Feature: 1000 Live Pikachu Running Wild in Yokohama

Its the summer of 2016, and the biggest craze going is Pokémon GO! If you've been too busy running around trying to catch em all, you might have missed out on the news of a few other Pokémon related events that are happening over in Japan right now.

First up is the Pokemon Riddle Solving Rally. This event is sponsored by the Japan Railway Company and encourages families and especially kids to take small train trips during the summer holiday. This event has two stages. For the first one, you have to go to 7 different train stations in central Tokyo and solve clues about different landmarks and features of each station. Get the right answers, and you'll receive a special stamp that certifies you to move up to the next stage. In the second stage you are obligated to travel around the whole Kanto area (greater metropolitan Tokyo). Visit all of the 24 different required train stations and you'll receive a certificate of completion and your choice of a Pokémon Gacha 2.0, or a plush Magearna figure. Magearna is the new Pokémon from this year's Pokémon Movie XY and Z, which was released in Japan this July.

If traveling around Kanto isn't for you then there is another event that's fun for everyone - the annual festival known as "Pikachu Outbreak". This year 1,000 live Pikachu will be performing in the Yokohama Bayside area. Ok, they are really just people in Pikachu costumes, but you know what I mean. The whole Yokohama Bay area has been decorated with Pikachu murals, banners and giant balloons. There are parades, Hawaiian hula shows, a show with water cannons and even one with several Pikachu dancing on ice skates! Some Pikachu are just walking around and you can take a picture with them. Other areas include kiosks to buy Pokémon themed shirts, hats and clip-on Pikachu tails. There are also Pokémon puzzle games for smaller children, Pokkén Tournament, and of course lots of Pokémon GO.

These events are for a very short time. The Riddle Solving Rally runs from 23 July to 21 August, while the Pikachu Outbreak event is from 7 to 14 August.

To see what some of the 1,000 Pikachu look like in action, check out the video below.

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