Going to the gym is all about wearing your favorite Tap-Out shirt, flexing in front of the mirror and tanking up on protein drinks, right? Okay, maybe I’ve been living in Joburg for too long, but this kind of gym is very different and could only happen in Japan.
Oh Japan, how I long to visit you one day. I love Japanese food, architecture, JRPGs, Anime and Haruki Murakami. But one of the biggest crazes in Japan (and around the world) is Pokémon, and now Osaka will be home to the world’s first real life Pokémon Gym. Billed as a “hands-on edutainment facility” where children can learn tips for playing Pokemon, it seems to have all sorts of fun activities.
it will have assorted Pokémon arcade games, augmented reality interactions with the pocket monsters themselves, and of course bowling. An affiliated smartphone app will also be released alongside the Gym, but it’s unclear if we will be able to interact with it at all in North America.
I can’t imagine something like this ever coming to South Africa, or anywhere in the West, really. But we won’t need the gym, right? Pokémon Go is coming and will take over our smart phones, allowing us to catch Pokémon even while sitting in high-power meetings. I can’t wait to see the day when corporate big wigs pause their major presentations so that they can catch the shiny.
Oh Japan, if only the rest of the world could be as whimsical as you.
Last Updated: October 22, 2015
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 22, 2015 at 14:43
Seriously, that’s not EDUtainment, that’s ENtertainment. Education isn’t learning how to play pokemon better in a pokemon theme park. #pokemonmustfall :/
RinceThis
October 22, 2015 at 14:44
You cross the fucking line! THE LINE!
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 22, 2015 at 14:47
…
RinceThis
October 22, 2015 at 14:51
HAHA! It’s angry, and kindda ginger, seems apt…
Raptor Rants
October 22, 2015 at 15:17
Yoh yoh yoh
RinceThis
October 22, 2015 at 14:46
They must get in the sea…
Hammersteyn
October 22, 2015 at 14:59
Japan can do anything, even beat two time World Champs in rugby……. too soon?
ElFakio
October 22, 2015 at 15:01
Well now we know why . They probably used some dittos to breed better rugby players
Hammersteyn
October 22, 2015 at 15:02
LOL
RinceThis
October 22, 2015 at 15:02
What it can’t do is hold on to legend game makers… Too soon? TRALALALA! *RUNS
Hammersteyn
October 22, 2015 at 15:03
Well one company hell bent on seppuku anyways
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 22, 2015 at 15:03
While looking half asleep too. It’s not fair.
Commander JJ of the Normandy
October 22, 2015 at 15:06
Haha. Take my upvote!
GooseZA
October 22, 2015 at 15:01
Going to Japan again in April! Totally going to stop in and check this out!
Grand Admiral Chief
October 22, 2015 at 15:07
Are you visiting the Springbok memorial?
Raptor Rants
October 22, 2015 at 15:19
I can just picture it. Massive multi billion dollar deal in progress. Two phones beep. Two top execs check the notification. It says that there is a challenger nearby….
They look up. Their eyes meet. Pokemon rule of eye contact kicks in. Challenge music starts to play.