Which real Japanese region inspired the Pokémon video-game region of Kanto?

The Pokémon video-game region of Kanto was inspired by Japan’s real Kantō region.

In the original Pokémon games, Kanto is the setting for towns such as Pallet Town, Viridian City, and Saffron City. Its layout and place names draw on the geography around Tokyo and the broader Kantō area, although the game world is fictional and does not reproduce the real region exactly.

The connection reflects Satoshi Tajiri and Game Freak’s use of familiar Japanese geography when designing the first Pokémon setting. Later Pokémon regions similarly drew inspiration from real places, including Johto from the Kansai area and Hoenn from Kyūshū.

The shared spelling can confuse international readers because the real Japanese region is usually written Kantō, while Pokémon materials generally use Kanto without a macron. Kanto in Pokémon should also be distinguished from the Kanto region in other fictional settings.