The government of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan and The Pokémon Company signed an agreement that designates the popular puppy pokémon Growlithe as the official “support pokémon” of the region.
Growlithe, known as “Gardie” in Japanese, resembles quite closely the “Shisa” guardian lions that can be commonly seen in the Ryukyu Islands.
According to the official website that illustrates local collaborations, the popular pokémon is a perfect match for the area.
“With a brave personality that lets Growlithe fearlessly face stronger and larger opponents, the Pokémon perfectly matches the image of Okinawa and is expected to promote the charming prefecture with its fervor for a long time to come.”
This is part of a project active at The Pokemon Company that aims to help revitalize local regions in Japan and support tourism.
Not only the collaboration will include plenty of Growlithe-themed souvenirs and goods that tourists can bring home when they visit Okinawa, but the local monorail and buses will be decorated with everyone’s favorite good boy.
Below you can see a few pictures snapped by X (formerly Twitter) users Hachiro Kamihori, ミント, and the Okinawa Bus company itself.
The Pokémon Company loves to collaborate with local administrations, institutions, and even companies, especially in Japan. One very visible example is the Pokémon jets that have flown in the local skies for many years, while many Japanese cities have manholes decorated with the popular critters named Poké Lids.
If you’re interested in Pokémon games, you can check out the upcoming release of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team.
Speaking of Okinawa, Microsoft Flight Simulator will soon receive a rendition of the local Naha International Airport.
