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Pokémon Go players discover unusual gym locations around Japan

Oona McGee Jul 22, 2016
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From parks to university campuses and even a Sega building, here are some of the new Pokémon Go gym locations players have been finding around the country.

Pokémon Go was finally released in Japan today, and one of the first things players were curious to find out when playing the game were the locations of the ever-important “gyms”, where they can battle or train their Pokémon. Social media accounts have been running hot all day, with people around the country sharing news of gym locations when they find them, and some of the places they’ve found are proving to be more unusual than we could have expected. Let’s take a look at some of the gyms that have been unearthed so far in Japan.

Inariyama-kōen Station in Saitama Prefecture, just north of Tokyo, is one of the more ordinary-looking locations for a spot of gameplay.

https://twitter.com/seiya_t0316/status/756322537324240897

Another station to get the Pokémon treatment is Keisei-Takasago Station in Katsushika, Tokyo.

https://twitter.com/ysnVmusougunV/status/756322981970796544

Along with stations, university campuses have also been popping up as gym locations, like this one in the very centre of Kyoto University.

https://twitter.com/zetta1013/status/756320107584901120

Another university to act as host to some of the in-game battle action is Ritsumeikan University, on its Ibaraki Campus in Osaka Prefecture.

https://twitter.com/harakaito2009/status/756316788472684545

McDonald’s, which was revealed to be one of the game’s “sponsored locations” prior to release, has now been confirmed as a gym hot-spot.

マクドナルド、ポケモンジム確認しました笑#pokemonGO pic.twitter.com/aZq8SLi5s4

— でんちゃん (@euglena_dream) July 22, 2016

Hungry gamers will also be pleased to know there’s a gym at Tokyo’s Akihabara branch of specialty grilled meat restaurant chain Niku Mansei.

アキバ、肉の万世のポケモンジム感半端ないと常々思ってたけど、まさかジムになるとは… #ポケモンGO #akiba pic.twitter.com/1J1QilYAfu

— だい＠なんだかおもしろい (@nandakaomo) July 22, 2016

For a more traditional Japanese location, trainers can head to the gym at centuries-old Hirosaki Castle in Aomori Prefecture, Japan.

弘前城ポケモンジムやん pic.twitter.com/IWGxfyb9xO

— ねこめ☁️⭐️🧪 (@nekome299) July 22, 2016

Well-known companies have also been identified as gym locations, like this one at the head office of Japanese video sharing website Niconico.

ニコニコ本社が重武装して待ち構えてるの草不可避 pic.twitter.com/X7AZYox19n

— 自由人🐉🍕 (@Jiyou_jin12) July 22, 2016

And, proving the intense rivalry between Sega and Nintendo in the 90s has been put firmly to bed, there’s even a Pokémon gym at the Sega headquarters in Japan.

セガにポケモンジムがあるんだけどwww#ポケモンGO pic.twitter.com/wCZrWYTQBD

— 櫻井皓基 (@KoukiSakurai01) July 22, 2016

With the weekend proving to be prime Pokémon-catching time for office workers and others on the Monday to Friday grind, we’re sure to receive plenty more updates on the game and its gym locations in the days to come. We can’t wait to see what else lies in store for Japan’s Pokémon Go gamers!

Source: Hachima Kikou
Featured image: Flickr/Anthony Quintano

Follow Oona on Twitter for more information about Pokémon news from Japan.