What was the Pokémon EXPO Gym in Osaka Like?

Pokémon isn’t limited to video games; it also spans movies, anime, and card games, making it popular content worldwide.

In Japan, there are or have been several commercial facilities themed around Pokémon, including the Pokémon EXPO Gym.

This article will detail the Pokémon EXPO Gym, which was located in LaLaport EXPOCITY in Suita, Osaka, and introduce recommended spots in Osaka where you can enjoy Pokémon.

*The Pokémon EXPO Gym closed on September 24, 2017

The Pokémon EXPO Gym was an experiential entertainment facility where you could immerse yourself in the world of Pokémon. It captivated Pokémon fans upon its opening on November 19, 2015, in LaLaport EXPOCITY in Suita City, Osaka.

The facility had two floors filled with various attractions using digital technology, allowing for training while conversing with Pokémon. You could also enjoy a café themed around Pokémon and shops selling Pokémon merchandise. Staff dressed as Pokémon characters helped everyone, from adults to children, dive into the Pokémon world.

Let’s take a closer look at the attractions and café/shop of Pokémon EXPO.

The Pokémon EXPO Gym featured the following attractions:

Visitors could enjoy special effects theater shows and arcade games.In Smeargle’s Promo Studio, Smeargle and a Pokémon Trainer interacted with the audience. Chosen audience members participated by answering questions or dancing on stage with Smeargle. It was a fun show where the audience could play along and interact with Pokémon. There was also an opportunity for a commemorative photo at the end.

The Pokémon Battle Bowling was an interactive game where players moved in front of an LCD screen. A camera sensor reacted to the player’s movements, and the on-screen ball moved accordingly. It was a two-player game that used battle knowledge for collaborative fun. You could see how well you and your partner synced up, which added to the excitement.

The Pokémon EXPO Gym also had shops and cafés where you could enjoy the world of Pokémon. At the Pikachu Drink Stand, you could drink original beverages from cute cups with Pikachu’s face on them. The Pikachu-shaped popcorn baskets were also take-home, making them perfect souvenirs.

The official shop was filled with Pokémon plushies, miscellaneous goods, and snacks. There were exclusive merchandise items only available at the Pokémon EXPO Gym, a must-see for Pokémon fans!

To enter, you needed a Pokémon EXPO Gym Membership Card (Poképera). The card issuance fee was 500 yen, and each attraction had a separate usage fee.

Theater-type attractions cost 600 yen each, and arcade-type attractions cost 400 yen each. You charged the desired amount onto your membership card and used it to play inside the facility.

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LaLaport EXPOCITY, where the Pokémon EXPO Gym was located, is a large complex facility with about 300 stores. It merges education and entertainment, making it an ideal place to spend a day.

Here are three facilities to introduce the charm of LaLaport EXPOCITY.

[Produced by Kaiyukan: NIFREL]

Nifrel, produced by the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, is a leisure facility with the concept of a “living museum.” It combines aquariums, zoos, and art museums into one, with exhibitions divided into eight zones based on themes like the colors, behaviors, and habitats of creatures. The displays, akin to an art museum, are beautiful and offer a different ambiance from typical aquariums or zoos, allowing you to enjoy observing adorable creatures.

[Japan’s Largest Ferris Wheel: Osaka Wheel]

Do you know where Japan’s tallest ferris wheel is located? It’s the Osaka Wheel at EXPOCITY. The ferris wheel is 123 meters high, and its gondolas have see-through floors, giving you the sensation of floating in the air. The spacious gondolas are air-conditioned, and there are also special VIP gondolas available. You can enjoy views of Osaka city, the Rokko Mountains, and more. At night, it’s lit up with LEDs, making the night view spectacular.

[Expo ’70 Commemorative Park Next to EXPOCITY]

Next to EXPOCITY is the Expo ’70 Commemorative Park, created on the site of the 1970 Japan World Exposition. The 264-hectare park features gardens, museums, and sculpture art. The most famous piece is the “Tower of the Sun” sculpture by Taro Okamoto, a symbol of the Osaka Expo. The park offers flowers of each season, providing healing depending on the season of your visit. There’s also a museum where you can appreciate traditional crafts, making it a spot where you can experience various aspects of Japanese culture.

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The Pokémon EXPO Gym closed on September 24, 2017. Butdon’t be discouraged. In Osaka, apart from the Pokémon EXPO Gym, there are many other places where you can enjoy the world of Pokémon. While touring Osaka, why not visit various Pokémon spots? Here are three recommended facilities for Pokémon fans.

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Pokémon Center Osaka is the official Pokémon merchandise shop located in the Daimaru Umeda Store. It’s a place where Pokémon fans can spend hours forgetting about time. The spacious store is stocked with video games, card games, stationery, clothing, snacks, and other original goods.

At the attached Pokémon Card Station, various card events are held daily. Located just a 5-minute walk from JR Osaka Station, the center of Osaka tourism, it’s an easy spot to visit while sightseeing in Osaka.

Pokémon Center Osaka DX is an official shop located on the 9th floor of the main building of Daimaru Shinsaibashi Store, accessible from Osaka Metro Shinsaibashi Station. What sets it apart from Pokémon Center Osaka is the attached Pokémon Café. For those who want to enjoy both shopping at the official shop and the Pokémon Café, Pokémon Center Osaka DX is the place to go.

The store is overflowing with plushies, smartphone cases, Pokémon-patterned umbrellas, rain boots, hair clips, and other original goods to spend every day with adorable Pokémon. There are also miniature café menus from the Pokémon Café available in capsule toys, making your visit to Pokémon Center Osaka DX a wonderful memory.

The official Pokémon Café is attached to Pokémon Center Osaka DX. The stylish wood-toned interior is sprinkled with cute Pokémon designs. Meals served on Pikachu or Eevee plates not only fill your stomach but also satisfy your heart.

At Pokémon Latte, you can order latte art featuring your favorite Pokémon from various designs. For those who want to enjoy Japanese flavors, the Japanese sweets plate or camouflage Pokémon-inspired sushi plate are also recommended.

Original goods like plushies dressed as chefs or waiters and Poké Ball-shaped mugs are also available at the Pokémon Café. It’s a popular spot and reservation-based, so be sure to book in advance if you want to visit.

The Pokémon EXPO Gym was a commercial facility located in LaLaport EXPOCITY in Suita City, Osaka. It offered various experiential attractions, but, unfortunately, it closed on September 24, 2017.

However, don’t be discouraged. In Osaka, apart from the Pokémon EXPO Gym, there are many other places where you can enjoy the world of Pokémon. Why not visit Pokémon Center Osaka in Umeda or Pokémon Center Osaka DX & Pokémon Café in Shinsaibashi?

Each shop is located in major tourist areas of Osaka, making it easy to stop by while enjoying Osaka’s unique gourmet and shopping.

*This article is based on information available as of April 2024.