A wild pack of Pikachus has taken over a Japanese neighborhood for a week-long Pokemon celebration

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A wild pack of Pikachus has taken over a Japanese neighborhood for a week-long Pokemon celebration

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Pikachu Outbreak

The Pokémon Company

  • Pikachu Outbreak is an annual festival held in Yokohama, Japan and this year its running from Aug. 6 to Aug. 12.
  • Yokohama's Minato Mirai neighborhood has been redecorated with tons of Pikachu memorabilia to mark the occasion, including subway turnstyles that call out "Pika!" as people enter and leave the station.
  • The festival also features daily dance performances with dozens of costumed Pikachus, and shops are giving discounts to visitors wearing Pikachu clothing.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Is it possible to have too much Pikachu? The Pokémon mascot is already having a massive year with a blockbuster film and a brand new Pokémon game on the way later this year. But Pikachu fever has gone even further in Japan, with a special event called Pikachu Outbreak taking over an entire neighborhood in one of the country's largest cities.

Pikachu Outbreak is an annual festival held in the Minatomirai neighborhood of Yokohama. Minatomirai is located about 20 miles south of Tokyo, and is Japan's second largest city in terms of population. From Aug. 6 to Aug. 12 the neighborhood will be transformed with all sorts of Pikachu memorabilia, and visitors wearing Pikachu gear will receive special discounts from local stores.

Each day dozens of costumed Pikachus parade through the streets of Minatomirai and participate in themed dance performances across the neighborhood.

Here's are some scenes from Pikachu Outbreak 2019:

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A Pikachu with an afro was leading a special LED-lit dance show outside the Yokohama Museum of Art.

ピッピッピッピッピッピッ⚡️#ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ pic.twitter.com/qC8HFCLIDm

— 🌸ゆうくん🍀 (@yukun_pikapika) August 6, 2019

Dozens of Pikachus team up each day for choreographed dances.

I think one of the poor Pikachu got lost ❤ #PikachuOutbreak pic.twitter.com/lda3Z8vodT

— Doc (@InnerChildGamer) August 7, 2019
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The different dances had their own themes each day too.

Omg will post more videos later but PIKACHU X OCEAN SHOW WAS SO COOL#ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ2019#PikachuOutbreak pic.twitter.com/qvp8QfYoQk

— shinji☆@Pikachu Outbreak!!⚡️⚡️ (@shinjistarxx) August 9, 2019

Pikachu wasn't the only Pokémon on the scene, a parade of Eevees invaded the festival as well.

THE EEVEES HAVE ARRIVED#ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ #Pikachuoutbreak#eevee pic.twitter.com/umPPqz6HWb

— Samuel T. Dunn (@The_STD) August 9, 2019
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The decorated subway turn styles call out "Pika!" as people enter and leave the station.

I was so looking forward to see this live finally! (੭ु´͈ ᐜ `͈)੭ु⁾⁾#ピカチュウ大量発生チュウ pic.twitter.com/MMcK82wElG

— 𝓢𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓪-𝓢𝓾𝓵𝓮𝓲𝓴𝓪 🌸 Bonten in Japan (@DokuganBAKA) August 6, 2019

Shops were also offering discounts to customers wearing Pikachu gear.

Pikachu is everywhere at #PikachuOutbreak in Yokohama. pic.twitter.com/dwJklpm0KC

— Keith Lapinig (@keithlapinig) August 9, 2019
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Pikachu Outbreak is an annual event, bringing hundreds of people to Miraiminato and Yokohama each year.

Let the Pika party begin!!!! ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ #PikachuOutbreak pic.twitter.com/N89i7OUO4t

— Errol V. ✈️ Japan #PokemonGOFest2019 (@Millennial1992) August 8, 2019