Pikachu Outbreak has been an August event in the Minato Mirai area of Yokohama since 2014.  What started as “1000” Pikachus (though I still haven’t quite figured out how they came to that figure) has escalated to a whopping 2000 Pikachu (and special events with Eevee since 2018) around Yokohama. With a week-long jam-packed list of events and hidden surprises, will you be able to catch them all?

Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link.  The price for you is not affected.

[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November of 2016 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.]

Ever Changing Pikachu Outbreak! Themes

As Pokemon are known for evolving, so is this event!

• 2014 ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ (Pikachu Tairyo Hassei Chu or Pikachu Outbreak!)
• 2015 踊る? ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ (Odoru? Pikachu Tairyo Hassei Chu or Dancing? Pikachu Outbreak!)
• 2016 ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ 今度はぬれるんだって??? (Pikachu Tairyo Hassei Chu Kondo wa nureru n datte??? or Pikachu Outbreak! This time I’m getting wet???)
• 2017 ピカチュウだけじゃない ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ！(Pikachu Dake Janai Tairyo Hassei Chu or Not Just Pikachu Pikachu Outbreak!)
• 2018 ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ Science is Amazing! かがくのちからってすげー (Pikachu Tairyo Hassei Chu or Pikachu Outbreak! Science is Amazing! )
• 2019 ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ (Pikachu Tairyo Hassei Chu or Pikachu Outbreak!)

2014 started off more as some Pikachu displays but not much in the way of entertainment except for a dozen or two Pikachu on parade. If you can’t guess by the name of 2015, now the parading Pikachu added dancing to their repertoire. 2016 was fantastic and added the “Splash Shows” with giant water cannons (perfect for hot Japan days – don’t forget your sunscreen!).

2017 started bringing in some other Pokemon characters, ah! But in what form? That year also held the first-ever Official Pokemon Go event. Gotta catch ’em all! A hot air balloon and Pikachus in a boat made the scene for the first time. And more than a few people were ecstatic for Eevee performers joining the part in 2018, and even more Pikachu on water parades! Plus the beginning of nighttime events.

While 2019 went back to the original title, not only did it bring the largest amount of Pikachu to date (2000!) but also took advantage of the night with many light-up shows.

Each year builds on the prior and fan favorites definitely make reappearances (yay, water cannons!).

Quick Japanese: How 大量発生 gets to “outbreak”.

大量 or “Tairyo” means “a large amount” or “mass” as in “mass transportation” and 発生 “Hassei” does mean “outbreak” but it can also mean to “spring forth”. When you see the event in English, the exclamation point is on purpose. Because it is not just an outbreak but a “massive!” outbreak.

Oh, what’s the チュウ or “chuu” at the end? If you have never seen Pokemon, that’s one of the words Pikachu says when he “talks”.

Pikachu Outbreak! Event Locations

As the event has grown, so has the number of venues. The first year was the most like a scavenger hunt as you didn’t know where everything was! There is very much still an aspect of that, especially with the addition of the very instagrammable mural walls that were added in 2019.

However, for events, they do give you a list of programming and times. These are the locations from 2019 and are subject to change, however they give you an idea of how much walking you may be doing!

• Rinko Park
• MARK IS Minato Mirai (one of my favorite shopping malls in Japan)
• Grand Mall Park
• Queens Square Yokohama
• LANDMARK PLAZA (Landmark Tower used to be the tallest office building in Japan before one in Osaka beat it and has a great observation area)
• Nippon Maru Memorial Park (Pikachu on a historic ship!)
• Navios Yokohama
• Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse or Akarenga as it is known in Japanese – many a festival is held here plus the shops and food are great!
• Yamashita Park

Pikachu Train Decorations and Station Fun

First of all, with the amount of people, the train is definitely going to be your transportation method of choice if you are coming from Tokyo or Yokosuka, where I call home.

Watch out for fun Pikachus here too! Not only are some of the Blue Line trains decorated with Pikachu, but the Minato Mirai ticket booths will also tell you “Pika!” as you walk through. Also, a good station option to get your free Pikachu hat but you can find those at most venue locations.

Don’t forget the JR Line though if you are using your JR Rail Pass, the Sakuragicho Station always has some great photo ops outside!

Where to find the Pikachu March?

The first time I was exposed to the march was a promotional event pre-2014 Outbreak at a Dance Event taking place all over the city of Yokahama.

Now, generally speaking, you will find the Pikachu march at Queens Square, the large mall is directly connected to a train station making it super easy to get to!

The marches are normally about 20 Pikachu but if that’s not enough, look out for parade events on the streets nearby and of course, the other shows (my picks in a minute if you are limited on time).

This may also be a good time to mention that most of the events include a specially choreographed dance that they’ll teach you there!

Pikachu Merchandise

Of course, you can head over to the Pokemon Center in Queens Square but if you are looking for a different mode of buying, keep an eye out for the Pokemon vending machines that make an appearance during the festival.

There are also many popup stores at the various venues where you can get things like clip on pikachus to wear around, t-shirts complete with tails and ears, and the quintessential summer in Japan item: towels.

Get wet! Splash shows are a must!

In 2016, two new events called “Splash Up!” and “Splash Kingdom” featured water cannons to absolutely soak the entire crowd.  It was great!

Splash Kingdom was actually a big production with the aforementioned Pikachu Dance with the whole crowd participating, acrobats, Pikachus marching through the crowd in various outfits, a Taylor Swift impersonator (yeah, that one was odd!) and much more.  I was surprised it lasted about 30 minutes.  

The water cannons were amazing.  The way the sun caught the light and just the energy of the crowd. Ever since, Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse tends to have a “splash” show of some rendition – a must!

Minato Mirai Forest X Pikachu

The new addition from 2019 brought the most “performing” Pikachu ever to one spot! These Pikachu seemingly came out of the woods to dance and delight the crowds. Not only that, but there were a few “larger” pikachu in the mix.

Pikachu Manhole Covers?!

If you’ve been following along with Kristen Abroad for awhile, you know how much I love hunting manhole covers in Japan! Another fun surprise for 2019 was the addition of 5 special manhole covers around the city, as if there wasn’t enough fun already searching for all the Pikachu!

Final Tips for Pikachu Outbreak!

Make sure you check out the official website to get a full grasp of everything going on and if you have the option to plan things out on multiple days, this is key for seeing everything! Most years I’ve attended at least 2 days and still haven’t been able to see every event.

Make sure you have your ブルーシート (blue sheet, or as American’s normally refer to them, tarps) or something else to sit on because the larger events you’ll want to get there early. If you are lucky and early enough, it’s also possible to nab a fun promo Pikachu one!

The rainy season isn’t the only time you want to make sure to carry umbrellas in Japan, you’ll want one for the August sun to keep cool. With that, make sure to have a lot of water and keep hydrated, but with the nighttime shows you can definitely have a beer or you can hit the izakayas afterward! Hungry? A few of my favorites are nearby if you like BBQ or are looking for some unique ramen.

While 花咲 (Hanasaki) Butchers Store is super close to Sakuragicho Station, it’s not on the main thoroughfare. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I love going off the beaten path to find food and things to do.  To top that off, sometimes you want to try some more international palate food. (Yes, even in Japan). Completely off the normal? Argentina-style BBQ is available in Sakuragicho, a great area of Yokohama with plenty of bars, restaurants, and close by to Japan’s second-tallest office building.

When you are visiting Japan (or living here!), I highly recommend taking turns down random alleys and roads. Don’t worry, as it’s one of the safest countries in the world and you’ll find some awesome places!

How I ended up here the first time? I’d just come from exploring a couple of shrines, it was 1 pm, I was hungry and actually headed someplace else when I smelled their food.  

The Nitty Gritty

The Butchers Store is open for lunch (12-3) and dinner (5-1130) separately.  Something I’ve found is quite common in Japan and am not sure how I never picked up on it.  I’m eating at off-hours nowadays? Bottom line: check times beforehand! Makes it feel somewhat European.

Hanasaki Butchers Store totes themselves as an Argentina-style BBQ, wet-aging their meats. While there are a few tables available, I’m a huge fan of sitting at the bar to see the cooking in action in their open kitchen.  

BBQ in Yokohama Course Options

Something Japan gets right, there are all sorts of course menus available and Hanasaki Butchers Store has one as well. Why is this great? It’s a perfect option for groups of friends. No need to figure out who ordered what or being the massive party that asks for separate bills. (I’ve never been a waiter but I feel bad anytime that ends up being the final option). 

Generally speaking, restaurants and izakayas will have several price points to give you some flexibility. And don’t forget the all-you-can-drink options. Japan is a place of 飲み会 nomikai, drinking party).

The other plus is it gives you a good overview of the menu. Some restaurants may have only one option but many will have different price points for you to choose from.

The Butchers Store Menu

I’ve always gone for lunch so I’ll focus on that.  You have a choice between pork chop, lamb chop & hamburger, jerk chicken, beef steak, or gratin. The portions are massive and come with a drink bar (the rare chance of refillable drinks, in this case coffee, ice tea or orange juice), soup, salad, bread, and side.  

The lunch steak option will run you 1500 yen (about $15 USD) which for what you have, is very reasonable. They have a special on drinks at lunch of 400 yen for wine (red, white, sparkling) or craft beers.

PS. The silverware is in a drawer below your counter area. Took me a second to find that but when I did, I loved how clever that was.

You may recall I enjoy alfresco dining. During the nicer weather, they can open their windows right up and have an inside/outside feel! It’s really nice to sit and have a glass or wine and enjoy lunch. I hope you can enjoy this fun, friendly restaurant!

Getting here

Trains are definitely best, especially if you are planning on having a drink as cars are out. (And parking is super annoying to find in Japan). Plus there aren’t many parking options in the area. The closest station is Sakuragicho and can be reached on the Blue Line (Yokohama’s metro system) or the JR Negishi or Yokohama lines.

I’ve come across many food “attractions” in Japan.  One of those, is the CupNoodles Museum, or as Yokohama’s Official Visitor Guide calls it “an interactive food education facility”. The first time I heard about the CupNoodles Museum, I had to see for myself.  A whole place dedicated to instant ramen?!  How is that even possible?  Not only that but you can make your own Cup Noodles!

I’ve been more times than I can count, definitely a good addition to a day trip to Yokohama. There is also one in Ikeda City in Osaka Prefecture, the birth place of instant ramen! Great for taking visitors if you live in Japan.

History of CupNoodles

Momofuku Ando was definitely a man of resilience. He had many ideas and inventions over the years, successes and out right failures. His biggest claim to fame and what stuck was that he’s the inventor of instant ramen. In 1958, a ramen you could just add hot water to became an instant success. You probably know the block iteration everyone jokes that college kids live off.

It wasn’t until after a visit to America that he came up with the idea for CupNoodles. Yes, us silly American’s had no idea how to eat ramen so the managers broke them up and put them in a cup. Voila, the idea for CupNoodles! In 1971, this creation spread instant ramen to the rest of the world.

CupNoodles Museum Yokohama

The museum starts with a display of EVERY CupNoodles product from the very beginning (including the block ones!).  This fills an entire room and makes you want to add eating all the different flavors to your list of life goals.

After getting all hungry you move on to “Momofuku Theater” where you watch a cute video “hosted” by a cartoon version of Momofuku Ando. Don’t worry, there are headsets in multiple languages so you can follow along. It’s a very motivational video with a great message of “don’t give up!” and “think outside the box!”.

Figuring out how to get the noodles correctly in the cup was a challenge and he eventually figured out to put the cup over the noodles instead of the other way around. There’s a lot of art to showcase this as you continue on the 2nd floor.

The 2nd floor acts as the museum complete with art and a timeline. If you didn’t get enough information out of the film, there is plenty of additional information here for you.

My CupNoodles Factory: Make your own!

Head upstairs to the third floor and you can make your very own specialized CupNoodles! Don’t be surprised when this turns out to be the best CupNoodles you’ve ever had. I don’t know if its because they are so fresh or it’s just because you make your own combination, but it’s amazing. Don’t just leave these as display — eat them! While I much prefer a great bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen, this is the best instant ramen I’ve ever had.  Side note: The Cupnoodles in Japan overall are much better tasting than the ones in the US.

First things first, create your own artwork on the styrofoam cup.  The one on the very right is mine.  The date not only commemorates your visit but also as these were made fresh (they do make every effort to sterilize, etc.), you want to eat them within a month.

Next step, you see how the noodles get perfectly in the cups. Remember I said that was an issue early in production? You add them yourself by a hand crank.

Add your broth flavor (original, seafood, curry or tomato) and up to four different toppings.  Toppings range from different dehydrated vegetables, meats, seafood and spices like garlic.

Finally, you see how the packaging works, seal the top and saran wrap the cup. Don’t forget to place your cup in an air bubble to show case it off while you ride the train or walk around Yokohama. This also keeps it protected.

CupNoodle Museum: Other things to do

Head to the fourth floor for what they call the “Noodle Bazaar” where you can try different noodle dishes from around the world. It reminds me a lot of the Ramen Museum, also in Yokohama, without the Disneyland-esque styling.

Want to try a few? They offer two size bowls.  For the kids, there’s “CupNoodle Park” which is a play ground to run off some of those carbs! There is also a gift shop on the ground level to buy all your Cupnoodles paraphernalia.

There is also an offering to make your own noodles. From scratch. Pretty sure this is only offered in Japanese and I’m honestly not sure how to get in on it but is something I’d like to do in the future.

Getting Here

The museum is open from 1000-1800 most days of the year. Admission is 500 yen for entry. If you would like to make your own in the My CupNoodles Factory (do it!), you’ll sign up for a time when you get your admission tickets. Each cup is 300 yen and you pay for that at the attraction.

Pin this for later