SORA NEWS


 

Fancy having a play date with Chansey?

Pink, egg-shaped, and perpetually smiling Chansey is the official Pokémon ambassador of Fukushima Prefecture.

Chansey, whose name in Japanese is literally “Lucky,” happens to be the perfect pick for Fukushima, which is written using the kanji for “lucky” and “island” (福島).

Actually, families in Fukushima are about to feel even luckier than usual because their prefecture has just announced the development of four new Chansey-themed parks as part of the Pokémon Local Acts campaign!
 

▼ Imagine yourself frolicking in one of the Chansey parks in the near future.


 

Concept art for the new outdoor spaces reveals glimpses of Chansey’s pre-evolved form Happiny and other pink-colored Poké-pals such as Cleffa, Igglybuff, and Lickitung joining in the fun on the play equipment. They’ll be the first-of-their-kind parks in all of Japan.

A formal dedication ceremony for the Chansey parks was held in Fukushima on October 14 with none other than special guest Chansey in attendance.

 

▼ Chansey seems to be enjoying this other part-time work when they’re not helping out Nurse Joy at the Pokémon Center.


 

It was further announced that the four lucky city/town recipients of a Chansey Park in Fukushima will be Koriyama, Namie, Yanaizu, and Showa.

The Namie location is set to open first at the Namie Michi no Eki rest stop in December, while the others will follow sequentially in spring 2022.

 

▼ Always smiling, Chansey is said to bring happiness to everyone.


 

With the excitement the Chansey parks have generated among the Fukushima public, we can only hope that other prefectures will follow suit with their own Poké-parks.

Perhaps the Poké-prefectural ambassadors in Miyagi or Tottori Prefectures could be featured in the next wave!