TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) — Thousands of people turned up in the Japanese port city of Yokohama on Sunday (August 7) as dozens of giant Pikachus, a character of the globally popular Pokemon GO game, paraded down the streets.
Around 50 Pikachus and a dozen children and dancers braved the summer heat to entertain fans and passersby alike.
The city has an exclusive deal with The Pokemon Company, which receives licensing fees from the game and will hold more events like the parade in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Yuka Nagai, manager for the promotion section of Yokohama city said a smaller event last year which only lasted four days, brought in at least 1.9 million tourists to the port city which is only a half an hour’s train ride away from Tokyo.
The crowds this year were much bigger thanks to the Pokemon Go craze.
“I am here because I heard the Pikachu dances are incredible so I am here mainly for Pikachu,” said Miho Fukasawa, a Pikachu fan.
“He (my friend) told me that there is a Pikachu festival and I was just like ‘Oh my god, I just have to come here and look at all the Pikachu’ and like, this is just like I had imagined, there are Pikachus everywhere,” said Demver Marroquin, of the U.S. Navy and currently stationed in Japan.
Japanese company Nintendo Co owns a large stake in The Pokemon Company, has seen its stock price surge after the runaway success of Pokemon Go.
The game, which is currently available in 35 countries, has prompted safety warnings after players glued to their phones stumbled, were robbed or wandered into dangerous places.
