What is the name of Ash Ketchum's hometown in the Pokémon anime?

Ash Ketchum's hometown in the Pokémon anime is Pallet Town.

Pallet Town is a small settlement in the Kanto region and the starting point for Ash's journey. He receives his first partner, Pikachu, from Professor Oak and begins traveling toward the Pokémon League. The town also connects Ash to several recurring characters and to the laboratory where Professor Oak conducts his research.

Pallet Town is fictional, but its setting is associated with the real-world Kantō region of Japan, which inspired the Kanto region in the games. The name is easy to confuse with Viridian City because Ash travels there early in the story, but Viridian City is a separate location reached after leaving Pallet Town.

The anime's Pallet Town is closely related to the opening setting of Pokémon Red and Blue. In both versions, the player or protagonist begins in Pallet Town before receiving a starter Pokémon and entering the wider Kanto map.