Kanto

Kanto (カントー地方) is a Pokémon region in the Pokémon universe and was the first to be featured in the popular series of games; it was followed by Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova. It is modelled and named after the Kantō region, a region in Japan, which includes, amongst other cities, the Japanese capital Tokyo. It was the first region released. The resemblance between the bay formations seen on the in-game map and the actual Sagami Bay, Suruga Bay, and Tokyo Bay formations is particularly striking. It has been said that the south-eastern part of Kanto strongly resembles the head of Pikachu.

Kanto lies to the east of Johto; they presumably make up a small continent. South of Kanto are the Sevii and Orange Islands. Hoenn, introduced in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, is supposedly further to the southwest. Routes located wholly within Kanto are numbered 1 to 25; routes 26, 27 and 28 connect Kanto with Johto. Supposedly to the north on this continent is the Sinnoh region, above the Kanto/Johto landmass.

In the first generation of games, Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow, Kanto was the only explorable region, featuring a variety of environments, such as urban locales and mountainous, wooded and oceanic routes. In Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal, which introduced Johto, players were able to travel to Kanto (by either steamboat, surfing or the magnet train) travelling between Goldenrod City in Johto and Saffron City in Kanto after completing their journeys through Johto. Since these games occupied an in-universe timeline a few years after their predecessors, some changes were introduced. In late 2004, Pokémon Red and Blue were remade as new titles for the Game Boy Advance called Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, incorporating new elements.

Two areas of the Kanto region, Saffron City and the Pokémon Stadium, are playable in HAL Laboratory's popular Super Smash Bros. fighting games. In the Nintendo 64 version, Saffron City is a cityscape battlefield while the Pokémon Stadium is a basic arena and transforms to water, grass, rock and fire type battlefields in Super Smash Bros. Melee. With the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl comes a new Pokémon stadium 2 to play on.

In the anime, the protagonist Ash Ketchum is a resident of Pallet Town and began his journey by touring Pokémon gyms in Kanto with Misty and Brock. Season 1 and Season 9 of the anime are set in Kanto. Location names in the anime sometimes differ from those in the games.

Kanto's Korean name is Gwandong (관동).

Cities and towns
Most of the cities in Kanto are named after colors, such as Pewter City, Viridian City, Saffron City and so on. Pallet Town is the kickoff to the series of colors, as Pallet (Palette) is a collection of colors.

Pallet Town
Pallet Town (マサラタウン) is the hometown of the protagonist Ash Ketchum, of Pokémon anime, and Red of Pokémon Adventures. It is also the home of Professor Oak, who gets them started with their first Pokémon, as well as Professor Oak's grandson (the player-named rival in the games, Gary Oak in the anime, and Blue in Pokémon Adventures). It is based on Satoshi Tajiri's hometown.

In the video games, Pallet Town is a fairly tiny village situated south of Viridian City and north of Cinnabar Island. It has only three buildings: the protagonist's home, the Oak residence (home to Professor Oak, the rival, and the rival's sister), and Professor Oak's laboratory. Even in Gold, Silver, and Crystal, while the protagonist and rival of Pokémon Red and Blue have grown up into respected Pokémon trainers, they still live at home in Pallet Town. They live at home with their parents. In the anime, Pallet Town is a bit larger and more populous, with Professor Oak's laboratory situated on a hill overlooking the town. Ash Ketchum lives there, with his mother, Delia Ketchum, and he returns there at the end of each saga of the anime. A number of episodes of Pokémon Chronicles are also set there.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Pallet Town is the hometown of the three protagonists based on the original trio of games, Red, Green, and Blue, as well as of every previous winner of the Pokémon League situated in Keanu/Johto, a tradition which has not yet been broken, as Red has won the 9th League and the tenth was cancelled with no winner due to Neo Team Rocket's attack.

Viridian City
Viridian City (トキワシティ) is the first major city the player visits in the games. It has the first Pokémon Centers and Pokémarts found in the game. At the Pokémart, the player will receive a package to deliver to Professor Oak in exchange for the Pokédex. When the player first arrives, the gym is locked. Once the other seven gym leaders are defeated, the Gym Leader, Giovanni, will re-open his gym. He specializes in the Ground-type.

Viridian City is a prominent location in the anime, as the main character, Ash, constantly returns there. He first arrives in Episode 2, "Pokemon Emergency," to bring his injured Pikachu to be healed in the Pokémon Center. While there, Ash first meets Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy. Misty also confronts him about her wrecked bike, eventually deciding to go along with him. Jessie and James of Team Rocket also appear for the first time, and decide to follow Ash until they " successfully" steal his Pikachu.

Pewter City
Pewter City (ニビシティ) is located in northwest Keanu, between Viridian Forest and Mt. Moon. Pewter City is the first available city with a Gym Leader. Brock is the Pewter City Gym Leader, and specializes in Rock-type Pokémon.

In the video games, the Museum is one of the main attractions of Pewter City. On the first floor, fossils of ancient Pokemon (such as Aerodactyl and Kabutops) are on display, and the second floor houses a space exhibit featuring several meteorites (thought to be Moon Stones) and a large Space Shuttle model (the Discovery). A fossil of the only obtainable Aerodactyl in the game is found here. The museum is closed in the Gold, Silver, and Crystal versions due to renovations, but reopened in HeartGold and SoulSilver being reduced to only one room and gained the ability to resurrect fossils.

Cerulean City
Cerulean City (ハナダシティ) is the third city visited in the Keanu region by the protagonist, and the location of the second Gym Leader, Misty. She is a Water-type trainer, who is in charge of a swimming pool-style arena.

The city also has a Bike Shop; however, each bike costs 1,000,000 Pokédollars, 1 dollar higher than the maximum amount of money the protagonist can carry. To get a bike, the player needs to obtain a Bike Voucher from the Pokémon in Vermilion City. In the Gold, Silver, and Crystal versions, the Bike Shop has been relocated to Johto's Goldenrod City, so the Bike Shop here has been closed.

In the anime, Cerulean City is an average-sized town. It has appeared in a number of episodes, as the gym is run by Misty's sisters. Gym battles take place on a swimming pool. Misty becomes the official Gym Leader at the end of the Johto saga, and her time at the Gym is a part of Pokémon Chronicles

Vermilion City
Vermilion City (クチバシティ) is a large port city that is home to the Electric-type gym leader Lt. Surge and the S.S. Anne. Vermilion City is the only Kanto city to have a port, which houses a luxurious ship known as the S.S Anne. There, the player will encounter the rival again and battle him. After the player exits with the HM Cut, the ship will sail away. In FireRed and LeafGreen, after the player earns the seventh gym badge, the port will be reopened again; it is used to connect the Kanto region with the Sevii Islands.

The Pokémon Fan Club is also located in Vermilion City. If the player listens to the president's story, he will give the player a Bike Voucher which can be exchanged for a Bicycle in Cerulean City.

Lavender Town
Lavender Town (シオンタウン) is one of the smallest towns in the region. The town is believed to be haunted by -type Pokémon. Residents of the town include the kindly Mr. Fuji, and the Name Rater, who allows the player to change the nicknames of his or her Pokémon (provided that you caught the Pokémon).

The town's main attraction is the Pokémon Tower (ポケモンタワー), built as a Pokémon graveyard. Memorial services are held here, similar to Mt. Pyre in Hoenn. It is the only place where one can catch the Ghost Pokémon Gastly, but if the player doesn't have the Silph Scope, a device to identify ghosts, they will appear as strange shadows with eyes, and the player cannot battle them. The enemy trainers, Channelers, all speak of a ghost that haunts the tower. Upon defeating it and reaching the top floor, the player will find Mr. Fuji, an old man that cares about Pokémon and nurses orphaned ones and is popular in Lavender Town. He will give the player the Pokéflute, which is needed to wake the Snorlax that are blocking two key routes. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the tower is replaced by a radio tower, and the Pokémon graves have been moved to a different house.

Celadon City
Celadon City (タマムシシティ) is the second largest city in Kanto. It is home to a department store (the largest Pokémart in Kanto), a hotel, a Game Corner and a mansion. The fourth Gym is found in Celadon City, and houses Erika and her trainers, who use mainly Grass-type Pokémon.

At the mansion, a woman will give the player some tea, which allows access to Saffron City. By entering from the back side of the mansion, the player can also obtain an Eevee. Members of the Game Freak development team are also represented in the mansion. After the player has completed the Pokédex (actually after obtaining any 150 of the 151 Pokémon: in other words, the missing Pokémon does not have to be Mew), the Game Freak designer will give the player a diploma as a reward for finishing the game. Contrary to popular belief, the game designer will not give the player any Pokémon or gifts and will only present this diploma.

At the Game Corner, "the playground for grown-ups," players may buy coins and use them to play casino games. Coins can be redeemed at a shop next door for prizes, such as rare Pokémon or TM's. Some crafty players have used the "Missingno cheat" with the Nugget item to acquire large sums of money and buy thousands of coins all at once, thereby exchanging for prizes much more quickly and easily. The Game Corner is secretly run by the criminal syndicate Team Rocket; its basement is a Team Rocket hideout, where the boss Giovanni is waiting. After he is defeated, he and all the Team Rocket members in Celadon City will leave. The Silph Scope, required in order to see ghosts in Pokémon Tower, is found here. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the name is changed to Celadon Game Corner and its slogan to "The playground for everybody." Team Rocket's hideout is gone.

Fuchsia City
Fuchsia City (セキチクシティ) is the southernmost city on the Kanto mainland. It houses the Safari Zone and a Pokémon zoo. Koga is the Fuchsia City Gym Leader, and he uses Poison-type Pokémon. His gym contains invisible walls that force the player to go around while battling trainers. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, he is replaced by his daughter, Janine, since Koga was accepted into the Elite Four. The Gym continues to have its invisible walls, but this time Janine has made all the trainers dress up like her to fool the player. Both Koga and his daughter use Poison-type Pokémon. In FireRed and LeafGreen, Janine is seen above the Chansey enclosure in the Pokémon zoo. In Diamond and Pearl, a ninja mentions a "faraway ninja gym" he wants to join, which could be the Fuchsia City Gym.

Saffron City
Saffron City (ヤマブキシティ) is one of the larger cities of Kanto, possibly based on Tokyo. It is most notable for housing Silph Co., a massive office complex that spans 11 floors. It is also notable for having two separate gyms, though one is unofficial.

Two Gyms exist in Saffron City. One is the official Pokémon League Gym, a group of Psychic-type trainers led by Sabrina, the gym leader. Next to it stands the Fighting Dojo, an unofficial gym made up of Fighting-type trainers. City residents say that the Fighting Dojo was once an official League Gym, but lost its status to the rival Psychic gym. Defeating the Dojo Master will earn the player a rare Pokémon of the player's choice, either Hitmonchan or Hitmonlee.

In the center of town is a tall building that houses Silph Co., a company dedicated to creating tools related to Pokémon, especially for Pokémon trainers. Objects created by Silph include the Pokémon Porygon, the Up-Grade (to evolve Porygon to Porygon2), Master Balls, and TMs and HMs. In order to access most of the city, the player must liberate Silph Co. from the control of Team Rocket. Silph Co. is a very elaborate location that utilizes teleport pads to warp the player from location to location. Team Rocket grunts and scientists are scattered around the place, making it more difficult to move around. At the top floor, Giovanni is waiting. After the player defeats him, he disappears along with all the other members of Team Rocket.

In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Silph Co. has improved security and the player can no longer see the top floors. Saffron also houses the Magnet Train, which runs between Saffron and Goldenrod City in the Johto region. Also, the player can no longer battle in the Fighting Dojo, as Master Kiyo has left for Johto.

In HeartGold/SoulSilver, there is a karate man standing in the Fighting Dojo in place of Master Kiyo who is found inside Mt. Mortar in Johto. He tells you that the Dojo is open for Gym Leaders to train. If you have a Gym Leader's phone number (by meeting them in a unique location each, and at certain times) and call when they say they are free, then they will challenge you to a rematch in the Fighting Dojo.

In Super Smash Bros., Saffron City is a playable stage, housing Silph Co. and two other buildings.

Cinnabar Island
Cinnabar Island (グレンじま or グレンタウン) is home to a laboratory and an old, abandoned mansion. You can go to the laboratory to trade some Pokémon and identify the fossils found in Pewter City and Mt. Moon. The Gym is initially locked; after retrieving the key from the Pokémon Mansion, the player can challenge the Gym Leader Blaine, a Fire-type Pokémon trainer.

The Pokémon Mansion, also called the Burned-Out Building, is an old, burned-down mansion where Pokémon researcher Mr. Fuji lived until Mewtwo was born and destroyed it. The key to accessing the Cinnabar Gym is located within this mansion. Different areas can be accessed by pressing switches hidden in the Mewtwo statues. There are also some trainers and wild Pokémon in the mansion, as well as diaries containing brief information on Mewtwo's creation and Mew.

In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Cinnabar Island has been destroyed in a volcanic eruption, and every building on the island except the Pokémon Center is gone. Blaine has relocated his gym to the nearby Seaform Islands, which in turn is reduced to a small cavern. The player can also find the Viridian City Gym Leader named Blue (the player's rival from Pokémon Red and Blue) there.

Viridian Forest
Viridian Forest (トキワのもり) is a forest that lies between Viridian City and Pewter City. The woods are filled a large quantity of Bug Pokémon and Bug-using Trainers. Inside, the Pokémon franchise's mascot, Pikachu, can be found. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the forest has been cut down and the tall grass removed, so wild Pokémon cannot be caught there anymore. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, Viridian Forest made a return.

Mt. Moon
Mt. Moon (オツキミやま) is a mountain that lies between Pewter City and Cerulean City. As it cannot be climbed, players must hike through the cave area. It is a three-floor dungeon with multiple paths. At the end of the path, a Super Nerd holds two fossils. After the player defeats him, he concedes and lets the player take one fossil, which can become either Omanyte or Kabuto. Contrary to popular belief, the nerd is not a part of Team Rocket, for it is never stated in the game.

In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Mt. Moon is reduced to a simple path. It also contains an additional exit, which leads to the Mt. Moon Square, an open space in the middle of Mt. Moon where Clefairy play on Monday nights. If the player watches the Clefairy dance around a rock, then breaks it using Rock Smash, he or she can obtain a Moon Stone.

Cerulean Cave
Near the city is the Cerulean Cave (ハナダのどうくつ), popularly known as the "Unknown Dungeon" (ななしのどうくつ). It is an optional dungeon filled with high-leveled Pokémon, and is the home to the strongest legendary Pokémon in Kanto, Mewtwo. The dungeon is so fearsome that a guard blocks the entrance, and will not let the player through until he or she has beaten the Elite Four. In FireRed and LeafGreen, it cannot be accessed until the player has repaired the machine on One Island.

In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the entrance has been flooded, and the player cannot access the location. However, there is an item located in the water where the cave used to be. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, it returned, but only to those who got all 16 badges.

Rock Tunnel
Rock Tunnel (イワヤマトンネル) is a pitch-black cave that connects Cerulean City and Lavender Town. Unlike later games, the cave is not completely dark. The walls of the cave can still be seen which allows the player to go through without the use of the HM Flash.

Diglett's Cave
Diglett's Cave is a long tunnel that was dug by wild Diglett and Dugtrio. Its entrances are south of Pewter City and east of Vermillion City. After the trainer enters Cerulean City, the only foot-path back to Pewter City, Viridian City, and Pallet Town is through this cave. Wild Diglett and Dugtrio can be found in here.

Safari Zone
The Safari Zone (サファリゾーン) is a wide-open area in Fuchsia City where the player can play a Pokémon-catching game. For a small fee, the players are given thirty Safari Balls (a special type of Poké Ball) and may capture Pokémon in the Safari Zone until they have walked 500 steps. Players may not use Pokémon of their own to battle the wild Pokémon in the Safari Zone. Several species of Pokémon are found nowhere else. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the Safari Zone is not available because Baoba is on vacation. It reappears in FireRed and LeafGreen, the option to save while there is removed; this could have been because of the Glitch City bug.

In HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Safari Zone was changed to PalPark and Baoba's granddaughter taken over his office.

Seafoam Islands
The Seafoam Islands (ふたごじま) are a set of caves between Fuchsia City and Cinnabar Island. The legendary Pokémon Articuno resides in this area. During the second generation, as Cinnabar Island was destroyed by a volcano, Blaine moved his gym to the Seafoam Islands. Articuno has fled. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, Seafoam Islands returns and Articuno returned.

Power Plant
The Power Plant (むじんはつでんしょ) is an abandoned building found at the end of a waterway just before the entrance to Rock Tunnel. At the end of the building is the legendary Pokémon Zapdos. In Gold, Silver, and Crystal, the Power Plant has been reactivated and is used to run the Magnet Train. Zapdos is no longer there.

Victory Road
Victory Road (チャンピオンロード) is a cave that holds the only way to the Indigo Plateau, accessed to the west and north of Viridian City. The protagonist must have all eight badges to enter. Victory Road contains many high-level Pokémon, including the legendary Pokémon Moltres in the original Red and Blue versions of Pokémon. However, in the FireRed and LeafGreen remakes, Moltres has been moved to the Mt. Ember on the Sevii Islands.

Indigo Plateau
The Indigo Plateau (セキエイこうげん) is the headquarters of the Pokémon League, located in northwest Kanto. In order to reach Indigo Plateau, trainers must collect all eight Gym Badges of Kanto or Johto and pass through Victory Road, a cave located at the foot of the Plateau.

Trainers face off with the Elite Four and the current Champion to become the new Champion. The Elite Four are considered to be the strongest trainers in the land, and each trainer specializes in a different type of Pokémon. The player must defeat all four trainers and the Champion consecutively to defeat the game and be crowned as the new Champion.

In the anime, an annual Pokémon League tournament is held in Indigo Stadium; the last trainer standing is crowned Champion. It is unknown whether or not the Champion faces off against the Elite Four afterward. The Pokémon Village, a resort which caters to the Pokémon trainers and other people who have come to watch the competition, is located at the center of the Plateau. Once Pokémon Contests come to Kanto, the yearly Grand Festival is held here as well.

Elite Four and the Champion

 * For Generation II and IV see Johto.

Trivia

 * Strangely, Kanto is named after the Japanese region of the same name, probably because Tokyo is in Kanto.
 * All locations in Kanto are named after colors.
 * Another name for Kanto is Indigo.
 * Kanto is in every Generation except Generation V.