Pokémon fans in Japan with cash to burn should look into the Inn Thunderbolt Project, a new themed hotel experience coming to Tokyo.
As reported by Hypebeast Japan, Pokémon has taken over the 16th floor of the Shibuya-based luxury hotel "sequence." Rooms located on the floor have been redone to feature Pokémon themed wallpaper, upholstery, "Rare Candy"-branded pillow mints and even physical Pokédex books, which have been designed to resemble the bibles that are frequently placed within hotel cabinets. Guests will also be able to access a gift shop that will sell exclusive Pokémon merchandise, including plushies, that will not be available anywhere else.
The Inn Thunderbolt Project will be available until March 20 and was designed by Japanese artist Hiroshi Fujiwara, the founder of the "fragment design" streetwear label. The hotel is now taking reservations for the special themed rooms, though it's worth noting that Japan has currently placed restrictions on international travel due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, so the themed experience will likely be limited to Pokémon fans who are already in the country.
A one-night stay at one of the hotel's deluxe suites starts at 97, 560 yen (about $850 USD), which is still substantially cheaper than the $3.5 million USD that YouTuber Logan Paul recently dropped on a supposedly unopened box of original Pokémon cards that ended up being fake. Paul purchased the case of cards from collector Matt Allen in December, who believed the cards to be legit since the box was authenticated by the Baseball Card Exchange (BBCE). It's still unknown if Paul got his money back.
The hotel would be the ideal place to climb into bed and veg out with a copy of the latest Pokémon video game, Pokémon Legends Arceus, which is scheduled to be released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on Jan. 28. Nintendo and developer Game Freak have detailed the game's numerous new features with a steady release of new trailers that show off it's brand new open-world, overhauled battle mechanics and its unique setting inspired by feudal Japan. The game takes place in the distant past of Generation 4's Sinnoh region, back when the area was known as "Hisui," and tells the story of the trainers who put together the original Pokédex. Early reviews for the title have already praised it for its evolution of the traditional series formula, though it has received some criticism for its visuals and technical performance.
Source: Hypebeast JP, Instagram
