Noto Airport changes its nickname to "Noto Satoyama Pokémon with You Airport" - becoming a symbol of Pokémon and recovery

On the 7th, the nickname of Noto Airport, the air gateway to the Noto Peninsula, was changed from "Noto Satoyama Airport" to "Noto Satoyama Pokemon with You Airport." It is the world's first airport to be named after a Pokémon, and the new nickname will be used for three years.

A ceremony was held at the airport on the morning of the 7th to celebrate the opening of the port. In addition to taking commemorative photos with Pikachu and children, a preview was also held for the press.

In conjunction with the opening of the port, the lobby and visitor deck of the terminal building were repainted into Pokemon World. In honor of the airport, 111 types of flying ``flying type'' characters are painted on the walls throughout.

Throughout the Noto Peninsula, there are photo spots with statues of characters and ``Poke Futa'' (manhole covers) with pictures drawn on them, and a tour is also planned that takes you on a bus that departs from Wakura Onsen and goes through the airport.

The nickname change and facility renovations are part of the efforts of the Pokémon With You Foundation, which supports disaster-stricken areas. The foundation has been supporting Noto since the 2024 New Year's Day earthquake, with the aim of preventing the disaster from being forgotten and creating a related population that moves between the city and the countryside.

Atsushi Sugimoto, the foundation's executive director, gave a speech at the ceremony, saying, ``What we placed most emphasis on was how we could convey the joy of travel and the admiration for the sky through the worldview of Pokémon, and how we could excite them.We hope that it will serve as a symbol of recovery and a starting point for the future.''