Pokemon Gohas been through the wringer in recent years, but a dedicated fanbase remains. Niantic’santi-consumer changesand theimminent sale to Scopely, a Saudi Arabian company known for its aggressive monetisation have turned legions of fans away, yet the game remains hugely popular.
However, it’s no surprise that it’s better to play in some places than others. Big cities have always been hubs of activity, andrural players are constantly overlooked. But earlier this year, I realised that it’s basicallya whole different game in Japan. I joined hordes of raiders in Brighton to catch Mewtwo when it first appeared. Itravelled to London to test out Routeswhen they were first introduced. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I’ve even dedicated myself tocatching Pokemon in countries where the game is banned, just to say that I have. Nothing hits like Japan.
However, there are certain places within Japan that are more furious with Pokemon activity than Celadon City on Black Friday. Parts of Tokyo, for instance, are renowned for being filled with PokeStops and Gyms. Players head there from all over the world just to grind, gaining experience and stardust while soaking in the culture of the capital. Even when I went to relatively rural Sapporo, though, there was a more active Pokemon Go community than any I’ve seen in England for years.
Even more unusual, however, is PokePilgrimages to Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto. A tourist hotspot in its own right, this mountain path laid with hundreds of torii gates has seen an increase in Pokemon players heading there to catch rare spawns. But that’s where things get a little bit confusing.
A Rural Pilgrimage
As I mentioned earlier, rural spots aren’t great for playing Pokemon Go. While the beauty of Fushimi Inari means there are more PokeStops than your average hill, it’s still not a top-tier place to grind. So why are players heading there en masse to catch Pokemon?
I did some sleuthing and believe I’ve found the answer. As isso often the case with these things, the answer lies in a YouTube channel. Nicholas Oyzon, who goes by the channel nameTrainer Tips, runs a YouTube channel dedicated to travel and Pokemon Go. Often the two intertwine, and he’s carved out a niche within a niche for himself. Trainer Tips is the Anthony Bourdain of Pokemon Go YouTubers. No, he’s never written an exposé on the game he plays (although he doesn’t hesitate to hold Niantic to account), but his cinematic style and focus on the places he visits and people who live there give his videos a more holistic nature than most. Much like Parts Unknown wasn’treallyabout the food, Trainer Tips’ YouTube videos aren’treallyabout the Pokemon.
Catching, Together
Fushimi Inari has no special spawns of its own. You could pop a Daily Adventure Incense and hope a Galarian bird shows up, but if your luck is anything like mine, you’ve got no chance of even encountering one, let alone catching it. However, you can save encounters with Mythical Pokemon, as they are found through Special Research tasks. That’s how I’m saving my Mew, and that’s how people guarantee that they encounter an impressive Pokemon in a beautiful location.
These are dedicated fans, clearly. They’ve paid thousands of dollars to spend a week with their YouTube hero.Of coursethey would be inclined to catch a Pokemon at the same spot he did all those years ago. But yet more post online about their captures at the shrine. This isn’t limited to the fans who follow him across the globe.
But this is about more than fandom. This is a unique property of Pokemon Go that no other game can match. Pokemon Go is nothing without the IRL, in-person experiences. Think of your favourite moments in this game? Is it the remote raid you entered while sitting on the toilet? It’s far more likely it was playing Go Fest in a local park with other likeminded individuals. It’s trading for a regional exclusive. It’s bonding over missed shinies or failed captures. It’s time spent together.
Pokemon Go is a game rooted in community. Oyzon knows this, and that’s why his YouTube channel is so uniquely perfect for Pokemon Go. He showcasescommunities of Pokemon fans on remote islandsor those who arestill playing despite losing their homes to wildfires. It’s no wonder that his fans will follow him to the other side of the world in order to write a small part of the game’s communal lore. It’s not a side effect of internet fame. It’s not an added bonus of playing Pokemon Go. It’s the whole point.
