POKÉMON with YOU Train

I choo-choo-choose you, Pikachu!!

'Bringing smiles to Tohoku children in the region devastated by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of 2011 and wishing for great Tohoku travels for our friends throughout Japan'

Riding the POKÉMON with YOU Train

Set in the scenic Tohoku region, is a charming train ride designed to bring the joy of Pokémon to life, blending the realm of pop culture with the landscape of rice fields and mountains out the window. As you step aboard, Pikachu. Everywhere.

The train runs between Ichinoseki Station (一ノ関駅), Iwate Prefecture and Kesennuma Station (気仙沼駅) Miyagi Prefecture and features a unique Pikachu-themed interior, a play carriage, and a fun ride that makes brief scheduled stops for stamp collecting and photos.

Personally, the highlight of the journey was the Pikachu play carriage. Outfitted with an array of plush toys, a ball pit, and costumes for the little ones, it provided constant entertainment for my daughter. For a two-hour-plus route from Ichinoseki to Kesennuma, it turned a potentially long transit into a seamless, joyful experience!

Important: All Seats Are Reserved!

To avoid disappointment, please note that this train is fully reserved, meaning you cannot board with just a JR Pass or regular ticket. To ride:

• Buy fare (or use JR Pass) and reserve a seat in advance.

  You can do this:

  • At any JR ticket office (Midori no Madoguchi) in Japan

  • On the JR East Train Reservation website Ekinet

•  No unreserved seats are available, meaning, no walk-ons. The train often sells out so make sure to reserve in advance (in my experience, it's generally easier to find seats on the Kesennuma Station to Ichinoseki Station route).

• Check the Schedule

This train only runs on select days, usually weekends or school holidays. For the latest timetable, check JR East’s website or ask at the ticket counter.

Return trip: if you’re planning to do a round trip on the POKÉMON With YOU Train, purchase two separate tickets, one for the outbound and one for the return leg (scheduled trains are limited). One way: or you can do one way on the Pokémon train and catch the regular Ofunato Line back to Ichinoseki and vice versa (this way, you have more leeway with train times, and the trip is a lot shorter).

Please check out how you can enjoy Ichinoseki on this website, or check out my introduction to Kesennuma!

Details:

Link to the official website for more information including scheduled times, prices and how to purchase a ticket. Or if you'd like to read up on a personal experience, head on over to this Kitakami Times article.

Pika.