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Noto Railway’s brightly wrapped “POKÉMON with YOU Train” has returned to Ishikawa’s Noto Peninsula, giving families and rail fans a new way to explore the region while drawing attention to ongoing recovery efforts after the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake.
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Colorful Pokémon Train Returns to the Noto Peninsula
Publicly available information from Noto Railway and Ishikawa tourism channels indicates that the “Noto Railway POKÉMON with YOU Train” resumed operation on the Nanao Line section between Nanao and Anamizu from August 1, 2024. The diesel railcar is wrapped in a vivid design inspired by the peninsula’s forests, sea and traditional villages, populated by Pikachu and other familiar characters along the sides of the train.
The service is part of a wider collaboration between Ishikawa Prefecture and the Pokémon with You Foundation, which has previously supported themed trains in Tohoku. In Noto, the project has been framed as a way to encourage visitors back to an area that experienced significant disruption after the Noto Peninsula earthquake in January 2024, while giving children a playful and reassuring travel environment.
Reports describe the Ishikawa Pokémon train as a sightseeing-focused service that supplements regular local trains, operating on selected days with advance reservations required for the dedicated Pokémon car. The combination of character branding and coastal scenery has quickly turned the train itself into a destination for domestic travelers, rail enthusiasts and overseas visitors planning detours from Kanazawa.
New Onboard Experience for Families and Young Travelers
Descriptions published by regional tourism sites show that the interior of the Pokémon with YOU Train in Ishikawa has been redesigned as a child-friendly space, with bright colors, character motifs and areas where young passengers can move around more freely compared with standard commuter cars. Seating is configured to encourage families and small groups to face each other, and many surfaces feature illustrations of Pikachu and other Pokémon set against Noto’s satoyama and coastal landscapes.
The concept builds on earlier Pokémon with YOU trains in Japan that were created to bring smiles to children in disaster-affected regions. In Ishikawa, the design language has been updated to reflect local motifs, including stylized waves, forests and references to traditional festivals that are central to Noto’s cultural identity. This makes the train both a character attraction and a compact introduction to the region’s sense of place.
Travel reports highlight that staff-organized activities and photo spots inside the train help turn the journey into a mini event for younger riders. Families often plan itineraries around riding the Pokémon service in one direction and a regular local train in the other, using the themed trip as a highlight within a broader visit to hot-spring towns, fishing ports and coastal viewpoints.
Stations, Poké Lids and Airport Form a Wider Pokémon Route
The return of the Pokémon train is one element of a broader character-themed initiative stretching across Ishikawa. Information released by the prefecture shows that Anamizu Station and other points along the Noto Railway now feature Pokémon decorations, signage and photo backdrops. Travelers arriving at Anamizu encounter a dedicated Pokémon gate structure and station forecourt displays that extend the railcar experience onto the platform.
Across the peninsula, specially designed Pokémon manhole covers known as Poké Lids have been installed at locations including Noto Satoyama Airport and several coastal towns. These covers, each featuring different characters and scenes, have become popular photo subjects and are integrated into stamp rallies for visitors using smartphone games and tourism apps. Rail passengers can combine a ride on the Pokémon train with short walks from stations to seek out nearby Poké Lids.
The concept continues at Noto Satoyama Airport, which has been branded as “Noto Satoyama Pokémon with YOU Airport” under a partnership between the facility and the Pokémon with You Foundation. Public documentation on the project explains that the airport’s interior spaces, signage and welcome areas now feature Pokémon theming intended to create a unified arrival experience. For families flying in from Tokyo or other domestic hubs, the airport, train and station decorations form a continuous character route across the peninsula.
Supporting Recovery and Tourism after the 2024 Noto Earthquake
Official disaster overviews and prefectural announcements note that the January 1, 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake caused extensive damage to roads, rail lines and tourism infrastructure across northern Ishikawa. Sections of the Nanao Line and local highways were temporarily closed, and visitor numbers to coastal communities dropped sharply in the months following the disaster.
The Pokémon with YOU initiatives in Noto, including the themed train and airport, have been framed in public communications as part of a multi-year effort to encourage safe tourism back to the region, generate spending in local communities and provide positive experiences for children. The brightly colored train and related attractions function as visible symbols that services are operating again and that visitors are welcome, while also drawing national media attention to lesser-known towns along the line.
Travel advisories and recent firsthand accounts emphasize that some areas of the peninsula are still in various stages of reconstruction, and that conditions can differ between communities. Prospective visitors are encouraged to check the latest transport and accommodation information, but reports from 2025 and 2026 increasingly describe the Pokémon train as a sign of gradual normalization in day-to-day life and tourism.
Planning a Pokémon-Themed Rail Trip in Ishikawa
Schedules and ticketing details for the Noto Railway Pokémon with YOU Train are published on the operator’s Japanese-language website and are subject to change by season and event period. The train typically runs on selected days rather than as a daily service, and many departures are organized as reserved-tour or special-event runs. Travelers are advised to confirm current operating dates and booking procedures well ahead of time, particularly during school holidays and weekends.
Access to the line is generally via Kanazawa, now connected by the extended Hokuriku Shinkansen, with onward limited express and local services to Nanao before transferring to Noto Railway. From there, the Pokémon train operates on the scenic stretch toward Anamizu, with journey times that allow for half-day or full-day excursions combined with visits to Wakura Onsen, coastal viewpoints or small-town streets around intermediate stations.
Families planning a themed trip often coordinate their itinerary to include stops at Poké Lids, the Pokémon gate at Anamizu Station and, when flying, the Noto Satoyama Pokémon with YOU Airport. As the region continues its long-term recovery, the Ishikawa Pokémon train is emerging as both a playful rail experience and a symbolic entry point to a peninsula that remains rich in traditional festivals, hot springs and rural landscapes.
Noto Railway POKÉMON with YOU Train information
Ishikawa “Noto with Pokémon” official project site