Kanto

Kanto redirects here. For for the character in Pokémon Battrio: Aim to be Battrio Master!, see Kanto Nankai.

Kanto カントー地方 Kantō region

Artwork of Kanto from Generation IV

Introduction Red and Green Professor Professor Oak First partner Pokémon Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, and Eevee Regional Villains Team Rocket

League Pokémon League Indigo League League Location Indigo Plateau

Pokédex Pokédex List Kanto Pokédex

Anime Series Original Advanced Generation Season(s) Indigo League (1) Advanced Battle (8) Battle Frontier (9)

Games Generation I, II, III, IV Games Red and GreenJa BlueJa Red and Blue Yellow Gold and Silver Crystal FireRed and LeafGreen HeartGold and SoulSilver

Manga Adventures Debut PS001

The Kanto region (Japanese: カントー地方 Kantō-chihō) is a region of the Pokémon world. It is located east of Johto, and as revealed by the radio show Sinnoh Sound, is located south of Sinnoh. It was the first region to be introduced. It is the setting of the Generation I games and FireRed and LeafGreen; it is also accessible in Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver after the quest in Johto is completed.

All cities in Kanto are named after colors (Viridian City, Lavender Town, Indigo Plateau, etc.), with the exception of Pallet Town, which is also a reference to color. Professor Oak is the resident Pokémon Professor and gives Pokémon Trainers a choice between Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle as their starter Pokémon. In Yellow, the only choice is a Pikachu that he recently caught, although he did have an Eevee. In the games, the player begins his or her journey in Pallet Town and ends it at Indigo Plateau.

It is based on and named after the real Kantō region (関東, meaning "east of the barrier") in Japan. Unlike almost every other region, which are specific to their own generations, Kanto has been explorable in the first four generations of Pokémon games. However, it is not the primary region in the Generation II and IV games it appears in, in which players explore the neighboring Johto region before exploring Kanto.

The artwork of Kanto in Generation I and Generation II depict Kanto as grassland, with very few trees. In Generation III and Generation IV, Kanto is seen with more trees, making it less like grassland.

Etymology and design concept

Connection to Japan

Main article: Pokémon world in relation to the real world

File:Pokemonworld.png

The map of Japan showing the Kanto region as the Kantō region.

Regardless of their proximity, the people of Johto and those of Kanto are set apart by many cultural differences. Kanto is based on the real Kantō region in Japan. Compared to the traditional Kansai region (where Johto is based), Kanto is modern and technological, which is reflected in the look of the cities and the buildings like the Pokémon Lab of Cinnabar Island and the Power Plant. This fact is also reflected in Kanto being the only Pokémon region without any legends, myths, or traditions related to Pokémon, and being the centerpoint for innovation, with the Poké Ball's ultimate upgrade, the Master Ball, being recently invented by Silph Co. The soil of the Kantō region is volcanic, referencing the in-game Kanto region's inability to maintain a Berry crop in Generation II, Generation III and Generation IV. People from Kanto are considered to be sophisticated, reserved and formal. Kansai and Kantō, however different, are the two most important areas of Honshū, the largest island in Japan, and, much like Johto and Kanto, represent a harmony of contrasting cultures living together. The cultural divide is most noticeable in the games, as the player talks to and learns about the denizens of both regions.

Tokyo, which the commercial Celadon City and the financial Saffron City are based on, is the most important commercial and economic center of Japan. Yokohama, which Vermilion City is based on, is the main and largest seaport of Japan.

History

An early design of Kanto from Capsule Monsters

The Kanto region is home to a lot of Pokémon and has a rich history of creating Pokémon with technology.

Researchers of Kanto have been great at their job. A researcher working for the evil organization Team Rocket cloned Mew through its genes and created the Genetic Pokémon Mewtwo. Porygon, the Virtual Pokémon, was also created by humans in Kanto.

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

In contemporary history, Red/Leaf is given a Pokémon by Professor Oak for personal safety. Professor Oak also gives his grandson, Blue, a Pokémon and asks Blue and Red/Leaf to help him fill the Pokédex, a complete encyclopedia on Pokémon. Thus, the journey of Red/Leaf begins. Red/Leaf travels across the Kanto region and collects all eight Gym Badges. During his/her journey, Red/Leaf comes across Team Rocket, an evil organization behind wrongdoings about Pokémon. Red/Leaf stops Team Rocket and defeats Giovanni, their boss as well as the Gym Leader of Viridian Gym, who then disbands Team Rocket. In the meantime, Blue, who has also collected all of the Kanto Gym Badges, defeats the Elite Four at the Indigo League and becomes the champion of the Kanto region. Finally, Red/Leaf makes it up to him and defeats him to gain the title of the Indigo League Champion.

Three years later, Ethan/Kris/Lyra from Johto comes to Kanto and collects all eight Kanto Gym Badges. Ethan/Kris/Lyra is the current Indigo League Champion and has also met and defeated Red.

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  Map of the Kanto region from Generation I

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  Map of the Kanto region from Generation II

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  Map of the Kanto region from Generation III

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  In-game map of the Kanto region from Generation I

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  In-game map of the Kanto region from Generation II

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  In-game map of the Kanto region from Generation III

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  In-game map of the Kanto region from Generation IV

Cities, routes, and other locations

The Kanto region features ten towns and cities. There is a wide variety of towns and cities throughout the region; from the large, urban Saffron City to the quiet, quaint town of Pallet. Kanto features a Pokémon League, like most other regions in the Pokémon world. However, since Kanto shares its borders with Johto, it also shares the same Pokémon League. Kanto and Johto are the only known regions that can be crossed with relative ease. Even though Kanto and Johto are culturally and socially different, the two regions are actually very similar in terms of geography.

The Kanto region includes 28 different routes, which acts as roads to cities and towns or points of interest. The Johto region follows Kanto's route number which ends at Route 28 in the Kanto region and begins with Johto's Route 29. Unlike other regions, Kanto does not have routes featuring any sort of weather conditions, such as Hoenn's Route 119 which rains and thunders constantly and Sinnoh's Route 217 in which hail regularly falls. The Kanto region seems to have the most temperate climate of the six main regions.

The connecting landmass between Kanto and Johto doesn't appear to be a fine line; but more or less a blurry one. Route 28 is technically owned by Kanto; however, it bridges the border between the two regions, making it the only route in history that enters two regions at one time. This is similar to Routes 26 and 27, that are strictly Kanto locations; however, they are able to be transported to via HM02 (Fly) from Johto in Generation IV.

Demographics

Including all the cities and towns in the Kanto region, the total population in FireRed and LeafGreen is 391, while in HeartGold and SoulSilver the population is 364.

Cities/Towns

Map	City/Town	Population	Description
	Pallet Town	10	A fairly new and quiet town. It's a small and pretty place.
	Viridian City	30	A beautiful city that is enveloped in green year-round.
	Pewter City	33	A quiet city nestled between rugged mountains and rocks.
	Cerulean City	32	A beautiful city with flowing water and blooming flowers.
	Vermilion City	29	A southern city that is bathed in orange by the setting sun.
	Lavender Town	41	A small town covered in a beautiful hue of purple.
	Celadon City	82	A rich, rainbow colored city where people and Pokémon gather.
	Fuchsia City	35	A historic village that has become new.
	Saffron City	63	The biggest city in Kanto, shining with a golden light.
	Cinnabar Island	36 / 9	A town used to be here until it was swept away by an eruption.

Anime-exclusive locations

Picture	Location	Description
	Bill's Lighthouse	Bill's Lighthouse is located somewhere near Cerulean City.
	Cameran Palace	Cameran Palace is located in the center of Rota.
	Camomile Island	It is an island located in the Kanto region.
	Camp Pokéhearst	It is a camp located east of Hollywood.
	Chrysanthemum Island	A popular tourist destination in Kanto featuring a beach and a Contest Hall.
	Commerce City	It is a large city with a park and is located somewhere in Kanto.
	Cremini Town	A town close to Tohjo Falls. The Battle Tower, lead by Anabel is also nearby.
	Dark City	A town located between the Safari Zone and Cinnabar Island.
	Evolution Mountain	A mountain located between the Safari Zone and Cinnabar Island. Stone Town lies at its base.
	Fennel Valley	It is a valley located in the Kanto region.
	Gaiva Dam	The dam was once being constructed near Fuchsia City. The workers abandoned the dam to protect the surrounding habitat. The dam was eventually destroyed by Team Rocket.
	Gardenia Town	The town has a Contest Hall and is located in Kanto.
	Grampa Canyon	A canyon located outside of Neon Town.
	Gringey City	A once-thriving city that over-expanded with its factories. As a result, the city has become polluted and practically abandoned. It is located between Celadon City and Fuchsia City.
	Hidden Village	Hidden Village is located between Cerulean City and Vermilion City. Run by Melanie, the village is a place for Pokémon who have been abandoned by their Trainers. She takes care of them until they're ready to return to the wild.
	Hollywood	Hollywood is located in western Kanto. It is based on the real-world city Hollywood.
	HopHopHop Town	HopHopHop Town is an urban settlement located on the outskirts of Celadon City.
	House of Imite	The House of Imite is located between the Safari Zone and Cinnabar Island. Home to Duplica and her Ditto, the House of Imite is also where Duplica and her Ditto perform shows for audiences.
	Leaf Forest	This forest has an unusual power that can suddenly cause Grass-type Pokémon to evolve.
	Maiden's Peak	Maiden's Peak is a town located near Saffron City. The town is known for its haunting legend and its festival which is held at the end of every summer.
	Matcha City	Matcha City is the location of Dr. Akihabara's laboratory.
	Metallica Island	It is an island located near the Seafoam Islands and the Battle Palace is located there.
	Mossgreen Village	It is a small town located between the Safari Zone and Cinnabar Island.
	Mt. Hideaway	It is a large mountain located near Pallet Town.
	Mulberry City	Mulberry City is located in the Kanto region and has a Contest Hall.
	Neon Town	It is a vibrant town located between the Safari Zone and Cinnabar Island.
	New Island	New Island is the setting of the first movie. It was once the location of Team Rocket secret laboratory. Later in the movie, Mewtwo takes over the island and creates a fortress after the destruction of the laboratory.
	O-Hina Town	A town where the Queen of the Princess Festival contest is held.
	Old Shore Wharf	Old Shore Wharf is a docking place. It is where Mewtwo invited Trainers to go to, in order to reach New Island. Miranda works here.
	Pokélantis	Pokélantis is a lost empire in the proximity of Pewter City. In present day, all that remained of the once thriving city was the tomb of the king who once ruled it. Brandon decided to investigate which ultimately led to the discovery of the tomb, which is baited with many traps.
	Pokémon Land	Pokémon Land is an amusement park located near Porta Vista.
	Pokémon Ninja School	A school located close to Fuchsia City were jujutsu is taught.
	Pokémon Tech	It serves as a school for those who do not wish to travel to collect the eight Gym Badges. It is also known as Pokémon Technical and is located in between Cerulean City and Vermilion City.
	Pokémon Theme Park	A large playground where Trainers can leave their Pokémon.
	Pokémopolis	Pokémopolis is an ancient civilization in close proximity to Pallet Town. It made its only anime appearance in The Ancient Puzzle of Pokémopolis.
	Porta Vista	Porta Vista is a popular tourist destination located between Maiden's Peak and Vermilion City.
	Potpourri Island	It is an island located in Kanto's seas.
	Rifure Village	It is a tiny establishment located near Cerulean City.
	Rota	A medieval themed city where Cameran Palace is located.
	Sable City	Sable City is located near Pewter City.
	Sayda Island	It is a heavily forested island home to the Sayda Lab.
	Scissor Street	It is home to many salons for improving a Pokémon's appearance and strength.
	Silver Town	A town located in Kanto.
	Stone Town	Stone Town is a tiny establishment located between the Safari Zone and Cinnabar Island.
	Sunnytown	Sunnytown is located at one end of the Cycling Road.
	Team Rocket Academy	People train here to become members of Team Rocket.
	Terracotta Town	A seaside town established on steep cliffs. The town is famous for its unofficial Pokémon Contests.
	Tree of Beginning	It is a gigantic living organism made up of crystals. It is north of Pewter City and Mt. Moon.
	Wisteria Town	Wisteria Town is located in Kanto.
	Xanadu Nursery	It is a large greenhouse located near Pallet Town.

Mentioned only

Name	Notes
Celadon University	Celadon University is located in Celadon City and has been mentioned multiple times in various canons, but is only seen in the manga Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All.
Crimson City	Mentioned in The Fourth Round Rumble.
Frodomar City	Mentioned in Celebi and Joy. It is allegedly the hometown of Ritchie.

Manga-exclusive locations

Picture	Location	Manga	Description
File:Celadon University.png	Celadon University	Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All	Celadon University is located in Celadon City and has been mentioned numerous times in various canons, but is only seen in the manga Pokémon Gotta Catch 'Em All.
	Cerise Island	Pokémon Adventures Yellow arc	An unmapped and mostly unknown island located to the west of Cinnabar Island. The headquarters of the Kanto Elite Four, the antagonists of the Yellow arc.
	Mt. Spirit	The Electric Tale of Pikachu	A tall mountain on the outskirts of Fuchsia City. The flag on its peak is the finishing point for the Fuchsia Free-For-All Race.

Areas of interest

Image(s)		Location
FR/LG	HG/SS
		Cerulean Cave
		Diglett's Cave
		Indigo Plateau
		Mt. Moon
	N/A	Pokémon Mansion
		Pokémon Tower (Generations I and III) Lavender Radio Tower (Generations II and IV)
		Power Plant
		Rock Tunnel
		Celadon Game Corner
		Safari Zone (Gens I and III) Pal Park (Generation IV)
		Seafoam Islands
		Silph Co.
		Victory Road
		Viridian Forest
		Pokémon Stadium (according to its in-game location information in Super Smash Bros. Melee)

Routes

Routes in Kanto began the numbering process, going from 1 to 25 in Generation I and Generation III, but adding three routes to connect to Johto (26, 27, and 28) in Generation II and Generation IV.

Geography

Anime-based map of the Kanto region

Kanto in the anime

The Kanto region has a very temperate climate and not many notable landscape features, though this may be due to the region's origins in the Generation I games.

The majority of the Kanto region are forests and plains. Many of the major Kanto cities are in the center of the region, with close access to virtually every environment such as the sea, mountains, forests, etc. Kanto is mostly dominated by land, but has a large bay in the middle which opens to a sea in the southwest. Kanto has a contrast between urban cities and rural towns. Cinnabar Island is unique in a way that it is built on top of a mountain. The rest of Kanto's cities and towns are generic. Kanto has several mountain ranges, which are mostly in northern and western Kanto. Indigo Plateau and Victory Road mountain range divides Kanto from the neighboring Johto region.

Differences between Generations

Between Generation I and Generation III, Kanto is very much the same with some alterations in respect to the improved graphics and gameplay in the remakes. Additionally in FireRed and LeafGreen, a chain of islands known as the Sevii Islands, located east and southeast of Kanto, are unlocked throughout the player's quest, with the first three accessible once Blaine is defeated on Cinnabar Island. Becoming the Pokémon Champion and getting the National Pokédex unlocks the other islands which make up this archipelago.

In the Generation II games as well as HeartGold and SoulSilver, Trainers may travel from Johto to Kanto and notice that changes have occurred as a result of three years having passed since the time of the Generation I games and FireRed and LeafGreen:

• The Safari Zone has closed as a result of the warden taking a trip. In Generation II, it is simply inaccessible during normal gameplay while it has been relocated to Johto in Generation IV, with the original area now housing a Pal Park.
• Cerulean Cave has collapsed. In Generation IV, however; it has since been re-excavated.
• Cinnabar Island has been destroyed by an eruption of the volcano, and its Gym has been relocated to the Seafoam Islands.
• In Generation II only, Viridian Forest became drastically smaller and was not a standalone area.
• Mt. Moon has greatly decreased in size due to rock slides.
• The Power Plant has become functional.
• The Pokémon Tower has become a radio tower. The Pokémon graves it housed have been moved to the House of Memories.
• Blue has taken over Viridian Gym since Giovanni's retreat for training and remodeled the Gym to suit his tastes.
• Janine has taken over Fuchsia Gym since her father Koga has been promoted to the Elite Four.
• In Generation II only, the Pewter Museum of Science is closed for renovations.
• The southern portion of Route 23 was removed in Generation II, and the stone maze that was in the northern portion is gone, leaving a simple, straight path. In Generation IV, though this same northern portion exists, it is labeled as a part of Indigo Plateau, meaning that Route 23 no longer exists.
• The Badge checks have been combined into the Pokémon League Reception Gate, instead of being scattered along Route 23.

Indigo League

Main article: Indigo League

Gym Leaders

Indigo League
Generations I, II, III, and IV			Region: Kanto
Gym Leader Japanese		Location Japanese	Type		Badge
Brock タケシ Takeshi		Pewter City ニビシティ Nibi City	Rock		Boulder Badge
Misty カスミ Kasumi		Cerulean City ハナダシティ Hanada City	Water		Cascade Badge
Lt. Surge マチス Matis		Vermilion City クチバシティ Kuchiba City	Electric		Thunder Badge
Erika エリカ Erika		Celadon City タマムシシティ Tamamushi City	Grass		Rainbow Badge
Koga キョウ Kyō I III	Janine アンズ Anzu II IV	Fuchsia City セキチクシティ Sekichiku City	Poison		Soul Badge
Sabrina ナツメ Natsume		Saffron City ヤマブキシティ Yamabuki City	Psychic		Marsh Badge
Blaine カツラ Katsura		Cinnabar Island グレンじま Guren Island I III	Fire		Volcano Badge
		Seafoam Islands ふたごじま Twin Islands II IV
Giovanni サカキ Sakaki I III	Blue グリーン Green II IV	Viridian City トキワシティ Tokiwa City	Ground	Various	Earth Badge

Elite Four and Champion

Indigo League
Generation I, II, III, and IV
Member Japanese		Type
Lorelei カンナ KannaI III	Will イツキ ItsukiII IV	Ice	Psychic
Bruno シバ SibaI III	Koga キョウ KyōII IV	Fighting	Poison
Agatha キクコ KikukoI III	Bruno シバ SibaII IV	Ghost	Fighting
Lance ワタル WataruI III	Karen カリン KarinII IV	Dragon	Dark
Champion Blue グリーン GreenI III	Champion Lance ワタル WataruII IV	Various	Dragon

Trivia

"A map of the Kanto region!
I hope she gives it to me..."

• Until the release of Pokémon Gold and Silver, Kanto's name was seen only once in the Japanese Generation I games: upon viewing the Town Map at Blue's house. It was never mentioned in the Generation I games outside of Japan, and thus many fans assumed the region was called "Indigo", based on the name of the Indigo Plateau. By the time the Generation III remakes, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, were released, Kanto's name was firmly established and appeared regularly in-game.
• Kanto is the only main region which has been featured in two separate anime series, once at the start of Ash's journey (in the original series), and once after Ash returned from Hoenn (in the Advanced Generation series).
  • Until the release of Pokémon Platinum, after Ash defeated Maylene and Crasher Wake (not to mention just before Ash challenges Fantina), it was also the only region in the anime where Ash defeated the Gym Leaders in a different order from the games.
• Kanto is mentioned during the event in which players capture Shaymin in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. Professor Oak states that somewhere in the Kanto region there is a white rock similar to the one at the north end of Route 224 in Sinnoh, although no such rock appears in any of Kanto's appearances.
• Kanto has certain traits that generally separates it from other regions:
  • It is the only region in the Pokémon world that shares its name with the real-world region it was based on.
  • It is also the only region where the Pokémon League is located to the west of every Gym.
  • Kanto and Johto are the only regions that are connected to each other by land.
  • Kanto has the fewest amount of towns/cities of all the regions, having only ten. However, in Generation II, Kanto and Johto are tied in this way, but this changed with the release of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, when the Safari Zone Gate and the Frontier Access were added to Johto.
  • Kanto holds the most fossils out of the six regions introduced, having three, while Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova and Kalos have two each, and Johto has none.
• In Generation I, Kanto was slightly redesigned twice after its initial appearance: signposts, doors, and other minor details, along with certain locations, such as Cerulean Cave, were changed between Pocket Monsters: Red and Green and Pocket Monsters: Blue, and then again between Pocket Monsters: Blue and Pocket Monsters: Pikachu. The international Pokémon Red and Blue reused the tilesets and other graphics from Pocket Monsters: Blue, while international Pokémon Yellow featured the same design as its original Japanese release.
  • However, it would be the original design from Pocket Monsters: Red and Green that was ultimately reused in Kanto's Generation II and Generation III appearances.
• Kanto has appeared in the most games and generations to date, having appeared in ten games (eleven in Japan and four in South Korea) over the course of four generations.
  • Pocket Monsters: Red and Green, Pocket Monsters: Blue, Pokémon Red and Blue, and Pokémon Yellow in Generation I;
  • Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal in Generation II;
  • Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen in Generation III;
  • Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver in Generation IV.

In other languages

Language	Name	Origin
Korean	관동 Gwandong	Either from 関東 (관동), Gwandong, based on the Japanese region, or from 關東 (관동), Gwandong, a region in Korea. Both mean "east of barrier/frontier pass".
Chinese (Taiwan)	關都 Guāndū	Transliteration of Kantō. Can either mean "closed capital" or "city of the pass".
Chinese (PRC)	关都 Guāndū 关东 Guāndōng	Same as Taiwanese name. From 関東 Kantō. Means "east of pass".

See also

• Pokémon Red and Green
• Pokémon Blue
• Pokémon Red and Blue
• Pokémon Yellow
• Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Regions in the Pokémon world

Core series Kanto (Sevii Islands) • Johto • Hoenn Sinnoh (Hisui • Battle Zone) • Unova (Blueberry Academy) Kalos • Alola • Galar (Isle of Armor • Crown Tundra) Paldea • Kitakami Side series White City • Orre Anime Orange Islands • Decolore Islands Spin-off games Fiore • Almia • Oblivia • Pokémon Island • Mintale Town Ryme City • Pasio • Ransei • Ferrum • Lental Mystery Dungeon world • PokéPark • TCG Islands Carmonte Island • Tumblecube Island • Aeos Island TCG Southern Islands • Puzzle Continent • Holon • Parallel Worlds Sovereign states in the Pokémon world Ranger Union • Guyana Lucario Kingdom • Mirage Kingdom • Rota

Kanto
Settlements Pallet Town • Viridian City • Pewter City • Cerulean City • Vermilion City • Lavender Town Celadon City • Saffron City • Fuchsia City • Cinnabar Island • Indigo Plateau Routes 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 Landmarks Professor Oak's Laboratory • Viridian Forest • Diglett's Cave • Pewter Museum of Science • Mt. Moon (Square) • Cerulean Cave Underground Path (Kanto Routes 5–6) • Underground Path (Kanto Routes 7–8) • S.S. Anne • S.S. Aqua • Sea Cottage • Rock Tunnel Power Plant • Cycling Road/Pokémon Road • Team Rocket Hideout • Silph Co. • Magnet Train • Pokémon Tower • Safari Zone/Pal Park GO Park • Seafoam Islands • Pokémon Mansion • Cinnabar Lab • Pokémon League Reception Gate • Victory Road • Tohjo Falls Access to Sevii Islands • Johto

This article is part of Project Locations, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every location in the Pokémon world.