Pokémon Go popularity causes Japanese city’s hotel rates to soar  

Pokémon Go’s enduring popularity caused hotel rates to spike last week in Sendai. The first leg of Pokémon Go Fest 2024 kicked off in the Japanese city from May 30 to June 2, attracting players of all ages from throughout Japan and overseas.  

Pokémon Go Fest was first held in Chicago back in 2017. It is a special event which enables players of the popular smartphone game Pokémon Go to capture event-exclusive Pokémon, take part in special quests that involve exploring real-life locations and to meet up with other players. Located to the north of Tokyo in Japan’s rural Miyagi prefecture, Sendai was chosen as the only location in Japan for this year’s Pokémon Fest. News broadcasts and social media posts showed usually quiet stations and streets in Sendai packed with enthusiastic Pokémon Go fans. 

As reported by Fuji News Network, Pokémon Go Fest 2024 was so popular that the majority of the city’s hotel rooms were full. Room rates spiked, with some regular hotels charging around 10 times the usual price, or upwards of 80,000 yen ($500 USD) per night.   

The event centered around the large green space of Nanakita Park and offered attendees the chance to capture Necrozma. By taking on a Special Research quest, players could use Fusion to obtain either Dusk Mane Necrozma or Dawn Wings Necrozma. The event also encouraged participants to explore the city and check out local specialties as well as Pokémon-themed dishes. Some participants were even catching Pokémon on multiple phones at the same time. 

The gathering of Pokémon Go players from all over the globe also gave Pokémon collectors the opportunity to interact with one another in person and exchange rare Pokémon that can only be found in certain parts of the world. Overall, the event seems to have greatly benefitted both Pokémon fans and the economy of Sendai, which was one of the places impacted by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. 

Pokémon Go Fest 2024 will also be held in Madrid (June 14-16) and New York City (July 5-7). More information can be found here.