Pokémon GO player documents beauty of Japanese prefecture through 7 years’ worth of AR photography 

Header image source: @kawazunomekari

Provided it is played responsibly, Pokémon GO can be a great way to experience new places. Gamers aren’t the most active bunch, so Pokémon GO’s attempts to get them outside are very welcome. The game’s augmented reality (AR) technology helps exaggerate the illusion of playing as a trainer, searching and fighting Pokémon in real-world locations. While most players are content with collecting and fighting Pokémon, others prefer to capture them with photographs. 

A Japanese X (formerly Twitter) user by the name of kawazuno has been posting their Pokémon GO AR photos on the site. Once a resident of the northern Akita prefecture, kawazuno recently moved in the spring. To commemorate their stay there, they have posted 7 years’ worth of Pokémon GO photos on their profile and alphabetically compiled them in a single mega thread. 181 posts showcase the beauty of the various cities and towns located within Akita. 

Though Pokémon in Pokémon GO tend to face players, kawazuno have done their best to capture them in candid poses. A Wailord can be seen floating above the Hirasawa Fishing Port in Nikaho City while a Zapdos flies over a cloudy Nikaho Plateau. Kawazuno has put a lot of effort into making the Pokémon look like they belong to their associated environments. They even went so far as to document several Pokémon that are particularly “strong” in terms of AR photography.  

Unlike powerful Pokémon that are used in trainer and gym battles, kawazuno’s definition of a strong Pokémon is one that easily blends into a wide variety of environments, can be captured without special photography techniques, and can easily fit into locations. According to them, the strongest normal-type Pokémon for AR photoshoots is Bidoof, as it easily blends into backgrounds but is prominent enough to be noticed. The strongest fire-type Pokémon is Charizard, as its massive size, unique design, and mega evolutions make it ideal for wide backgrounds. Kawazuno goes into incredibly descriptive detail for their strongest Pokémon of each type, so anyone who aspires to be a Pokémon GO photographer should check out their guide. 

Kawazuno’s massive collection of Pokémon GO photos has been praised by many people, one of whom is Niantic Vice President of Games and Publishing Masa Karashima. They have also created dedicated tutorials for Pokémon GO AR photography on their YouTube page. With the Akita prefecture covered, kawazuno now aims to travel across the entire Tohoku region and capture just as many photos as before. The experience will not only allow them to photograph new Pokémon, but also the beauty of the region.