures. It is also the home of Professor Oak, a highly respected researcher in the Pokémon world, and his grandson, the player-named rival in the games, Gary Oak in the anime, and Blue in Pokémon Adventures.

Professor Oak gives out the starter Pokémon Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle to beginning trainers. In the anime Ash receives a Pikachu because he came to get his starter Pokémon too late, and ended up with a back-up Pokémon.

In the video games, Pallet Town is a fairly tiny village situated south of Viridian City and north of Cinnabar Island. Even in Gold, Silver, and Crystal, while the protagonist and rival of Pokémon Red and Blue have grown up into respected Pokémon trainers, they still live at home in Pallet Town.

In the anime, Pallet Town is a bit larger and more populous. Ash lives there, with his mother, Delia, and he returns there at the end of each saga. A number of episodes of Pokémon Chronicles are also set there.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Pallet Town is the hometown of the three protagonists based on the original trio of games, Red, Green, and Blue, as well as of every previous winner of the Pokémon League situated in Kanto and Johto, a tradition which has not yet been broken.

Viridian City
Viridian City (トキワシティ) is the first major city the player visits in the video games. It has the first Pokémon Center and Pokémart found in the game. After Giovanni, the Gym Leader of the city, is defeated and disappears, the gym is later taken over by Blue in Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal.

Viridian City is a prominent location in the anime, as the main character, Ash, constantly returns there. He originally arrives to bring his injured Pikachu to be healed in the Pokémon Center. While there, Ash first meets Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy. Misty also confronts him about her wrecked bike, eventually deciding to go along with him. Jessie and James of Team Rocket also appear for the first time, and decide to follow Ash until they steal his Pikachu.

Pewter City
Pewter City (ニビシティ) is located in northwest Kanto, between Viridian Forest and Mt. Moon. It is the first available city with a Gym Leader; Brock, who specializes in Rock-type Pokémon.

In the video games, the Museum is one of the main attractions of Pewter City. On the first floor, fossils of ancient Pokémon (such as Aerodactyl and Kabutops) are on display, and the second floor houses a space exhibit featuring several meteorites (thought to be Moon Stones) and a large Space Shuttle model (the Discovery). A fossil of the only obtainable Aerodactyl in the game is found here. The museum is closed in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal due to renovations.

Cerulean City
Cerulean City (ハナダシティ) is the third city visited in the Kanto region by the protagonist, and the location of the second Gym Leader, Misty, a Water-type trainer.

The city also has a Bike Shop, however, in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the Bike Shop has been relocated to Goldenrod City in Johto, so the Bike Shop in Cerulean City has been closed.

In the anime, Cerulean City is an average-sized town. It has appeared in a number of episodes, as the gym is run by Misty's sisters. Misty becomes the official Gym Leader at the end of the Johto adventure, and her time at the Gym is a part of Pokémon Chronicles.

Vermilion City
Vermilion City (クチバシティ) is a large city that is home to the Electric-type Gym Leader Lt. Surge and The Pokémon Fan Club. Vermilion City is the only Kanto city to have an international sea port, which annually houses a luxury ship known as the S.S. Anne. Contained within the harbor is a vast loading dock that holds a pickup truck. In FireRed and LeafGreen, after the player earns the seventh gym badge, the port will be reopened again; it is used to connect the Kanto region with the Sevii Islands. In Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal, the port connects the Kanto Region and Vermilion City to Olivine City's port in the Johto Region. The S.S. Aqua is the ferry between the two regions.

Lavender Town
Lavender Town (シオンタウン) is a small town believed to be haunted by Ghost-type Pokémon. The Name Rater is located here, and allows the player to change the nicknames of Pokémon he or she originally caught.

The town's main attraction is the Pokémon Tower (ポケモンタワー), built as a Pokémon graveyard. Memorial services are held there, similar to Mt. Pyre in Hoenn. If the player doesn't have the Silph Scope, a device to identify ghosts, the ghost Pokémon encountered there will appear as strange shadows with eyes, and the player cannot battle them. The Channelers all speak of a ghost that haunts the tower. Upon defeating it and reaching the top floor, the player will find Mr. Fuji, an old man that cares about Pokémon and is popular in Lavender Town. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the tower is replaced by a radio tower, and the Pokémon graves have been moved to a house in the town.

Celadon City
Celadon City (タマムシシティ) is the second largest city in Kanto. It is home to a department store (the largest Pokémart in Kanto), a hotel, a Game Corner, and a mansion. The fourth Gym is also found there, and houses Erika, who uses mainly Grass-type Pokémon.

Members of the Game Freak development team are represented in the Celadon mansion. After the player has completed the Pokédex (actually after obtaining any 150 of the 151 Pokémon), the Game Freak designer will give the player a diploma as a reward for finishing the game. This diploma can be printed out on the Game Boy Printer.

At the Game Corner, "The playground for grown-ups," players may buy coins and use them to play casino games. Coins can be redeemed at a shop next door for prizes, such as rare Pokémon or TMs. The Game Corner is secretly run by the criminal syndicate Team Rocket; its basement is a Team Rocket hideout, where the boss Giovanni is waiting. After he is defeated, he and all the Team Rocket members in Celadon City will leave. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the name is changed to Celadon Game Corner and its slogan to "The playground for everybody." Team Rocket's hideout is gone.

Fuchsia City
Fuchsia City (セキチクシティ) is the southernmost city on the Kanto mainland. It houses the Safari Zone and a Pokémon zoo.

Koga, who trains mainly Poison-type Pokémon is the Fuchsia City Gym Leader. His gym contains invisible walls that force the player to maneuver through. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, he was accepted into the Elite Four, and is replaced by his daughter, Janine.

Safari Zone
The Safari Zone (サファリゾーン) is a wide-open area where several species of rare and exclusive Pokémon are found. For a small fee, the players are given a limited amount of Safari Balls (a special type of Poké Ball) and may attempt to capture Pokémon without the aid of their own Pokémon in the Safari Zone until they have walked a certain number of steps. It also appears in FireRed and LeafGreen, but the option to save while there is removed.

In the first generation versions of Pokémon, the Safari Zone is located in the northern part of Fuchsia City. It contains four areas, each containing different species of Pokémon.

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the Safari Zone is unavailable because the warden is on vacation. The entrance still remains at its usual location in the north of Fuchsia City, but the player is unable to enter it. A "beta" version of a Safari Zone map is included in the programming of the game, and may be accessed through GameShark or another cheating device.

Saffron City
Saffron City (ヤマブキシティ) is one of the largest cities of the Kanto region.

Two Gyms exist in Saffron City. One is the official Pokémon League Gym, led by Sabrina who trains mainly Psychic-type Pokémon. Next to it stands the Fighting Dojo, an unofficial gym made up of Fighting-type trainers. City residents say that the Fighting Dojo was once an official League Gym, but lost its status to the rival Psychic gym. Defeating the Dojo Master will earn the player a rare Pokémon of the player's choice.

In the center of town is a tall building that houses the Silph Co., a massive office complex that Team Rocket takes control of for their plans. Silph Co. is a company dedicated to the creation of all tools pertaining to Pokémon, especially for Pokémon trainers. Products created by the Silph Co. include the Pokémon Porygon, the Up-Grade (to evolve Porygon to Porygon2), Master Balls, and TMs and HMs. In order to access most of the city, the player must liberate the Silph Co. from Team Rocket's control. It has a very elaborate floor plan that utilizes teleport pads as a form of transportation. At the top floor, Giovanni is waiting. After the player defeats him, he disappears along with all the other members of Team Rocket.

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the Silph Co. has improved security and the player can no longer see the top floors. Saffron City has also changed in the three year period since Red, Blue, and Yellow and now has a train station in the northern district. The Magnet Train makes regular runs between Saffron City and Goldenrod City in the Johto region. Also, the player can no longer battle in the Fighting Dojo, as Master Kiyo has left for Johto.

In Super Smash Bros., Saffron City is a playable stage, containing the Silph Co. and two other buildings.

Cinnabar Island
Cinnabar Island (グレンじま or グレンタウン) is home to a laboratory and an old, abandoned mansion. Players may go to the laboratory to identify and revive the fossils obtainable in Pewter City and Mt. Moon. The Gym is initially locked, but after retrieving the key from the Pokémon Mansion, the player can challenge the Gym Leader Blaine, a Fire-type Pokémon trainer.

The Pokémon Mansion, also called the Burned-Out Building, is an old, burned-down mansion where the Pokémon researcher Dr. Fuji lived until Mewtwo was created and destroyed the building. Multiple diaries are scattered throughout the building containing brief information on Mewtwo's creation and the Pokémon Mew.

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, much of Cinnabar Island has been destroyed by a volcanic eruption, and every building on the island except the Pokémon Center is gone. Blaine has relocated his gym to the nearby Seafoam Islands. The player can also find the current Viridian City Gym Leader named Blue (the player's rival from Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow) there.

Viridian Forest
Viridian Forest (トキワのもり) is a forest that lies between Viridian City and Pewter City. The woods are filled with a large quantity of Bug-type Pokémon and Bug-using Trainers. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the forest has been cut down and the tall grass removed, so wild Pokémon are no longer found there.

Mt. Moon
Mt. Moon (オツキミやま) is a mountain that lies between Pewter City and Cerulean City. As it cannot be climbed, players must hike through the complex cave area. Near the end of the tunnel, a trainer holds two fossils. After the player defeats him, he concedes and lets the player take one fossil, which can become either Omanyte or Kabuto.

In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Mt. Moon is reduced to a simple tunnel. It also contains an additional exit, which leads to the Mt. Moon Square, an open space in the middle of Mt. Moon where Clefairy play on Monday nights.

Cerulean Cave
The Cerulean Cave (ハナダのどうくつ), popularly known as the "Unknown Dungeon" (ななしのどうくつ), is an optional dungeon located near Cerulean City. It is home to the strongest legendary Pokémon in Kanto, Mewtwo. A guard blocks the entrance, and will not let the player through until he or she has beaten the Elite Four. In FireRed and LeafGreen, it still cannot be accessed until the player has repaired the machine on One Island. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the entrance has been flooded, and the player cannot access the location.

Rock Tunnel
Rock Tunnel (イワヤマトンネル) is a pitch-black cavern that connects Cerulean City and Lavender Town. The cave can be illuminated with the use of the HM Flash.

Diglett's Cave
Diglett's Cave is a long tunnel that was dug by wild Diglett and Dugtrio. Its entrances are south of Pewter City and east of Vermillion City. After the trainer enters Cerulean City, the only foot-path back to Pewter City, Viridian City, and Pallet Town is through this cave.

Seafoam Islands
The Seafoam Islands (ふたごじま) are a set of caves between Fuchsia City and Cinnabar Island. The legendary Pokémon Articuno resides in this area. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Blaine moved his gym to the Seafoam Islands, as his gym, along with most of the rest of Cinnabar Island was destroyed by a volcano eruption. Articuno has fled.

Power Plant
The Power Plant (むじんはつでんしょ) is an abandoned building found at the end of a waterway just before the entrance to Rock Tunnel. At the end of the building is the legendary Pokémon Zapdos. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the Power Plant has been reactivated and is used to run the Magnet Train. Zapdos has fled.

Victory Road
Victory Road (チャンピオンロード) is a cave that holds the only way to the Indigo Plateau, accessed to the northwest of Viridian City. The protagonist must have all eight badges in order to enter. Victory Road contains the legendary Pokémon Moltres in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow. However, in the Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen remakes, Moltres has been moved to Mt. Ember on the Sevii Islands.

Indigo Plateau
The Indigo Plateau (セキエイこうげん) is the headquarters of the Pokémon League and the Elite Four, located in northwest Kanto. In order to reach it, trainers must collect all eight Gym Badges of Kanto or Johto and pass through Victory Road, a cave located at the foot of the plateau.

In the anime, an annual Pokémon League tournament is held in Indigo Stadium; the last trainer standing is crowned Champion. It is unknown whether or not the Champion faces off against the Elite Four afterward. The Pokémon Village, a resort which caters to the Pokémon trainers and other people who have come to watch the competition, is located at the center of the Plateau. Once Pokémon Contests come to Kanto, the yearly Grand Festival is held there as well.