Which real-world Japanese region inspired the Pokémon games’ Kanto region?

The real-world Japanese Kantō region inspired the Pokémon games’ Kanto region.

Kanto is the setting for Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow, as well as several later games and stories. Its locations include Pallet Town, Viridian City, Pewter City, Cerulean City, and the Indigo Plateau.

The fictional map reflects real geography around eastern Japan. For example, the game’s cities and routes broadly echo places in and around the actual Kantō area, including Tokyo and surrounding prefectures. Pokémon’s creators used recognizable regional geography as a foundation while adding fictional landmarks and travel routes.

The spelling can cause confusion: “Kanto” is the English name of the fictional region, while “Kantō” usually refers to the real-world Japanese region. Other Pokémon regions also draw on real places, including Johto’s relationship to the Kansai area and Hoenn’s relationship to Kyūshū.