Pokémon Gold and Silver are mainly set in the Johto region.
Johto was introduced in Generation II and is based broadly on Japan’s Kansai region. The games begin in Johto, where the player receives a starter Pokémon and works toward challenging the region’s eight Gym Leaders. The Pokémon League lies beyond Victory Road, continuing the structure established by the original games.
Gold and Silver also let players revisit Kanto after completing the main Johto storyline. That unusual post-game journey is why some players remember both regions as settings for the games. Kanto is not the primary region, however; Johto is the main setting and the region associated with Generation II’s new Pokédex entries.
Johto introduced 100 new species, including Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, and the legendary Pokémon Lugia and Ho-Oh. Its towns and landmarks draw on real-world cultural and geographic influences, including traditional architecture and the coastline of western Japan.