Yes, you can now soak your feet beside Gyarados in Ishikawa
Steam curls off the water while Gyarados looms over the bath.
A Pokémon-themed footbath has opened in Wakura Onsen, the hot spring town in Ishikawa Prefecture still rebuilding after the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake. The newly renovated Wakura Pokemon Ashiyu (わくらポケモン足湯)officially opened at noon on May 12 inside Yuttari Park.
The open-air bath is wrapped in Pokémon imagery, with Gyarados, Poliwag and Politoed appearing throughout the space. The same trio also features on Nanao City’s local “Pokefuta” — the Pokémon-themed manhole covers that have quietly become a nationwide collecting obsession.
Opening day came with a small unveiling ceremony attended by local preschool children, who were the first to test the bath. Tiny legs swung in the steaming water beneath a crowd of oversized Pokémon characters.
The ashiyu — a Japanese hot spring footbath designed for soaking just your feet — arrives at a significant moment for the area. Wakura Onsen was heavily damaged in the earthquake, with every ryokan inn in the town forced to close at one point. Nine of the town’s 19 inns have since resumed operations, alongside public bathhouses and local shops.
Officials hope the new footbath will bring energy back to the area and encourage more visitors to stop by as recovery continues.
Wakura Pokemon Ashiyu is free to use and open daily from 7am to 7pm, weather permitting.
There’s something quietly hopeful about a town rebuilding itself with hot spring water and Pokémon.
Wakura Pokemon Ashiyu
・Where: 1-1 Hibari, Wakuramachi, Nanao, Ishikawa, Japan
・Hours: 7am–7pm
・Price: Free
・Parking: Available
👉 Love the Pokémon in Wakura’s new footbath? Here’s where to find the matching Pokefuta in Noto
