Pokémon World Championships 2023 gears up with a dozen events to show their players and audience to the wonders of Pokémon and Yokohama. Read on to see what events are in store for eager fans!

2023 Pokémon World Championships Event Lineup

Yokohama Becomes Pokémon Paradise

With the 2023 Pokémon World Championships's opening date of August 11 on the horizon, the region of Yokohama at Minatomirai has started to welcome eager Pokémon enthusiasts from all over the world with various events.

Note that all these events are being held in Yokohama, Japan. Most of them also have either a pre-registration lottery to participate in or will welcome guests on a first-come, first-served basis. There will also be English-speaking staff for all of the events. So if you're interested in participating, better read the details carefully and book your flights accordingly!

Pokémon Matsuri Park

An extravagant Pokémon-themed festival, or matsuri in Japanese, will be held at Rinko Park! It will be lined with several festival stalls themed around the games. There will also be a festive Bon Dance around a grand yagura stage, with tracks arranged from the series and taiko drum performances.

The festival stalls include:

• Magikarp Fishing: Players use a rod to catch Magikarp from a pool.
• Poké Ball Throw: A common carnival game where players must throw a Poké Ball and knock different Pokémon down.
• Dondozo's Order Up: Help Tatsugiri enter Dondozo's mouth to earn points.
• Voltorb's Rollout: Drop Voltorb on a board full of obstacles and get him to roll to the goal!
• Stone Panel Puzzles: Assemble the stone pieces and guess the Pokémon they depict to win.

Eligibility to participate in the Pokémon Matsuri Park will be decided by a free, online pre-registration lottery on their ticket registration site. The application period starts from 2:00 PM JST on June 19 to 1:59 PM JST on July 3. The event will run from 9:00 AM JST to 7:00 PM JST every day from August 11 to August 14.

Players can accumulate points from the events to exchange for prizes, but every participant can win at least one prize regardless of the points they earn.

Pikachu Gathering!!

What's better than one Pikachu, you ask? How about dozens of them? Pikachu Gathering!! will be an electrifying parade along Yokohama's Grand Mall Park. Don't miss your chance to see this adorable march of Pokémon's most famous mascot!

Pikachu Gathering!! is also a non-verbal event. Feel free to join in on the spectacle regardless of what language you speak.

The event has no pre-registration lottery required, and anybody can join regardless of the number of participants. Be warned, however, that depending on the time you arrive and the number of spectators, it might not be possible to get a good view of the parade.

There will be two shows every day from August 8 to August 13, starting from 3:00 PM JST to 3:15 PM JST and 4:45 PM JST to 5:00 PM JST. There will be two more shows on August 14, beginning at 1:00 PM JST to 1:15 PM JST and 3:00 PM JST to 3:15 PM JST.

We Move!!

The Pikachus just keep on coming! We Move!! is a live show featuring dozens of Pikachu dancing on stage. Participants are encouraged to dance alongside those around them in this touching light show in Rinko Park.

Note that the event is non-verbal and can be enjoyed by anyone without facing any language barriers.

Interested participants must participate in a pre-registration lottery on their ticket registration site to participate in the live show. The application period starts from 2:00 PM JST on June 19 to 1:59 PM JST on July 3. There will be one show every night from August 8 to August 14.

Imagination! Into the Next!!

Another Pokémon live show, this time featuring more Pokémon such as Lucario, Greninja, Zeraora, and others! It's a luminescent light show held twice daily at the Yokohama Red Brick Park, complete with projection mapping and light effects!

Similar to the We Move!! events, Imagination! Into the Next!! is a non-verbal event that can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of language. And, due to the nature of the show, participants may get soaked depending on where they stand.

Participation in a pre-registration lottery on their ticket registration site is again required to join the festivities. The application period runs from 2:00 PM JST on June 19 to 1:59 PM JST on July 3.

Let's Celebrate! The Pokémon Parade!!

An even grander Pokémon parade will be held on the final day of the 2023 Pokémon World Championships, featuring some fan favorites like Pikachu, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. Some rare Pokémon might even appear in the march!

Unlike the Pikachu Gathering!! parade, a pre-registration lottery will be required to watch the event. Interested patrons can head over to their ticket registration site to register.

The event will be held from 4:00 PM JST to 4:40 PM JST on August 14.

Pokégenic

As part of Yokohama's efforts to immerse its visitors, many Pokémon artworks will be scattered across specific areas for people to appreciate and take pictures with. These range from simple illustrations of Pokémon as they might be encountered in a city to themed areas modeled after Pokémon's various regions.

Interested visitors can head over to the following places:

Themed Areas:

• Minatomirai 21 promenade

Pokémon Encounters:

• Queen's Square Yokohama
• Navios Yokohama
• NIPPON MARU Memorial Park
• MARK IS Minatomirai
• Marine & Walk Yokohama
• Yokohama Cosmoworld
• Yokohama Hammerhead
• Yokohama World Porters
• Landmark Plaza

Pokémon Trainer Cruise

Remember the S.S. Anne? The 2023 Pokémon World Championships will be featuring a cruise ship reserved for battles! So bring your Nintendo Switch or Trading Cards for some showdowns or trades!

The ship, NIPPON MARU, will be kitted with many Pokémon-themed decorations for your use. There will also be areas on the vessel for battles, trade, co-op, and other game modes across Pokémon's many games, including Pokémon Scarlet & Violet and TCG. If you meet eyes with another trainer, you know what to do: challenge them to a Pokémon Battle!

Pokémon Trainer Cruise will be held from August 11 to August 13 on the following times:

August 11-12

• Reception Hours: 8:30 AM JST to 7:00 PM JST
• Event Hours: 9:00 AM JST to 8:00 PM JST

August 13

• Reception Hours: 8:30 AM JST to 10:30 AM JST
• Event Hours: 9:00 AM JST to 12:00 PM JST

The event will be held aboard the NIPPON MARU, which will be docked at the Yokohama Hammerhead No. 9 Berth, 2-14-1 ShinkōNaka Ward. The reception area will be at the Yokohama Hammerhead CIQ Hall. Unlike the other events, Pokémon Trainer Cruise will entertain participants on a first-come, first-served basis until the capacity is reached. However, they will require participants to register in advance using their registration form. A QR code will then be provided to use at the reception area.

Do note that pre-registering for the event and receiving a QR code will not guarantee that you can board the ship. Meanwhile competitors for the 2023 Pokémon World Championships enter through a separate reception and can get on the ship with up to two other people.

Additional requirements to board the ship include:

• Identification (such as a Driver's License, Passport, etc.)

For the game area:

• Nintendo Switch
• Pokémon Scarlet or Violet software
• Nintendo Switch AC Adapter

For the TCG area:

• A deck of 60 Cards
• Pokémon Coins
• Damage Counters
• Various Markers (Poison Markers, Burn Markers, VSTAR Markers, etc.)

Do note that the list above does not cover the entire scope of the franchise's plans, and they have confirmed that many more locations will have Pokémon illustrations or themed areas than those listed. So bring a camera with you as you enjoy Yokohama's sights and hospitality!

Sources:
ポケモンワールドチャンピオンシップス2023横浜みなとみらいイベント
The NIPPON MARU

Alfonso Majarucon

Writer of things from game, anime and manga reviews to news and webnovels. Hopelessly addicted to story-driven games, especially cross-platform ones. Favorite games include Punishing Gray Raven, Arknights, Limbus Company, Elden Ring, Touhou, Soul Nomad and the Disgaea series (except 3 and 6). Avid..