Pokémon world in relation to the real world

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The designs of the nine major Pokémon regions—Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar and Paldea—are strikingly similar in geography and demographics to regions in the real world, and they are sometimes even officially stated to be based on certain locations. The first four regions and the land of Kitakami are based on smaller regions in , Unova and Alola are based on parts of the , Kalos is based on , Galar is based on the , and Paldea is based on the , consisting in the countries of , and . 
In regards to the side series games, it was also confirmed that the inspiration for Orre from Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD, is in the United States.
==In the core series games==
===Kanto===
The of Japan (関東地方, Kantō-chihō, meaning "Region East to the Barrier", referring to the east of the Hakone checkpoint) is not only identical in name to Kanto in the Pokémon world, but is also very similar geographically; however, the western part of the game map corresponds to eastern (中部地方, Chūbu-chihō, meaning "Central region", also called 中部日本, Chūbu-nihon, that means "Central Japan").
Pokémon world 	Specific location	Specific location 	Prefecture	Prefecture	Notes
Pallet Town 	 	 	 	 	Pallet Town is based on Satoshi Tajiri's hometown during his boyhood.
Route 1 	 	 	 	 	A peninsula that connects Shimoda City to Mishima City.
Viridian City 	or 	or 	or 	or 	
Viridian Forest 	 	 	、、 	, , and 	
Route 2 	 	 	 	 	Viridian Forest being inside Route 2 is a reference to its real world counterpart's name Okuchichibu - meaning "interior of Chichibu".
Pewter City 	 	 	 	 	Maebashi rests at the foot of Mount Akagi. It is the capital city of the Gunma Prefecture. The famous archaeological site and the Iwajuku Museum are located in the city of .
Route 3 	- 	- 	, 	, 	
Mt. Moon 	 	 	 	 	Mt. Akagi features a crater lake near the summit
Route 4 	- 	- 	 	 	
Cerulean City 	 	 	 	 	Utsunomiya City is the capital city of the Tochigi Prefecture.
Cerulean Cave 	 	Ōya History Museum - Subterranean Cave	 	 	Ōya History Museum used to be a quarry with a network of monumental underground chambers, and is located in Utsunomiya City. Could also be based on .
Routes 24 & 25 	, 	and 	 	 	
Sea Cottage 	 	 	 	 	It's known for Rokkakudō, a wooden retreat overlooking the sea along the Izura coast.
Route 9 	 	 	, 	, 	Specifically, from Sakuragawa City to Ishioka City.
Rock Tunnel 	 	 	 	 	A non-volcanic mountain renowned for its beautiful granite.
Route 6 	 	 	 	 	
Vermilion City 	, , 	A hybrid of , and 	, 	, 	Geographically, it is based on Chiba City (capital city of the Chiba Prefecture). However, Yokohama (capital city of the Kanagawa Prefecture) is the largest and most luxurious seaport of the three. Yokosuka has a United States Navy base, a possible inspiration for Vermilion Gym and Lt. Surge as an "American" soldier.
During the announcement for the 2023 Pokémon World Championships, The Pokémon Company used a trailer with footage of Vermilion City taken from the Generation I games before announcing that the event would be held in Yokohama.
Play Pokémon (@playpokemon) on Twitter: Now announcing the destination for #PokemonWorlds 2023…
Diglett's Cave 	 	 	 	 	The largest known shell mound found in Japan which can be viewed in a tunnel.
Routes 11, 13, 14 & 15 	 	 	 	 	Route 11 is based on Midori-ku ward, Route 13 on Katsuura City, Route 14 on Kamogawa City (due to wind turbines), and Route 15 on Minamibōsō City.
Kanto Power Plant 	 	 	 	 	The first commercial nuclear power plant in Japan.
Lavender Town 	 	 	 	 	Geographically, it is closer to . However, Ushiku City contains Ushiku Jyoen - a large scale graveyard that allows people to bury passed away pets. It also contains a small animal park, where people can feed various animals.
Pokémon Tower 	 	 	 	 	The fifth tallest statue in the world, which is located near Ushiku Jyoen (a large scale graveyard). Could also be based on Kashima Shrine.
Route 8 	 	 	 	 	
Route 12 	, 	, 	 	 	Chōshi City has one of the largest fish catches in Japan.
Underground Path 	 	 	, 	, 	
Route 7 	or 	or 	 	 	Shinjuku Gyo-en is the largest garden park in Shinjuku. Part of it and Yoyogi Park are in Shibuya, a ward located between Setagaya and Shinjuku wards.
Celadon City 	( and ) 	( and special wards) 	 	 	Tama New Town is a large residential development and largest housing development in Japan. The Celadon Department Store and Celadon Game Corner may be a reference to Tama Center's Parthenon Avenue, which contains many retail and leisure complexes, such as Sanrio Puroland. Similarly, Setagaya has the largest population of Tokyo's special wards, which may be the inspiration for the Celadon Condominiums.
Route 5 	 	 	 	 	
Saffron City 	( and ) 	( and special ward) 	 	 	Shinjuku is a major commercial center of Japan known for its business and nightlife. Chiyoda is a major economical powerhouse of Japan, housing the headquarters of 19 Fortune 500 companies that contribute roughly 10% of the combined revenue of all Japanese companies. The Silph Co. headquarters being located in Saffron City may reflect this. Chiyoda is also the political center of Japan: the Imperial Palace, Prime Minister's Official Residence, the National Diet and the Supreme Court are located here.
Magnet Train station 	or 	and 	 	 	The bullet train line runs between Tokyo Station in Chiyoda special ward, Tokyo and Shin-Ōsaka Station in Yodogawa ward, Osaka.
Fuchsia City 	, , or 	, , or 	 	 	All three cities are located close to the Minami Bōsō Quasi-National Park. Tateyama City contains many historic buildings. The Minami Bōsō Ninja Village “Ninja no Sato” is located in Minamibōsō City, relating to Koga’s status as a ninja.
Kanto Safari Zone 	() 	(specifically Mother Farm) 	 	 	Mother Farm is an animal theme park located in the part of Quasi-National Park. Established in 1962, it's famous for its sheep shows and guests can interreact with various domesticated animals.
Route 16 	- 	- 	 	 	
Cycling Road 	 	 	、 	and 	It connects and over Tokyo Bay. It was under construction when were released.
Seafoam Islands 	 	 	 	 	A small offshore island. Home to the Iwaya Caves.
Water Routes 19, 20, & 21	 	 	 	 	Many small islands are scattered around this bay.
Cinnabar Island 	 	 	 	 	Oshima is famous for , an active volcano.
Route 22 	 	 	, , and 	, , and 	
Indigo Plateau 	, or 	, or 	, , and 	, , , and	Due to the confusing nature of Kanto's map between Gen 1/3 and Gen 2/4, it's hard to pinpoint the exact location. It's also possible the national park is the basis for Route 23 and Victory Road.
Route 28 	 	 	 	 	Mt. Fuji is located here. Could possibly also based on Fujinomiya City.
Route 26 	- 	- 	 	 	
Route 27 	 	 	 	 	Both and , the real world Tohjo Falls, are located close to the bay. Two waterfalls separated by a mere 600 feet, located southwest of .
====Sevii Islands====
The Sevii Islands are based on two archipelagos off the coast of Tokyo: the (, Izu-shoto, meaning "Izu Archipelago") and the (, Ogasawara-shoto, meaning "Ogasawara Archipelago"), both archipelagos are administered by the Tokyo Metropolis (under Japanese law, the prefecture of Tokyo is designated as a to (都), translated as metropolis)
Pokémon world 	Specific location	Specific location 	Subprefecture	Subprefecture	Notes
One Island 	、、、 	, , and 	 	 	
Kindle Road 	 	 	 	 	
Treasure Beach 	 	 	 	 	
Mt. Ember 	宮塚山 	Mt. Miyatsuka, 	 	 	
Two Island 	、 	and 	 	 	
Three Island 	、 	and 	 	 	
Berry Forest 	 	 	 	 	
Three Isle Port	底土港 	Sokodo Port 	 	 	
Four Island 	 	 	 	 	
Icefall Cave 	丸山, 	Maruyama, 	 	 	
Five Island 	 	Mukojima Islands 	 	 	All are uninhabited.
Water Labyrinth	 	 	 	 	
Resort Gorgeous	中ノ島 	Nakanoshima 	 	 	
Lost Cave 	笹魚島 	Sasayojima 	 	 	
Memorial Pillar	 	Nakoudojima 	 	 	
Six Island 	 	Chichijima Islands	 	 	The small islands to the north of Chichijima include Anijima () and Otōtojima (), among others.
Dotted Hole 	 	 	 	 	
Green Path 	 	Anijima 	 	 	
Outcast Island 	 	Otōtojima 	 	 	
Seven Island 	 	 	 	 	
Tanoby Ruins 	 	Hahajima Islands 	 	 	The small islands to the south of Hahajima include Anejima () and Imōtojima (), among others.
Navel Rock 	 	 	 	 	Known as the habitat of albatross.
Birth Island 	 	 	 	 	The easternmost island belonging to Japan. It's also triangular in shape.
===Johto===
In Japan, the Kantō region is often contrasted with the (関西地方, Kansai-chihō, meaning "Region West to the Tollgate", referring to the regions west to the Osaka Tollgate), also known as (近畿地方, Kinki-chihō, meaning "Region Near the Capital", referring to the cities of Nara and Kyoto, Japan former capital cities), which like Johto is to the west. However, Johto is geographically more similar to the Kansai region and the western combined, as well as a small part of eastern (四国地方 Shikoku-chihō, meaning "Region of the Four Provinces", referring to the four historical provinces that made up the island).
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	Specific location 	Prefecture	Prefecture	Notes
Mt. Silver 	 	 	and 	and 	The encounter with Red at Mt. Silver may be a reference to . Waiting atop Mt. Silver as the series’ highest-level opponent, Red was the player character with humble beginnings from the first Pokémon games; Kuninotokotachi is said to be the first Japanese deity, born of something resembling a reed following the creation of heaven and earth, who resides atop Mt. Fuji.
New Bark Town 	 	 	 	 	Could also be based on (capital city of the Shizuoka Prefecture), due to wind turbines added to New Bark Town in HGSS. At the same time construction was completed on a small wind-farm in Shizuoka City.
Route 29 	 	Okazaki Plain 	 	 	
Cherrygrove City 	and 	and 	 	 	Both residences are located in Chita Peninsula, which is famous for flower cultivation. Could possibly be based on , the capital city of the Aichi Prefecture.
Route 31 	 	 	 	 	
Violet City 	 	 	 	 	Home to many historic buildings and monuments, Nara is where Japan was founded as a state. It was the capital of Japan from 710 CE to 794 CE as the seat of the Emperor before the capital was moved to Kyoto. Currently is the capital city of the Nara Prefecture.
Sprout Tower 	or 	or 	 	 	A five-story pagoda, Kōfuku-ji is the second-largest pagoda in Japan, located on northeast of Nara City. Hōryū-ji is the oldest wooden building in the world.
Ruins of Alph 	 	 	 	 	There are many archaeological sites in Nara such as () and ().
Route 32 	, 	and 	 	 	Ise-Shima is famous for fresh seafood and pearl cultivation.
Union Cave 	青の洞窟（がまの口） 	Blue Grotto (Gama-no-kuchi) 	 	 	The Blue Grotto of Kumano is a small sea cave in Tategasaki, the largest columnar rock formation in Nigishima Bay.
Route 33 	 	 	 	 	
Azalea Town 	 	 	 	 	Minabe is famous for its high-quality Japanese apricots, known as , and high-quality charcoal, known as .
Slowpoke Well 	 	 	 	 	A Shinto Shrine that was originally located on a sandbank by Kumano River. It was relocated to the mountain after being partially destroyed in the flood. The sandbank now contains the largest torii shrine gate in the world.
Ilex Forest 	 	 	 	 	The Kumano Kodō is a series of ancient pilgrimage routes spread across the old-growth forest that connects various sacred shrines that have been sites for centuries of ascetic worship of natural phenomenon and natural wonders.
Route 34 	- 	- 	 	 	
Goldenrod City 	 	 	 	 	Ōsaka is the largest and most populous city in the Kansai region, serving as a major hub and financial center in the country. It is also the capital city of the Urban Prefecture of Osaka. Osaka Prefecture is one of Japan's two "urban prefectures" using the designation fu (府) rather than the standard ken for prefectures, along with Kyoto Prefecture.
Goldenrod Radio Tower	 	 	 	 	Tsūtenkaku is one of the most popular landmarks in Osaka.
Goldenrod Tunnel 	, , and 	, , and Underground Shopping Malls	 	 	Osaka’s districts of Umeda, Shinsaibashi, and Namba are famous for their large network of underground shopping malls and tunnels known as chikagai. Examples include DIAMOR Osaka Umeda (42,977 m²), CRYSTA NAGAHORI Minamisenba Shinsaibashi (81,765 m²), and Namba Walk (37,881 m²), respectively, which have approximately 100 retail stores each.
Route 35 	 	 	 	 	A green space in Northern Osaka. Located close to the Expo Commemoration Park.
National Park 	or 	or 	 	 	In the Expo Park, there is a famous monument called the .
Pokéathlon Dome 	 	 	 	 	A baseball stadium located in Osaka.
Route 36 	or 	or 	 	 	
Route 37 	or 	- 	- 	- 	
Ecruteak City 	 	 	 	 	Having served as the seat of the imperial court for eleven centuries, Kyōto is considered to be the cultural capital of Japan. It is the capital city of the prefecture of the same name. The towers that inspired the Burned Tower and the Bell Tower are both located in Kyōto. Kyoto Prefecture is one of Japan's two "urban prefectures" using the designation fu (府) rather than the standard ken for prefectures, along with Osaka Prefecture.
Burned Tower 	 	 	 	 	The temple was burnt down in 1233 and to this day hasn't been rebuilt.
Bell Tower 	and 	and 	 	 	Kinkaku-ji was set on fire by a monk in 1950 (). The wall is covered with gold leaf. Atop the Kinkaku temple sits a golden statue of a rooster or phoenix (). Tō-ji was build alongside Sai-ji and, unlike the later temple, it still stands to this day.
Olivine City 	 	 	 	 	Kōbe is the major port city in the Kansai region. The city is also well known for wagyū, or . Is the capital city of the Hyogo Prefecture.
Route 38 & 39 	 	 	 	 	Home to Rokkosan Pasture - a public pasture farm.
Olivine Lighthouse 	& 	& Cape Wada 	 	 	
Water Route 40 	 	 	 	 	
Whirl Islands 	 	 	 	 	The between Awajishima and Shikoku is famous for the . Soul Silver describes splitting one island into the Whirl Islands to end a war; Awajishima was the epicenter of the , with a portion of the island's damaged fault zone preserved to this day.
Water Route 41 	 	 	 	 	
Cianwood City 	or 	or 	 	 	Naruto is where began. Tokushima is the capital city of the prefecture of same name.
Route 42 	- 	- 	 	 	
Mt. Mortar 	 	 	 	 	“Marathon Monks” would undergo exhaustive exercises on Mount Hiei. Kiyo trains in isolation deep within Mt. Mortar.
Route 44 	- & 	- & 	 	 	
Mahogany Town 	 	 	 	 	Kōka is where the famous Kōga ninja were born and educated (, ).
Route 43 	 	 	 	 	
Lake of Rage 	 	 	 	 	Lake Biwa is the largest lake in Japan.
Ice Path 	and 	and 	and 	and 	is an easy-to-climb mountain that is famous for receiving the world's heaviest recorded snowfall. The interiors could be based on , but geographically it's too far away from both mountains.
Blackthorn City 	, 	Shirakawa-go (near ) 	 	 	Shiragawa-go is a world heritage site in Shiragawa Village , which is located near Shō River. Geographically it is placed closer to , near Nagara River.
Dragon's Den 	 	 	 	 	Geographically, it seems to be two different mountains merged together - Ibuki and . Mount Kinka is a symbol of Gifu City, known for . Could also be based on Shōhō-ji and its Statue, located near said mountain.
Route 45 	, near 	, near 	and 	and 	
Dark Cave 	 	Mino Mikawa Plateau 	, and 	, and 	
Cliff Edge Gate 	 	 	 	 	
Routes 47 & 48 	 	 	 	 	Specifically based on Oboke Gorge and Yoshino River.
Embedded Tower 	 	 	 	 	An important site of Shugendō worship, a sect of mixture of Shintoism and Buddhism. On the top of the mountain, there is a small shrine called ‘Tsurugi Jinja’. There is also a theory that Yamatai, an ancient country that is argued to have settled in Kyūshū, was also located there.
Johto Safari Zone 	 	 	 	 	NEW REOMA WORLD amusement park is based here, which contains an animal park.
Frontier Access 	 	 	 	 	
Battle Frontier 	 	 	 	 	Himeji Castle is located exactly on the Battle Castle position.
Sinjoh Ruins 	 	 	 	 	One of the Three Holy Mountains of Japan. Due to the heavy snowfalls, this mountain is famous for Yuki-no-Otani (Snow Walls), which can reach up to 20m. Inferred from the location of the callout display on the map. (Assuming that Ice Path is the and Blackthorn City is , Gifu Prefecture).
===Hoenn===
Hoenn is based on the southernmost parts of Japan— (九州地方, Kyūshū-chihō, meaning "Region of the Nine Provinces", referring to the nine historical provinces that made up the island, currently the region is divided in seven prefectures) and surrounding islands (including the ), with its main island flipped counter-clockwise ninety degrees with the smaller islands pushed close together and circulating around its southern side.
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	Specific location 	Prefecture	Prefecture	Notes
Littleroot Town 	or 	or 	or 	or 	
Route 101 	 	 	or 	or 	A railway line that connects Sasebo City to Saga City.
Oldale Town 	 	 	 	 	Capital city of the prefecture of same name.
Route 102 	 	 	 	 	A railway line that connects Saga City to Karatsu City.
Route 103 	, near 	, near 	 	 	
Trackless Forest 	 	 	 	 	
Petalburg City 	 	 	 	 	
Route 104 	 	Higashimatsūra Peninsula 	 	 	
Petalburg Woods 	古窯の森公園 	Koyohinomori Park 	 	 	
Rustboro City 	and 	and 	 	 	Fukuoka is the sixth largest city in Japan and is famous for Kyushu University, a former Imperial University. Is also the capital city of the prefecture of same name. Kitakyushu's main industry is steelmaking. It is also home to , a company specializing in navigation software.
Route 116 	- 	- 	 	 	
Rusturf Tunnel 	- 	Minō Mountains - Chikuhi Mountains 	- 	- 	
Water Routes 105 & 106 	- 	Imari Bay - 	 	 	
Water Routes 107, 108 & 109 	 	Gotō-nada Sea 	 	 	
Dewford Town 	 	 	 	 	
Island Cave 	 	Iki Kofungun 	 	 	A group of tumuli and historical site of Iki Island.
Abandoned Ship / Sea Mauville 	 	 	 	 	Hashima Island is known for being walled and for being used for the extraction of coal for cars.
Slateport City 	 	 	 	 	The main industry is shipbuilding. Is the capital city of the prefecture of same name.
Route 110 	route & 	Kumamoto Ferry route & 	 	 	
Mauville City 	 	 	 	 	The city is undergoing a large-scale redevelopment. Is the capital city of the prefecture of same name.
New Mauville 	 	Port of Kumamoto 	 	 	
Fabled Cave 	 	 	 	 	
Route 117 	 	 	 	 	
Verdanturf Town 	 	 	 	 	
Route 111 & Desert 	- + 南阿蘇村外牧 	- + Hokamaki 	- 	- 	
Desert Ruins 	 	Nagamezuka Tomb 	 	 	One of the Nakadori burial mounds, an important historical site to Kumamoto Prefecture.
Mirage Tower 	阿蘇大御神御足跡石 	Aso Omikami Footprint Stone 	 	 	A large holy stone that is believed to be prayed by Takeiwatatsu-no-Mikoto, the guardian deity of the Aso Shrine.
Gnarled Den 	 	 	 	 	
Route 112 	南阿蘇村河陽 	Kawayo, 	 	 	
Jagged Pass & Fiery Path 	 	Kumamoto Prefectural Road 111 Aso Yoshida Line	 	 	A mountaineering road that leads to Aso City and Minamiaso Village.
Mt. Chimney 	 	 	 	 	Mt. Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan.
Lavaridge Town 	and 	and 	and 	and 	Aso and Taketa are home to Aso and Nagayu , or hot springs.
Meteor Falls 	or 	Udo Falls or Ryumon Falls 	 	 	
Route 114 	 	 	 	 	The rocky area near Meteor Falls is probably based on , while the waterside near Fallarbor Town is based on .
Fallarbor Town 	 	 	 	 	Capital city of the prefecture of same name.
Route 119 	 	Takachiho Gorge 	 	 	
Fortree City 	 	 	 	 	Hyūga is famous for Nippō Kaigan Quasi-National Park, which contains Cape Hyūga and Myokokuji Garden. Could also be based on , which literally means Small forest, and its appearance can be based on Sukimuland, an area with various bridges that overlook lush green landscapes and waterfalls. Kobayashi is famous for mountains, flower fields and parks.
Hoenn Safari Zone 	 	Miyazaki City Phoenix Zoo 	 	 	
Scorched Slab 	 	 	 	 	In , Amano-Iwato is where hid from her brother , who had gone on a rampage.
Ancient Tomb 	 	Takaya Yamagami Mausoleum 	 	 	The tomb of the mythical Hoori-no-Mikoto, one of the ancestors of the Emperors of Japan.
Route 120 	 	 	 	 	
Route 121 	- 	- 	 	 	
Water Route 122 	 	 	 	 	
Mt. Pyre 	 	 	 	 	
Lilycove City 	 	 	 	 	
Route 118 	- 	- 	 	 	
Route 123 	- 	- 	 	 	
Shoal Cave 	 	 	 	 	
Water Routes 124 & 125 + Nameless Cavern	- 	- 	 	 	While geographically don't match, these islands are very similar to the reefs and smaller islands scattered around Mossdeep City. Kikaijima is possibly an inspiration for the villain team's hideout.
Mossdeep City 	 	 	 	 	Only covers Nakatane and Minamitane towns, as the Nishinoomote City part is missing in Mossdeep City geography.
Mossdeep Space Center 	 	 	 	 	
Sootopolis City 	 	 	 	 	Its caldera appearance was possibly inspired by Kikai Cladera, a massive yet submerged caldera north of Yakushima, while the architecture of Sootopolis City is based on , . In ORAS, a large tree was added, similar to Jōmon Sugi found on Yakushima.
Sky Pillar 	 	 	 	 	
Water Routes 127 & 128 + Seafloor Cavern	, , , & 	, Gushikawa Island, , & 	 	 	While geographically don't match, these islands found on these routes are similar in shape to their real world counterparts.
Victory Road 	 	 	 	 	The most natural region of Okinawa Island, with lot's of flowering plants growing in its hinterland, such as tiger's claw and red spider lily.
Ever Grande City 	 	 	 	 	Could possibly be based on Amami Oshima due to being more geographically closer to Kyushu, or Nago City in Okinawa due to the waterfalls.
Hoenn Pokémon League 	 	 	 	 	The appearance of the Pokémon League building in resembles , the former official residence of the kings of the , that was anexed by Japan in 1879. The inhabits the Kagoshima and Okinawa Prefectures.
Water Route 129 & Crescent Isle 	& 	Tonaki Island & 	 	 	
Mirage Island 	 	 	 	 	Yabiji appears above the sea on March 3 by the lunisolar calendar.UN Atlas of the Oceans
Pacifidlog Town 	 	 	 	 		It is designed to be located between Amami Ōshima and Kikaijima. Could also be inspired by Ishigaki Island, located in the Yaeyama Islands, which contains rare blue corals.
Water Routes 131 & 132 	& 	Uji Islands & 	 	 	The reefs on these routes imitate the real life islands.
Water Routes 133 & 134 	(, & ) 	(, & ) 	 	 	The reefs on these routes imitate the real life Okinawan islands.
Pathless Plain 	 	 	 	 	
Battle Tower & Battle Frontier 	 	 	 	 	
Sealed Chamber 	 	 	 	 	Underneath the water's surface, natural rock formations were thought to be artificially created.
Southern Island 	, 	, 	 	 	Uninhabited islands located 70 km south-southwest of the . It is administratively part of .
Faraway Island 	 	 	 	 	Faraway Island may be based on the lush tropical rain forests of , which is where was discovered according to the Pokémon Mansion journals.
===Sinnoh===
Sinnoh has been said to be an island like Hoenn, rather than a peninsula. It is based on the northernmost major island of Japan, (北海道, Hokkaidō, literally "Northern Sea Circuit"), as well as parts of the (Japanese: 千島列島 Chishima Rettō, meaning "Archipelago of Thousand Islands"; Russian: Кури́льские острова́, Kurilskiye ostrova, Kuril Islands). (Japanese: 国後島 Kunashiri Tō; Russian: Кунаши́р, "Kunashír"), which is in  between Russia and Japan, is also included. The Battle Zone is based on (Japanese: 樺太 Karafuto; Russian: Сахали́н, "Sakhalín"), a Russian island whose southern part was controlled by Japan between 1905 and 1945.
Hisui is the historical name of Sinnoh known during its discovery and settlement. The name change could be a reference to the fact that (蝦夷地, Ezochi, meaning "Land of the Ezo" or "Ezo-land", Ezo was the historical exonym that the Japanese used to the people, the original inhabitants of Hokkaido) was renamed Hokkaido and established as a after the . Therefore, the Hisui region is likely based on Hokkaido in the late and early when large-scale development and modernization took place. The design of Hisui is heavily inspired by the physical geography of Hokkaido.
====Sinnoh====
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	Specific location 	Subprefecture / Raion	Subprefecture / Raion	Notes
Twinleaf Town 	From to / or to / or 	to / or to / or 	 	 	The model appears to be based on Muroran City, but based geographically speaking around Noboribetsu City to the western part of Shiraoi Town.
Route 201 	 	 	 	 	Around the Shiraoi Town section of the Muroran Main Line to be more specific.
Verity Lakefront 	 	 	 	 	In Pokémon Platinum, snow sometimes falls here, as many trees are partly covered in a thin layer of ice, while the ground can sometimes be seen with patches of snow. Sōbetsu is home of the Showa Shinzan Yukigassen Tournament, a major Japanese snowball fight tournament.
Lake Verity 	 	 	 	 	Lake Tōya is a with an located in . Volo's lines in also suggest that Lake Verity was formed by volcano eruption.
Sandgem Town 	 	 	 	 	
Route 219 	 	Tomakomainishiko Ferry Terminal 	 	 	
Water Route 220 	苫小牧沖 	Off Tomakomai 	 	 	
Route 221 	 	 	 	 	
Pal Park 	 	 	 	 	
Route 202 	 	 	 	 	
Jubilife City 	 	 	 	 	Sapporo is the capital and largest city of Hokkaido. The Jubilife TV building is a reference to the headquarters of , the clock of the Pokétch Company can be partially based in the , the oldest clock tower in Japan and built in American style.
Oreburgh City 	 	 	 	 	Used to be famous for coal mines and has a coal mining museum. In recent years, the city suffers from financial problems, due to the closure of the mines in 1980s.
Oreburgh Mine 	 	Yūbari Coal Mine 	 	 	In real life, the mine is not in working condition due to multiple gas explosion accidents in the past.
Oreburgh Mining Museum 	 	 	 	 	The museum documents the importance of coal mining to the local economy from the Meiji period to the Shōwa period.
Route 207 	 	 	 	 	
Route 204 	 	 	 	 	
Floaroma Town 	, , 	, or 	, , 	, or 	All of these towns are famous for flower production. However, Furano City is too close to the in-game's Cycling Road geographically.
Valley Windworks 	 	 	 	 	Tomamae is famous for its windmills in the countryside.
Route 205 	 	Hokkaido Road No. 4 Asahikawa Ashibetsu Line 	, 	, 	
Eterna Forest 	 	Kamui Village 	 	 	A forested village located west of Asahikawa City.
Old Chateau 	 	Kamui Kotan 	 	 	An area in the forest, west of Asahikawa City. There is a folklore that an evil kamui was killed there.
Eterna City 	 	 	 	 	
Cycling Road 	 	 	 	 	
Route 211 	 	 	 	 	
Mount Coronet 	蝦夷山系, or 	Ezo Mountain Chain, or 	, , 	, , 	The Ezo Mountain Chain consists of the (), the (), the (), the (), and the ().
Spear Pillar 	 	 	 	 	Asahi-dake is the tallest mountain peak in Hokkaido, the region which Sinnoh is based on. Its native Ainu name is Kamui-mintara, which means "the playground of the gods".
Hearthome City 	 	 	 	 	Obihiro is considered a pleasant city for the Japanese, known for its festivals, shops, street restaurants and the horse track, from which the cheerful atmosphere of Hearthome and the contest hall take inspiration.
Route 208 	or 	or 	 	 	The river on this route is based of Tokachi River.
Pokémon Mansion 	 	Manabe Garden 	 	 	Founded by the Manabe family in 1896, this botanical garden is known for rare conifer species.
Route 212 	& 	& Rokka Forest 	 	 	
Route 209 	& 	& 	 	 	
Lost Tower 	 	Line of Duty Death Memorial by Tsunemon Tunnel	 	 	The memorial is dedicated toward enslaved workers, who died building the Tsunemon Tunnel. The bodies of the forced laborers were buried inside said tunnel.
Solaceon Town 	 	 	 	 	One of Ashoro's main industries is farming.
Solaceon Ruins & Maniac Tunnel	雄阿寒岳 	Mt. Oakan 	 	 	Hikers on Mt. Oakan report several subterranean caves that vent cool air to the outside.
Veilstone City 	, 	& 	 	 	Both are major port and fishing settlements in Eastern Hokkaido (Japanese: ).
Route 215 	 	Hokkaido Road No. 334 Nakamo Kobu Okoppe Line 	 	 	
Route 210 	, , 	, , 	 	 	Geographically, it should be around Hokkaido Roads No. 239 Kumaushi Otofuke Line & No. 333 Engaru Stop Line
Celestic Town 	& 	& 	 	 	Both places are notable for archaeological sites, such as Shirataki Ruins and Shibunotsunai Pit-house Remains. Celestic Ruins could also be based on Tokoro Ruins, one of the important sites, located in Kitami City (former Tokoro Town area). However, it is geographically a bit further away from matching up with Sinnoh map, unlike the former two towns.
Route 214 	, 	& 	, 	, 	
Sendoff Spring 	 	 	 	 	Lake Mashu, a crater lake, is known as a mysterious spot for the fog that covers its surface.
Turnback Cave 	 	Kamuishu Island 	 	 	
Valor Lakefront 	 	 	 	 	
Lake Valor 	and/or 	and/or 	 	 	Lake Kussharo is the largest caldera lake with the largest lake island in Japan. Volo's alternative theory of lake formation in could be inspired by a real-life legend that Lake Kussharo is formed by the landslide during the fight between a giant and the and . Lake Akan's southern shore is home to several hotels.
Pastoria City 	 	 	 	 	Kushiro is the largest city in Eastern Hokkaido.
Route 213 	 	 	 	 	Akkeshi Town is a famous tourist attraction.
Great Marsh 	 	 	 	 	The Kushiro Wetland is the largest marsh in Japan.
Route 218 	 	 	 	 	
Canalave City 	 	 	 	 	Otaru is a port city and has a canal
Route 216 	, 	& 	 	 	There are many ski resorts in these areas.
Route 217 	 	 	, 	, 	Somewhere around Toyotomi Town and Nayoro City.
Snowpoint City 	, 	& 	 	 	Two of the northernmost settlements in mainland Japan. Wakkanai is famous for its maritime trade with Russia, and , a possible inspiration for Snowpoint Temple. Geographically, it is most likely Hamatonbetsu Town as the town is located immediately to the east of Lake Kutcharo (being the model for Lake Acuity) just as Snowpoint City is immediately to the east of Lake Acuity.
Snowpoint Temple 	 	 	 	 	A Shinto shrine located in the northern portion of the Wakkanai City.
Lake Acuity 	 	 	 	 	Lake Kutcharo is not a caldera lake but a lake formed by the . This is further hinted by Volo's lines in . The lake shares its etymology with the aforementioned Lake Kussharo, Ainu kut-caro ("marsh outlet").
Route 222 	 	 	 	 	Its Ainu name "ota-noske" means "center of the sandy beach".
Sunyshore City 	 	 	 	 	
Vista Lighthouse 	 	 	 	 	Nosappumisaki Lighthouse is located on Cape Nosappu, Japan's easternmost spot open to the public.
Iron Island 	 	 	 	 	
Water Route 223 	& 	& 	 	 	The largest reef on this route resembles Shikotan.
 	 	 	 	 	One of the location on Kunashir Island, which has been disputed between Japan and Russia since the end of WWII due to ambiguities in the Treaty of San Francisco. Though both countries claim it, the island is controlled by Russia.
Pokémon League 	 	 	 	 	The waterfall in front of the Pokémon League is probably based on the caldera lake in the central part of Kunashir Island.
Route 224 	& 	& Cape Lovtsova 	 	 	The easternmost cape of Kunashir Island.
Seabreak Path 	 	 	, , 	, , 	In real life, Kuril Islands are an archipelago, that forms a straight chain made of several smaller islands.
Flower Paradise 	 	 	 	 	Both are the northernmost islands of their respective zones: the Flower Paradise is the northernmost zone in Sinnoh, much like Atlasov, the northernmost island of the Kuril Islands.
Fight Area 	, 	or 	 	 	Nevelsk town thrived on maritime transportation under Japanese control. It now relies on salmon fishery. Kholmsk used to be a military post and is now one of the largest and important transport center in Sakhalin.
Survival Area 	 	 	 	 	The town is located in a relatively warm area with fertile land suitable for agriculture.
Water Route 230 	 	 	, 	, 	
Resort Area 	 	Novikovo 	 	 	The village shared its Japanese name and etymology with a scenic in Hokkaido.
Route 229 	Бирюзовые озера и леса возле Новиково	Turquoise lakes and forests near Novikovo 	 	 	A popular tourist destination, due to unusually blue colored quarry lakes, a leftover of coal mining.
Route 228 	 	Lake Busse 	 	 	
Route 227 	, 	Dachnoe & 	, 	, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 	The black rocks found Route 227 could be based on red soil near Dachnoe.
Stark Mountain 	 	Pik Chekhova 	 	Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 	This mountain near the Oblast capital (formerly ) is named after , who visited Sakhalin in 1890, in Russian. Unlike the game location, the real mountain is not a volcano.
Water Route 226 	 	 	, 	, 	The island in the middle of this route could be based on Moneron Island, but it is located west of Sakhalin, not in Aniva Bay itself.
Fullmoon Island 	 	 	 	 	Rebun Island is famous for its flowers and mountains, reflected in the geography of Fullmoon Island. Rebun Island was a cult site for the god , worshiped for offering food and guiding navigators. Rep-un-kamuy is described as being generous, similar to Cresselia's peaceful demeanor, and offering help, much like Cresselia does in the form of the Lunar Feather to the player.
Newmoon Island 	 	 	 	 	
====Hisui====
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	Specific location 	Subprefecture	Subprefecture	Notes
Prelude Beach 	 	 	 	 	Both and Sapporo developed from Japanese trading posts and early settlements around Ishikari Bay.
Jubilife Village 	 	 	 	 	Many locations within Jubilife Village appear to be based on historical landmarks of Sapporo. Galaxy Hall is based on the , an example of American in Japan. Floaro Main Street is based on the street (now an urban park). Canala Bridge is based on Sosei Bridge, both featuring on railings. The Farm and Pasture could correspond to the merged and (now or "east ward").
Aspiration Hill 	 	 	 	 	The bronze statue of Dr. , co-founder and President of the (later the ), stands on the hill. The name "Aspiration" could be a reference to Dr. Clark's parting words to his Japanese students, "Boys, be ambitious!"
Horseshoe Plains 	 	 	 	 	Now a .
Deertrack Heights 	 	Maoi Hills 	 	 	and , two satellite cities of Sapporo, are situated on the west slope of the Maoi Hills.
Sandgem Flats 	 	Yūfutsu Plain 	 	 	is located in the middle of the Yūfutsu Plain.
Obsidian Falls 	千鳥ヶ滝 	Chidori Falls 	 	 	The formed various cascades on the west boundary of the Yūbari City, collectively known as "Chidori".
Grueling Grove 	 	 	 	 	The town is named after the dense chestnut forest on the site.
Golden Lowlands and Gapejaw Bog 	 	 	 	 	Japan's second largest plain and major crop production area is shaped by the . The region also saw wetland restoration and indigenous cultural revival in recent years.
Scarlet Bog 	 	 	 	 	The spans the administrative areas of Kushiro City, Tsurui Village, and Shibecha Town. The location of Scaelet Bog in Crimson Mireland is comparable to that of Tsurui in the Kushiro wetland.
Cottonsedge Prairie 	 	 	 	 	The southern half of Teshikaga consists of the lower plains south of Lake Lake Kussharo and Lake Akan.
Droning Meadow 	 	 	 	 	The pond where wild is encountered may be based on or .
Sludge Mound and Ursa's Ring 	 	 	 	 	The former Yūbestu Coal Mine (雄別炭鉱) and the Kushiro City Zoo are located in Akan Town, now part of Kushiro City. Following the closure of the coal mine in 1970, forests were restored and sightings of have become common in recent decades.
Solaceon Ruins, Bolderoll Slope, and Diamond Heath	 	 	 	 	The mountain in which the Solaceon Ruins are carved resembles Mount Akan-Fuji, and the ridges on its northwest resemble . The peak to the east of the settlement could be based on .
Diamond Settlement 	阿寒湖アイヌコタン 	Lake Akan Ainu Kotan 	 	 	It is the largest Ainu settlement in Hokkaido with 120 inhabitants. Most of the Kotan have been converted into tourist attractions and cultural facilities.
Cloudpool Ridge 	 	Senpoku Pass 	 	 	This mountain pass through the watershed of the Kushiro River, the Tokachi River, and the is part of an Ainu road leading to seaside.
Shrouded Ruins 	 	Tsubetsu Pass 	 	 	Known for cloud view and dense mountain fog, this mountain pass is the site of an observation deck in a European-style castle that oversees Lake Kussharo.
Crossing Slope 	 	 	 	 	The player's encounter with the special Basculegion could be a reference to the predominant role of Shibetsu, Nemuro in salmon fishery.
Ginkgo Landing 	 	 	 	 	The player's encounter with the special Basculegion could be a reference to the predominant role of Shibetsu, Nemuro in salmon fishery.
Bathers' Lagoon 	and 	and Lake Onneto 	 	 	These two adjacent lakes form a large lagoon in the Nemuro Bay. Lake Fūren is a wetland.
Deadwood Haunt 	 	 	 	 	The wrecked ships in this area could be a reference to the maritime archeological sites of the .
Sand's Reach 	 	 	 	 	Cape Nosappu is more similar to a palm facing upwards than one spreading its five fingers.
Hideaway Bay 	 	Rakuseki Bay 	 	 	Rakuseki Bay refers to the water body between Cape Ochiishi and Hanamatsu, Nemuro.
Tombolo Walk 	and 	Yururi Island and Moyururi Island	 	 	These two uninhabited islands off the coast of Nemuro Peninsula have been designated as nature reserve since the late 1970s.
Castaway Shore 	 	 	 	 	Named after the of the Shiretoko volcanoes, the town occupies the southeastern half of the peninsula.
Aipom Hill 	 	Konsen Plateau 	 	 	The lattice windbreak on its windward side is a site.
Tranquility Cove 	and 	and 	 	 	The dry forest along the Cobalt Coastlands could be inspired by , forests of withered s on the .
Windbreak Stand 	 	 	 	 	This natural park is named after , whose montane forests form natural windbreaks.
Veilstone Cape 	 	 	 	 	Shiretoko derives from sir-etok (land's end). The peninsula was registered as a UNESCO under the natural category in 2005.
Lunker's Lair 	 	Cape Shiretoko 	 	 	The northeastern-most portion of the Shiretoko Peninsula is under the administration of Shari.
Islespy Shore 	 	 	 	 	The visitor center of the belongs to Shari.
Wayward Wood 	 	 	 	 	Mt. Furano is a stratovolcano in the with rich floral diversity.
Ancient Quarry 	 	 	 	 	Mt. Tokachi is known for its sulfur deposit and bogs, along with natural hot springs. Most sulfur quarries were destroyed by the 1962 eruption.
Temple of Sinnoh 	旭岳 	Mount Asahi 	 	 	The Greek architecture of the Temple of Sinnoh may be inspired by the , which was critically damaged by an in 1687.
Cloudcap Pass 	 	 	 	 	The ridges and valleys to the east and south of Mt. Asahi was named Sōunkyō (lit. "cloudcap gorges") in 1921.
Clamberclaw Cliffs 	 	 	 	 	Mount Ishikari is the watershed of the and the .
Whiteout Valley 	 	 	 	 	The village is a tourist attraction known for Mt. Otoi-Fuji (音威富士) and ski resorts.
Avalanche Slopes 	 	 	 	 	The large amount of excavated in this village in the Meiji era earned it the nickname "Fossile Village".
Avalugg's Legacy 	 	 	 	 	The large ice formation may be inspired by Mount Pinneshiri (ピンネシリ岳), whose contour line resembles a tortoise shell on maps. The underground caves in this area could be based on the Nakatonbetsu Limestone Cave (中頓別鍾乳洞), which is the northernmost system of Japan and a nature park.
Pearl Settlement 	 	 	 	 	The land was inhabited by an Ainu tribe named Nitat-nay (仁達内 Nitachinai), whose name means "wetland river". First seen in 1670, the name "Tonbetsu" derives from to-un-pet (river running out of a lake), referring to its location at the confluence of the Tonbetsu River and Lake Kutcharo.
===Unova===
Unova has been said to be significantly distant from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. Instead of being based on an area of Japan, Unova is based on as well as parts of northeastern and western . Both New York and New Jersey are part of the .
Pokémon world 	Specific location	State (New York City borough/county)	Notes
Nuvema Town 	 	() 	On the map, it is clearly placed at the western tip of Coney Island. Seagate is a gated community largely consisting of single-family homes, frequently featuring fencing and barriers between it and the beach that loosely match the barriers south of Nuvema Town.
Unova Route 1 	 	() 	North of Coney Island and featuring the Shore Road Park, which runs nearly the entire western length of the neighborhood. It also allows direct access to the Lower and Upper New York Bay.
Unova Route 17 	 	() 	The bay immediately adjacent to Shore Road Park and Bay Ridge.
P2 Laboratory 	 	 	The island was created artificially in 1873 using landfill, along with the nearby Hoffman Island, to serve as quarantine for immigrants arriving by ship. Both are currently managed by the National Park service and not open to the public - however, the ruins of structures such as a crematorium can still be seen via satellite. The elongated, hexagonal shape may have inspired the upper part of the Unova map.
Unova Route 18 	 	() 	The reference to ‘once being contiguous with Desert Resort’ (i.e. lower Manhattan) cannot match Long Island, as it was formed from leftover debris from glacial traversal and melting during the end of the last Ice Age (about 11,000 years ago) and was therefore, geologically speaking, not ‘contiguous’ with anything. Desert Resort in particular is very likely a callout to Manhattan Schist – extremely hard and durable granitic bedrock that formed due to compression by a former mountain range, and upon which most of Manhattan’s tallest skyscrapers are (or in this case, were) built. The precise distribution of this schist varies, and maps of the area have notoriously disagreed about the extent and composition of each schist section within the New York City area, explaining the allusion in the Route description. Brock and Brock (2001) place Governors Island as Manhattan schist (i.e. not the Hartland formation), but others seem to disagree. As such, Governors Island is the best fit here.
Accumula Town 	 	() 	The park this neighborhood derives its name from is known for its hills that specifically offer views of the cityscape of Manhattan.
Unova Route 2 	 	() 	Located between Sunset Park and Eastern Parkway, this park was known to host a variety of pastoral animals, including sheep and deer.
Striaton City 	 	() 	Eastern Parkway and the nearby Crown Heights are both steeped in Jewish history, the former having been the new home of many refugees of the Russian pogroms (referenced by 'a former home in a snowier climate' in the description). The stairs being referenced are likely the 770 Eastern Parkway stairs, which lead to an underground synagogue (actually under 784 and 788 Eastern Parkway) that was built after several important figures of the Chabad Lubavitch movement began fleeing Russia around the 1940s. It would then become 'the most recognizable Jewish building in the world,' with over 35 replicas built across various countries as a part of the Chabad Lubavitch movement.
Dreamyard 	 	() 	While it is somewhat geographically inaccurate, this yard played an important part in both United States and Japanese history. Admiral's Row formerly housed Commodore Matthew Perry (the same U.S. captain that forcibly ended Japanese isolation in 1853, a major moment that marked the beginning of the end of the rule of the Japanese shogunate). Latios and Latias being found here likely reference the many aircraft carriers that were constructed here for use in World War II, such as the USS Bennington, Kearsarge, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The yard was mostly demolished in 2015 to build a Wegman's grocery store and a parking lot, with Quarters B (Perry's specific quarters) being one of the few structures removing. Before its demolition, ruins of the houses and other areas were surrounded by forest and overgrown vegetation - one of the few areas in Brooklyn left like this.
Unova Route 3 	 	() 	This roughly matches the Route description, and would indicate that Route 2 crossed east through Prospect Park instead of north.
Wellspring Cave 	 	() 	Originally made to ferment beer 150 years ago, they were purchased in 2001 and retrofitted to instead age and store varieties of cheese, beginning in 2010. Tours of the cave were offered, but the business closed in 2022.
Nacrene City 	 	() 	Used to be mostly populated by working class ironworker families, until gentrification in the late 1990s made it more popular among upper-class individuals. The decommissioned railway and museum in Nacrene City could be a reference to the New York Transit Museum, found near Boerum Hill. Also, in Pokémon Adventures, the city is called "city of art" due to its avant-garde artists, a possible reference to Boerum Hill's own artists and their art galleries.
Pinwheel Forest 	 	() 	A park near the Brooklyn Bridge. Although it geographically fits, there are no bodies of water to cross as seen in Pinwheel Forest, nor are there any known reports of hollowed-out trees.
Skyarrow Bridge 	 	( and ) 	Though the Brooklyn Bridge is not currently the longest bridge in NYC, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world when it opened in 1883. It may also be based on in Tokyo, Japan.
Castelia City 	 	() 	Lower Manhattan is the business center of New York City, as well as the United States. The New York City Hall is located here. This building contains the Office of the Mayor of New York City (executive branch) and the chambers of the New York City Council (legislative branch). The New York County Courthouse (judicial branch) is also located here. The central park of Castelia is likely based on . According to Satoshi Yamamoto, the Café Sonata was based on the music club.Satoshi Yamamoto's post on the origin of the Café Sonata
Unova Route 4 	 	() 	In all versions of the route, it is shown that the road is being built; in some versions, the route is shown in a desolate and reconstructed form.
Desert Resort 	 	() 	There were never any deserts in the Manhattan area, but the presence of such may refer to the depth of bedrock in Manhattan - while lower Manhattan and upper Manhattan have bedrock near to the surface (allowing for tall skyscrapers to be built on the stable ground), mid-Manhattan (such as Greenwich Village) has bedrock at depths as much as 260 feet, and lack skyscrapers - an often-commented-on feature in satellite imagery. Washington Square Park was a dumping ground for about 20,000 bodies during the cholera and yellow fever epidemics between 1797 and 1820, which may explain the presence of Yamask and Cofagrigus in the Relic Castle.
Relic Castle 	 	() 	The oldest Roman Catholic church and sanctuary in New York, it features a prominently Greco-Roman temple-esque construction that may have inspired the same design elements in the Relic Castle.
Relic Passage 	 	() 	Though it doesn't quite lead to the exact appropriate spot on the west exit, the Holland Tunnel is otherwise geographically appropriate.
Join Avenue 	 	() 	5th Avenue (specifically between 49th St. and 60th St.) is the most famous shopping area in midtown Manhattan, featuring designer clothes, jewelry, electronics, and more. This is also where the Nintendo store of Manhattan (the former site of the New York City Pokemon Center) is located.
Nimbasa City 	 	() 	Midtown Manhattan is the zone where the headquarters of the New York subway, the main skyscrapers of the city and several embassies. Nimbasa's entertainment atmosphere is based on , the main center of entertainment, food, sports, products etc, of New York.
Gear Station 	 	() 	The busiest subway station in the entire NYC metro system, connecting to almost all major branches.
Big Stadium and Small Court 	and 	() 	West Side Stadium was a proposed Olympic stadium that was cancelled in 2005. Considering American football, soccer, and baseball games are held at Big Stadium, it may also draw inspiration from .
Musical Theater 	 	() 	Like Broadway, Pokémon Musical is often visited in the city where dances and choreography are done with their own stories just like a real musical.
Lostlorn Forest 	 	() 	It features Waterfalls Central Park, which houses most of the five artificial waterfalls of Central Park.
Unova Route 5 	 	() 	Food trucks are only allowed in certain parts of New York City, especially midtown Manhattan. The only park near Lincoln Tunnel that is within the allowed area is Bryant Park, though it's south and slightly east of Times Square rather than west.
Driftveil Drawbridge 	 	() and () 	No drawbridge was ever constructed or proposed to cross the Hudson River. It's unclear why this is not based on a tunnel.
Driftveil City 	 	() 	Union City is known for its many mining companies. The Pokémon World Tournament stadium may reference the .
Unova Route 6 	 	() 	Several parks full of trees run adjacent to this road, an unusual sight in the otherwise metropolitan area. While there are no direct water crossings, the name 'River Road' may have inspired the look of Route 6.
Clay Tunnel 	 	() 	Tunnels running off of the main mining area have been known since 1989 to collapse, creating sinkholes in the backyards of nearby houses and endangering residents.
Chargestone Cave 	 	() 	Directly southeast of Teterboro, much like Chargestone Cave is southeast of Mistralton. Has tourmaline deposits (the name 'Chargestone' derives from the alternate reading of tourmaline in Japanese). Opened in 1894 (116 years before the release of Black and White) and closed in 1992 to railway traffic, but is still accessible on foot. The Hudson Project, an electrical cable connecting the Bergen Power Generating Station in Ridgefield, NJ to New York City's electrical grid through the Edgewater Tunnel was submitted in February 2009, started in May 2011 and completed by 2013.
Mistralton City 	 	() 	The Mistralton City Airport's real-life counterpart is the .
Mistralton Cave 	 	() 	The exact extent of the caves and tunnels under the mine are unknown, but they likely don't reach this far north. However, there are no nearby caves that would be a better fit.
Unova Route 7 	 	() 	The Marsh Discovery Trail features raised walkways over the marsh, grasses and rivers, though only for a small portion near the Environmental Center and New Jersey Sports and Exhibition Authority.
Celestial Tower 	 	() 	The exact appearance may derive inspiration from a strange, spiral-shaped garden near the Richard W. DeKorte Environmental Center, and the presence of Ghost-types from the adjacent Hillside Cemetery. The Richard W. DeKorte Park also features the 40-foot AMVETS Carillon (a musical instrument of several bells, in this case 3 but usually at least 23), which tolls several times an hour and was constructed in 2007 by the AMVETS Post 20 (a veteran's organization located in Lyndhurst, NJ).
Twist Mountain 	 	() 	Closed in 1901, this copper mine still has tunnels and caves in the present day. Ore was apparently packed in barrels (matching those strewn about Twist Mountain), and included the bright blue-green chrysocolla and deep green malachite that may be reflected in the green gemstones of Clay's hat and Gym backdrop. The cemented 'official' entrance is located at 36 Avon Pl., and the actual site of the mine appears to currently be a landfill with elevated terrain, matching the external appearance of Twist Mountain.
Icirrus City 	 	() 	Bergen County is known for being one of the snowiest counties in new Jersey. In-game terrain implies it is located on local high ground compared to the lowlands of the Moor of Icirrus and Route 8. By both name and local elevation, Ridgefield Park fits the most.
Moor of Icirrus 	 	() 	Obviously based on the wetlands of New Jersey, which were the aftermath of the formation of the Palisades Forest - more specifically, Flat Rock Brook, which owes its name to the many 'flat rocks' in the river that trapped and slowed water flow, allowing water to pool in nearby areas and form vernal pools. These vernal pools are vital to the reproduction processes of certain species of frogs and others, and have seen major efforts at restoration in New Jersey in recent decades.
Dragonspiral Tower 	 	() 	It was directly based on the , and was constructed as a memorial to the soldiers that passed through Camp Merritt on their way to World War I, many of which died of influenza. It was named for General Wesley Merritt, who served in the American Civil War.
Unova Route 8 	 	() 	The aptly-named Challenger Road runs through the park, towards Flat Rock Brook and the Washington Bridge.
Tubeline Bridge 	 	() and () 	The lower deck of the bridge was specifically designed to carry bus traffic and other mass transportation. It also resembles the , which is found in Scotland.
Unova Route 9 	 	() 	Proposed in 2004 by the NYC DOT and implemented no later than April 2009, the paved bike lanes and sidewalks for pedestrian travel as well as the dense foliage this route passes by are considered attractive to local biking enthusiasts.
Shopping Mall Nine 	 	() 	Given the German motto, its location in Mott Haven (a known historical German and Irish immigrant community) makes sense.
Challenger's Cave 	 	() 	Though it is on the wrong side of the bridge, it features the 'Indian Caves,' which were discovered and excavated in 1890, revealing Lenape Native American artifacts as well as a 6-foot square, 4-foot high chamber. Supposedly, there is a larger chamber deeper within.
Opelucid City 	 	() 	Mott Haven is the oldest neighborhood in the Bronx, situated on a piece of land historically called Morrisania after the Morris family, who owned it for centuries. Many buildings in the neighborhood are extremely old, having been constructed in the 1700s to the 1800s. However, extensive redevelopment of the area beginning in 2002 (after years of intentional torchings by landlords who wanted to compensate financial losses in the decaying real estate of the area) revitalized the burnt, derelict remains of much of the neighborhood, transforming it into a modern and attractive place to live. This dichotomy may have inspired the city's changing appearance between games.
Unova Route 10 	 	() 	The neighborhood was evacuated during the events of Hurricane Irene in 2011, and the two bridges leading towards Long Island out of the area (Whitestone Bridge and Throgs Neck Bridge) were both closed. Throggs Neck suffered some of the worst of the flooding in NYC during the storm, though it's unclear if any significant landslides occurred.
Victory Road (Black and White)	or 	() 	Both neighborhoods were the site of historic sand mines on Cow Neck Peninsula in the 1900s, hence the current name of Sands Point. Visible cliffs can be seen on terrain maps at the edge of each neighborhood (though they are currently covered by trees) - this may have inspired the desert aesthetic of the area.
Pokémon League 	 	() or () 	The cupolas of the Pokémon League are reminiscent of those found on Hempstead House, and the green domed roof is visibly taken from the same feature on the nearby Castle Gould. It is unclear exactly where the Greek colonnade is taken from, although these are frequently found in the NYC area due to the Greek Revival architectural movement.
Unova Route 11 	 	() 	If we take the stream crossings visible in the Route literally, this would involve crossing once onto Randalls Island via the north section of RFK Bridge, crossing once back out via the Harlem River Lift Span, and then using Village Bridge to cross back onto Wards Island and further on.
Village Bridge 	& 	(, and ) 	It also resembles bridge in Italy. The 200-year-old bridge referenced was constructed on Wards Island in 1807 to encourage settlement as well as transport goods from their new cotton mill to Manhattan, following a hurricane in 1788 that was strong enough to destroy the western parts of the Battery (the park at the southern tip of Manhattan). This wooden bridge was destroyed by the Hurricane of 1821, and the island was abandoned for several decades thereafter. The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge was constructed beginning in 1929, and was completed in 1936 - geographically, it connects to Randalls and Wards Islands less than 1 km north of where the Wards Island bridge would have been located.
Unova Route 12 	 	() 	The park is on a relatively gentle slope, as referenced in the description for the Route.
Lacunosa Town 	 	() 	Flushing is the fourth largest central business district in New York City, and has one of the most diverse range in demographics, which is reflected in its architecture. It is also known for its vibrant Chinese community, the largest such outside Asia at 30,000 residents that were born in China as of the mid-2010s. According to local residents, the nightlife in Flushing is more or less nonexistent past 8 P.M. - this may be referenced in the town's description, as compared with the thriving nightlife of other neighborhoods in the NYC metropolitan area.
Giant Chasm 	 	() 	Located in Flushing. In Chippewa language, Kissena means "cold place", a possible inspiration for Kyurem being placed here. This may also be based on a hypothesized meteor impact theory for a tsunami that may have occurred in the NYC area 2,300 years ago, in which an asteroid presumed to be at least 100 meters in diameter slammed into the Atlanic coast. There is also a 500-foot man-made tunnel under Kissena Park, which is locally known for its 'soda-straw' stalactites and may have inspired the cave within the Giant Chasm.
Unova Route 13 	 	() 	The island with tall grass in the center matches the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, and the other nearby islands match the general terrain.
Undella Town 	and 	() 	Rockaway Beach is well-known for being an expensive, desirable neighborhood, although it was devastated by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The area appears in New York magazine's 2007 spring travel issue as a place for "Surfing" and to "scuba dive for sunken ships,” which fits Undella Bay extremely well. However, the nearby Long Beach is both vastly more expensive to live in (fitting the wealthy patronage of Undella Town) and is known for being a hotspot for summer for local youths and college students, who rent in the area for the quiet seaside atmosphere. As such, it is probably meant to be a mix of both.
Undella Bay 	 	() 	Located just south of Jamaica Bay.
Abyssal Ruins 	 	() 	Ignoring the obvious in-game references to the mythological Greek city-state of Atlantis, the local beach has the foundations of former World War II installations buried in the sand, possibly underwater depending on the tides and location. It may also be based on the geographically inaccurate Republic of Atlantis section at the relatively nearby Long Island Aquarium, which features many similar elements, or the Pavlopetri Ruins, an underwater ruined city in Greece. It may also reference the presumed tsunami that struck the New York City area 2,300 years ago - many islands in the area are known to disappear underwater or be reshaped after major storms.
Unova Route 14 	 	() 	The 'island' shape in the center is suggestive of Mau Mau Island, which bisects Shell Bank Creek.
Abundant Shrine 	 	() 	There are no major 'shrines' in the Brooklyn area that would geographically or visually fit. The natural setting could then imply a park or graveyard, and the only one near enough would be the Washington Cemetery, which features several notable Jewish graves and a nearby Jewish synagogue.
Black City 	 	() 	It houses multiple main headquarters of companies such as Eagle Electric, Wonton Foods, Amazon etc, in addition to having luxurious lofts, all of which is reflected in the corporate and commercial atmosphere of Black City. The reference to 'ongoing development' is likely to the resurgence in development in the area starting in 2010 after the housing crisis of 2006, which saw it outpace Los Angeles and most of NYC in terms of population growth.
Black Tower 	 	() 	Toyoko Inn, a Japanese hotel chain, planned to build a 35-story hotel within Long Island City, set to open in 2012 and located at 24-09 Jackson Ave. However, the project was never completed, and the land was sold to Tavros Capital and Charney Companies in 2022, where they plan to build a 55-story mixed-use tower featuring apartments, residential housing, office space, and retail space.
White Forest 	 	() 	Geographically, it fits Queensbridge, the largest public housing project in North America. Queensbridge features dense foliage interspersed with the cheaply-constructed Y-shaped buildings.
White Treehollow 	 	() 	The park is a primary place of recreation for residents of Queensbridge. It is also possible that it takes elements from two of the largest parks in Queens: Alley Pond Park (White Treehollow resembles Queens Giant, the tallest and possibly oldest tulip poplar tree in New York, which has a hollow entrance) and Forest Park (a haven for native plants and wildlife in the midst of the city's sprawl).
Unova Route 15 	 	() 	There are no significant terrain elevation changes in the minute distance between either Long Island City or Queensbridge Houses and the Queensboro Bridge. The bike path entrances and exits to the bridge are known for sharp turns as well as sudden changes in slope (as much as 10 degrees according to a report about the west side exit), which may be what is being referenced here. Cars have also had problems with the relatively sudden turns at either end of the bridge, crashing into storefronts and other areas (usually while intoxicated). Dutch Kills Green is also known as the ‘gateway’ connecting the Queensboro Bridge with Long Island City, but has no slopes or ‘cliffs’ to speak of save for some slightly steeper paths on the walkways – and, given its forested appearance, it is as good a fit as any for the forested background of the Poke Transfer minigame. It was opened officially in 2012, but was likely in development since 2010. The steep cliffs may also refer to the park’s location in an underpass area. The Poké Transfer Lab being named a 'factory' in Japanese may refer to the millstones found within the park, originally part of a factory mill.
Marvelous Bridge 	 	( and ) 	Opened in 1909, the bridge is specially designed to carry dead loads exclusively through cantilever action and live loads as a continuous bridge, requiring advanced structural design, analysis and engineering.
Unova Route 16 	 	() 	Located near the United Nations Headquarters, this park is well-known for being a spot of 'leafy respite' for locals - possibly referenced in the route description.
Entralink 	 	() 	The Entralink also draws inspiration from the .
Liberty Garden 	 	( exclave) 	
Unity Tower 	 	() and () 	Ellis Island was formerly the busiest immigrant processing station in the United States. It also takes visual inspiration from the and .
Anville Town 	 	() 	Morristown was designated in 1999 as of one of New Jersey's first five "transit villages". In 1999, Morristown changed its zoning code to designate the area around the train station as a "Transit Village Core" for mixed-use. Could be based on , its roundhouse and turntable and is at the end of its rail line, but it's too far away.
Aspertia City 	 	() 	Mountains that offer views of the whole of Unova would limit this to the relatively far western areas near Watchung and South Mountain Reservations (the actual mountainous areas are west of Morristown, which we presume to be Anville Town – the farthest-west point of Unova) or the taller parts of Staten Island (Todt Hill and Wagner College). Given an altitude of about 170 meters (the higher points of the two reservations), the distance to the horizon would then be about 47 km (or 29 miles), which would indeed allow one to just barely see all of Unova (assuming no obstructed view) from such a vantage point. As such, the best fits given the location at the foothills of these ‘mountains’ and proximity to other landmarks would be near Washington Rock State Park, which is reputed for its views of the NYC skyline. The largest city near this park would then be Plainfield.
Unova Route 19 	 	() 	The eastern half approximately matches the map shape of the route, and is near to both the Watchung mountains (referenced in the route description) and several small bodies of water which could match the one seen in the Route itself.
Floccesy Town 	 	() 	Elizabeth has a notable clock tower affixed to the Central Railroad of New Jersey station within the city, which was built between 1839 and 1893, and has been closed and replaced by a nearby modern station since 1978. This station allowed for the economic development of Elizabeth, such as the birth of America's first industry (the Singer Sewing Machine Company) in the town. It was also where George Washington departed from towards Manhattan by boat for his 1789 inauguration as the first President of the United States.
Floccesy Ranch 	 	() 	Historically, sheep were imported to Weequahic Park. There are no other possible ranches for this location to be based on, as it is illegal to keep cattle or livestock within city limits in the area.
Unova Route 20 	 	() and () 	Obvious due to the lower, wider section (hosting the Cave of Being and the two bridges to the north (based on the and ).
Cave of Being 	 	() 	Besides being an uninhabited wilderness of a small island, it's unclear what connections to Hokkaido (historically or otherwise) this might have. However, it is a perfect match geographically.
Virbank City 	 	() 	Virbank Complex bears some resemblance to the oil refineries and tanker area located along the . Bergen and Hudson Counties are among those with the worst air quality in New Jersey, with Bergen County generally being the worst.
Pokéstar Studios 	 	() 	Thematically, it is based of Hollywood in Los Angeles. While there are movie studios near Jersey City, the city has a history in the film industry that has (as of 2022) earned it the nickname “the Hollywood of the East Coast.” Before 2010, this included filming for Annie (2014), The Godfather (1972), Men in Black (1997), and others. This may also be a joke about Paramount Studios’ New York Street studios, which replicate NYC in California – here, Hollywood in California is replicated in NYC. The in-city New Jersey City University has been involved in this entertainment movement for decades, having established its Department of Media Arts in 1982.
Lentimas Town 	 	() 	The volcanic pottery in question likely refers to ‘volcanic glaze’ or ‘lava glaze,’ a pottery glazing technique and substance that gives the appearance of dried lava on a workpiece surface. Most volcanic glaze depends on the addition of 1-3% silicon carbide for a porous effect, and has been known since at least 2008 (per the Sankey Glaze Database). Given that the Japanese and English names both represent ‘mountains’ in some way, we would reasonably expect this to be in ‘mountainous’ terrain that is ‘south’ (west) of Flushing or Astoria, this essentially limits it to somewhere along Grand Central or Jackie Robinson Parkway, which (while not mountainous) is somewhat higher in elevation than the other locations in Nassau County on Long Island. Bushwick, Ridgewood, and East Williamsburg geographically match given proximity to the Strange House and contain several clay-based art studios – most are in Bushwick. Much like Boerum Hill, Bushwick has many former warehouses that have now converted into art studios and galleries, and is part of an area of Brooklyn that became known for ‘the five black arts’ – pottery, printing, oil refining, cast iron manufacturing, and glassmaking.
Reversal Mountain 	 	() 	Seemingly based loosely on the glacial Harbor Hill moraine central to western Long Island, which formed about 18,000 years ago during the Wisconsinian glaciation. Because it is a moraine (deposit of non-ice materials left over from a glacier melting while stationary), it has nothing to do with volcanic activity. The Montauk Point bluff located on Long Island reveals glacial till via erosion that looks remarkably similar to the general appearance of the area surrounding Lentimas Town and Reversal Mountain, and 450 million years ago, the area that would one day become Long Island was a chain of volcanic islands that collided with the North American plate – evidence of this can still be seen in the hardened bedrock of the area (as well as the relatively nearby Palisades, which are made of basalt). Reversal Mountain is also said to be the same kind of volcano as Stark Mountain (the original location of Heatran) – which, given its location somewhere on south Sakhalin (formerly Karafuto Prefecture, Japan), is then unlikely to be a volcano at all, much like the Harbor Hill moraine.
Strange House 	 	() 	Hosts the Triangle Shirtwaist Unidentified Victim Memorial, commemorating the deaths of over a hundred female workers in 1911 at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhattan after a fire left them trapped in the building. Some of the victims buried here, such as Dora Evans, were only identified in 2011, but most were young girls. The event was such a grisly reminder of the effects of poor safety standards that it continues to be referenced to this day, and received much attention leading up to and during its 100th anniversary.
Humilau City 	 	( 	A notable historical feature of the barrier islands along Long Island's southern coast are the 'bay houses' - built on stilts and featuring boardwalks and docks, they have been disrupted by local construction and significant storms. While there are bay houses closer to Rockaway Beach (near Woodmere and Hewlett), the ones near Jones Island seem to fit the best geographically.
Unova Route 21 	 	( 	The bay is interspersed with many islands.
Seaside Cave 	 	( 	While there are no caves in the area, there are tunnels leading to parking lots 3, 4, and 5 at Jones Beach State Park.
Marine Tube 	 	( and ) 	While the New York City area has no underwater tunnels akin to Marine Tube, the closest comparison both geographically and thematically is Ocean Parkway, a beachside highway which is known by locals for its beautiful views of wildlife and the ocean. It may also be based on the New York Aquarium's shark tube, which was completed some time after 2009 but is too far south geographically (being on Coney Island).
N's Castle 	and 	() 	Both buildings have a European medieval look to them, although only one is geographically accurate.
Unova Route 22 	 	() 	The 'ups and downs' are likely referencing the Harbor Hill Moraine, which once again appears here. Alley Pond Park also has a boardwalk through marshy terrain, similar to the DeKorte Park.
Unova Route 23 	 	( and 	The path follows two rivers from Leeds Pond much like the river seen on the Route itself, and leads from the Kissena Park (Giant Chasm) area to the Sands Point (Pokémon League (Unova) area.
===Kalos===
Kalos is based on the northern half of and , one of the which are self-governing of the .
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	Administrative region	Notes
Vaniville Town 	 	 	Moulins had various old terraced houses; in Vaniville, the houses of the town are all terraced.
Aquacorde Town 	 	 	The great bridge is probably based on a bridge on the river in Nevers. The central square of Aquacorde is based in the Place de la République (Republic square), a square surrounded by various french-style row houses and with two separated gardens, like the square of Aquacorde.
Santalune City 	 	 	The fountain on the central plaza might be based on the fontaine de Diane.
Santalune Forest 	 	 	It is the most touristic forest in France.
Détourner Way 	 	 	The Rhyhorn race track is based in this circuit, shared for the cities of Nevers and Magny Cours. The route itself is based in the observation zones of the circuit.
Parterre Way 	and the gardens of the region 	 	The aspect of the route is modeled after the impressive Parterre gardens of the , located in Fontainebleau in Seine-et-Marne. The region of Marne is famous for its palaces with parterres. The route can be based in the gardens of the palace of , where the parterre are similarly in the sides of the garden.
Lumiose City 	Pokémon X and Pokémon Y: Honedge Revealed! (YouTube) 	 	The largest city in Kalos. The streets of Lumiose are based on the Place de l'Étoile (square of the star and current ), in which there is the Arc de Triomphe. The modern buildings that surround the city may be a reference to the buildings of , the most important business district in France.
Prism Tower 	 	 	Both are lattice towers. The Eiffel Tower is the most emblematic monument in all of France and a symbol of modernity in Paris. The prism tower reflects this by being a modern building made of glass.
Lumiose Museum 	 	 	Building shape roughly matches for the conference room, and the campus contains more than 500 works from various famous artists (including Picasso) that have been added over the years. The inside may also be based on .
Versant Road 	 	 	A commune on the outskirts of Paris that houses a Skate Park, in addition, the commune is in an elevated area of the Seine, similar to the mountainous aspect of the route.
Camphrier Town 	 	 	During the Renaissance, Blois was the official residence of the King of France.
Shabboneau Castle 	 	 	Used to be the residence for the Counts of Blois and some French Kings.
Rivière Walk 	and its surroundings 	and 	Nicknamed the Garden of France, it is a region known for its vineyards and vegetable crops, as well as its châteaus and castles.
Palais Lane 	 	 	A route located in the city of Versailles, decorated with trees and parterres that are the main road to the Palace of Versailles.
Parfum Palace 	 	 	The king who ordered the construction of the palace and who is mentioned several times, is a reference to . The second floor and hallway of the Parfum Palace is based in the .
Battle Chateau 	 	 	Nicknamed the castle of the ladies, in reference to the noble women who financed its reconstruction and for the parties they held. This is referenced in the fact that Diantha is the top trainer in the chateau. The façade of the Battle Chateau reminiscent of the high-ceilinged, round towers of Chambord.
Connecting Cave 	 	 	
Muraille Coast 	 	 	An elevated maritime and rocky areaa, cloistered in the mountains and composed of prehistoric deposits and rocks.
Spikes Passage 	 	 	A mountainous and elevated area in south-central France. In real life, it is a fertile area.
Ambrette Town 	 	 	An aquarium lies in La Rochelle. The city is famous in France for the geologic deposits from the Jurassic, that constitute great part of the coast of the city.
Glittering Cave 	 	 	Lascaux is a network of caves famous for prehistoric parietal wall paintings. Junichi Masuda said in an interview that they relied on the .
Cyllage City 	 	 	Saint-Nazaire has a major harbour and a long tradition of fishing and shipbuilding. Could possibly be also based on .
Menhir Trail and Geosenge Town	and the 	 	Notable for its standing stones. In the games, the ultimate weapon turned various Pokémon into stones, possibly referencing a legend which stated that the Carnac stones were pagan soldiers who were turned into stone by Pope Cornelius, or Roman soldiers turned into stone by the magician Merlin.
Reflection Cave 	 	 	The massif is composed of metamorphic and magmatic rocks that were metamorphosed and/or deformed during the Hercynian or Variscan orogeny and the earlier Cadomian orogeny. The competent old rocks of the Armorican Massif have been eroded to a plateau-like peneplain. The concept could also be based on the legends of the Britons called Miroirs aux fées (fairies mirrors). Fairy mirrors are usually caves with bright quartz veins or lakes where they are said to live fairies and like to see themselves in them like a mirror.
Shalour City 	 	 	In the animated series, the city has a walled aspect; Saint-Malo is known for its fortresses and for being walled.
Tower of Mastery 	 	 	A island-city in the coast, the summit of the island is crowned with a gothic abbey since the early Middle Ages. This matches with the Tower of Mastery being a solemn site related with Mega Evolution and the statue of Lucario, in reference to the statue of the angel Gabriel in the summit.
Azure Bay 	The 	— 	
Sea Spirit's Den 	 	 	Specifically based on Alderney, one of the which are self-governing of the .
Fourrage Road 	Parc naturel régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin and the region	 	A natural reserve in the Cotentin peninsula in the north of France. The Pays d'Auge is a farmer region in Normandy, famous for its cheese, dairy, apples and cider production in France, this is reflected in the Baa de Mer ranch of Kalos and the tall grass of the route.
Coumarine City 	 	 	The city has a monorail and several trams, in addition, like the game, the coastal part is a large tourist area and the north is residential.
Lumiose Badlands 	 	 	A fertile area near Paris, thanks to the clay soil.
Kalos Power Plant 	 	 	Saint-Laurent is located close to Paris and is surrounded by sunflowers (in reference to Kalos Power Plant's solar power). Could also be based on Crucey Solar Park, an actual Solar Power Plant, which is also close to Paris, although it lacks any buildings that the former has.
Laverre Nature Trail 	 	 	From vulgar Latin Hortellus that means little garden, are a series of swamps in the east of Amiens, built in the Gallo-Roman era of France and used as agricultural fields and are now an ecological and landscape park.
Laverre City 	and 	 	Geographically, it is closer to be based on Calais - a major port city with old part of town being surrounded by canals. Thematically, it is most likely based of Amiens, as it won awards for rich wooded heritage and being one of the greenest French cities.
Laverre Gym 	or Belfry of Amiens 	, 	Both belfries are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as part of a set of Belfries of Belgium and France. The Gym's clock is based on the imposing bell towers in their respective cities.
Mélancolie Path 	 	 	The Canal de l'Ourcq was built to provide drinking water to Paris and is currently used as a recreational area for fishing and boating. This is reflected in the fishing club on the route and the fact that the river ends artificially.
Lost Hotel 	 	 	An old abbey in near Paris, which was destroyed during the French revolution and only the facade is left standing.
Frost Cavern 	 	 	Ardennes is a zone that had a rocky landscape and various hills with forests and rough terrain, is located in the frontier with Belgium and Luxembourg, this match with the Frost Cavern located in the north of Kalos, like the Ardennes are near Belgium in the north.
Dendemille Town 	 	 	Charleville's region is known for its windmills.
Terminus Cave 	 	 	
Anistar City 	or 	 	The sundial may be a reference to . It may also reference the nearby Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, a small mining town which has a famous yearly gem and mineral show. The mines near the town were speculated to date to the Gallo-Roman era, around 2,000 or more years ago.
Couriway Town 	 	 	Molsheim is located close to several waterfalls, such as Nideck Waterfall, Casscade de la Serva and Cascade de l'Andlau. Couriway train station also somewhat resembles Molsheim station.
Grande Vallée Way 	 	The in 	A boggy lake and forestal region in the mountains near the Alps.
Snowbelle City 	 	 	The nearby are known for cold temperatures and sometimes nicknamed "Little Siberia".
Pokémon Village 	 	 	
Winding Woods and Dernière Way	 	 	A extensiveforest and mountainous landscape in the west of France.
 	 	 	Mont Beuvray is generally identified as ancient Bibracte, a fortified settlement. Used to be capital of the Aedui and one of the most important hillforts in Gaul. Nowadays, it is an archaeological park at the center of a protected forest.
building 	 	 	Should be located somewhere in Burgundy, but the place itself resembles Château de Chambord more, the largest château in the Loire Valley. It was built to serve as a hunting lodge for Francis I and ended up being one the most influential architectures, inspiring the design of several European castles.
Kiloude City 	 	 	Lyon is located in the south, connected via train to Paris like Lumiose and has an open air zoo and a plateau.
Battle Maison 	 	 	The place is located south of the aforementioned plateau.
===Alola===
Alola is based on ,Pokémon Sun and Moon Japanese official site one of the states that is a part of the .
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	Island	Notes
Melemele Island 	 	 	Houses the state capital and the former monarchy of Hawaii. Its designated island color is yellow (melemele in Hawaiian) and its designated island flower is the .
Hau'oli City 	 	 	The state capital of Hawaii.
Hau'oli City Beachfront 	 	 	Waikiki and its beaches are a notable tourist destination in Hawaii.
Hau'oli City Shopping District 	 	 	Ala Moana Center is the largest shopping mall in Hawaiʻi.
Hau'oli City Marina 	 	 	The largest small boat and yacht harbor in Hawaii.
Hau'oli Outskirts 	 	 	One of the largest residential areas in O'ahu.
Trainer's School 	 	 	Largest college in Hawaiʻi.
Iki Town 	 	 	
Berry fields 	Dole Plantation 	 	The largest currently operating pineapple plantation in the state.
Hau'oli Cemetery 	Nanakuli Homestead Cemetery 	 	
Mahalo Trail 	ʻAiea Loop Trail 	 	
Verdant Cavern 	Kaneana Cave (Makua Cave) 	 	
Melemele Meadow 	Kaipapau Forest Reserve 	 	Could also be based on National Wildlife Refuge, which is dedicated to preserving and restoring populations of endangered honeycreepers, but it doesn't match geographically.
Ten Carat Hill 	 	 	's appearance here in Pokémon Sun and Moon references the historical belief by western sailors that the calcite crystals near the mountain were diamonds.
Seaward Cave 	Mermaid Cave 	 	
Kala'e Bay 	 	 	A popular tourist attraction on Oʻahu, the bay is a nature sanctuary is well known for its efforts for preserving native marine life.
Ruins of Conflict 	 	 	The largest on Oahu. It contains a luakini, a sacrificial altar meant to bring success during times of war.
Melemele Sea 	Kaiwi Channel 	 	An ocean channel that separates Oahu from .
Big Wave Beach 	Turtle Bay Resort 	 	
Sandy Cave 	Turtle Beach 	 	
Akala Island 	 	 	Its designated island color is pink (ʻākala in Hawaiian).
Heahea City 	 	 	
Brooklet Hill 	 	 	
Pikachu Valley 	 	 	
Heahea Beach 	Kahului Beach 	 	
Paniola Town 	 	 	A community on Maui known to be dominated by agriculture and ranch lands.
Paniola Ranch 	Haleakala Ranch 	 	Largest ranch on Maui.
Royal Avenue 	The Shops at 	 	Mall with more than 70 shops, restaurants & art galleries, with regular evening entertainment.
Diglett's Tunnel 	 	 	A long road tunnel that connects Lahaina to Wailuku. Located on Honoapi'ilani Highway. It could also be based on Olowalu Shaft, which is located close to Olowalu Tunnel.
Konikoni City 	 	 	Lahaina is one of numerous locations of Hawaii where Chinese immigrants immigrated to work on local sugar cane plantations. Lahaina houses the only two Chinese Society Halls that exist and are maintained in Hawaii.
Hano Grand Resort 	 	 	The most prominent hotel in the Wailea area.
Hano Beach 	Makena Beach 	 	
Wela Volcano Park 	 	 	The tallest volcano on Maui and is currently inactive. Terrain is closer to .
Dividing Peak Tunnel 	 	 	Hana Lava Tube is located around this stretch.
Lush Jungle 	 	 	It is the largest tropical forest on the island of Maui.
Memorial Hill 	Olowalu Petroglyphs 	 	
Ruins of Life 	 	 	The largest in the State of Hawaii.
Ula'ula Island 	 	 	The largest island in the archipelago. Its designated island color is red (ʻulaʻula in Hawaiian).
Malie City 	 	 	Largest settlement on Hawaii Island. Noted locally for its particularly rainy climate.
Malie Garden 	 	 	Designed like an Edo-style Japanese garden, having numerous structures such as pagodas, (traditional Japanese gate), and a Japanese teahouse.
Mount Hokulani 	& 	 	Mauna Kea is the second highest peak in the world when measured from its base below sea level. Currently a dormant volcano. Mauna Loa is a the largest subaerial volcano in the world and it is still active.
Hokulani Observatory 	& 	 	A number of located on the summits of Mauna Loa & Mauna Kea due to its ideal conditions for atmospheric & astronomy research.
Blush Mountain 	 	 	A currently active volcano. A power plant in the district of Hawaii used the vents from Kilauea to generate electricity until the 2018 eruptions caused its temporary shutdown.
Geothermal Power Plant 	 	 	A geothermal energy power plant that was shut down shortly after the start of the May 2018 lower Puna eruption, and resumed power generation in November 2020.
Secluded Shore/Ula'ula Beach 	Ahalanui Park - 	 	Both are black sand beaches. Ahalanui Park was destroyed by lava due to 2018 Volcanic Eruption of Kīlauea.
Tapu Village - Aether House 	 	 	Kau district is known for South Point (Ka Lae) and Hawaiian Ocean View Estates (HOVE).
Tapu Village 	 	 	The most closest locations would be Kalalea Heiau and Kohaikalani Heiau. Tapu Village could be based on Kalapana, a former inhabited town that was destroyed by a Kīlauea lava flow in 1986, believed to be caused by , Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes. However, it is located in the far east Puna district, thus not matching up geographically.
Thrifty Megamart (Abandoned Site) 	 	 	There used to be sugar cane mills in Pahala, but they were all closed by the late 90s.
Haina Desert 	 	 	Although not a true desert, the sulfur dioxide from Kīlauea's sulfuric lava plumes creates enough acid rain that plant growth is severely inhibited.
Lake of the Sunne/Lake of the Moone 	 	 	The largest lake in Hawaii, located on Mauna Kea
Ula'ula Meadow 	 	 	The most notable of many locations in Hawaii where people who broke Kapu could escape to. Such sites are difficult to enter and heavily protected, but once entered, a Kahuna on site could bless the individual, pardoning their crime. Many native plants, including red plumeria grow near the location.
Po Town 	 	 	Hawi is a town in Kohala mountain, in the northwest part Hawaii Island. It once was a busy commercial center during the operation of the Kohala Sugar plantation. However, just like with other sugar mills, it was closed down.
Mount Lanakila 	& 	 	Mauna Loa is the largest shield volcano on earth; it is currently active. Mauna Loa is one of two locations to annually have snow in Hawaii, the other being Mauna Kea.
Route 14 	 	 	
Routes 15 & 16 	& beaches. , , & islands. 	 	The small islets on Route 15 resemble the real life islands, only smaller, tighter and closer to Hawaii Island, the real life basis for Ula'ula Island.
Ruins of Abundance 	 	 	The largest on Hawaii Island, and the last heiau ever built.
Poni Island 	 	 	Its designated island color is purple (poni in Hawaiian).
Seafolk Village 	 	 	The site where the first western contact to the Hawaiian islands were made by
Poni Wilds 	 	 	A large canyon carved by the abundant rainfall from Mount Wai'ale'ale, it is nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
Poni Beach 	Polihale State Park 	 	
Poni Breaker Coast 	Kawailoa Bay, Haula Bay & Nawiliwili Bay 	 	Could also be based on Po'ipū, which is famous for the geological known locally as .
Ancient Poni Path 	& 	 	Koloa is known for Old Koloa Town, which preserves Koloa history and traditions.
Vast Poni Canyon 	& 	 	Kawaikini is the tallest peak of the mountain. It is hard to reach due to high annual rains and steep wet cliffs. Also not helped by the fact that on west side of it Alakaʻi Wilderness Preserve is located. Its miles of dense, swampy forest limits the access to the summit.
Altar of the Sunne/Altar of the Moone	 	 	Mount Wai'ale'ale is the main volcano of Kauaʻi and is currently extinct.
Poni Grove 	 	 	An area of Kauaʻi containing several important . Malae is the largest heiau on Kaua'i.
Poni Plains 	Kawaihau 	 	
Poni Coast 	Paliku Beach, Papa'a Bay Beach & Moloa'a Beach	 	
Poni Meadow 	 	 	
Resolution Cave 	Maniniholo Dry Cave 	 	It was believed to once house a malicious spirit deep in the cave.
Poni Gauntlet 	& 	 	
Battle Tree 	Princeville Resort 	 	
Ruins of Hope 	Poli'ahu Heiau 	 	Poliʻahu is the most important heiau in Kaua'i lore.
Exeggutor Island 	& 	 	Geographically located as Niʻihau to Kauaʻi, though the lack of human inhabitants is similar to Kahoʻolawe. Both require boats and special permission to travel to.
Aether Paradise 	 	 	Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument consists of all the islands located northwest of Niʻihau in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is a and nature preserve dedicated to preserving and protecting numerous Hawaiʻi endemic endangered species.
Poké Pelago 	 	 	Small, uninhabited islands and atolls northwest of the main eight Hawaiian islands. Many native endemic Hawaiian organisms inhabit these islands.
===Galar===
Galar is based on the ,Interview with Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori on the official Pokémon website with the region focusing heavily on the island of Great Britain, flipped upside-down as if being viewed from the north. The main region itself is based mostly on , while the Crown Tundra is based on . The Isle of Armor is based on the , which is a self-governing of the United Kingdom.Tweet regarding Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra's inspirationPokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Galar Expedition Guide
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	County/Shire	Country	Notes
Postwick 	Shea, Brian (October 4, 2019). "Exclusive Pokémon Sword And Shield Concept Art Gallery." Game Informer (Archived on April 16, 2024.)	 	 	Two of the most popular tourist sites in the Lake District, located close to and to on the shores of respectively.
 	/ 	 	 	The main between and .
Wedgehurst 	 	 	 	Located on the shores of , it is one of the most popular tourist sites in the Lake District.
 	 	 	 	Two villages that act as one tourist attraction because of , the home of author .
Slumbering Weald 	 	 	 	A forest area located within the Lake District. It is famous for its magic- and poetry-themed statues. The altar dedicated to and is similar to the Forest Fugue sculpture.
Wild Area 	/ 	/ 	 	Two of the most popular national parks in England. The , the inspiration for the southern section of the Wild Area, is known for its mountains and inland lakes, whilst the Peak District, the inspiration for the northern section of the Wild Area, is known for its peaks and rolling hills.
Motostoke 	 	 	 	The third-largest city in the United Kingdom, known for its industrial and railway past. The many structures were inspired from the area.
Motostoke Stadium 	 	 	 	A building situated within the city.
 	 	 	 	A former coal mine that is now a .
Galar Mine 	 	/ 	 	Geographically, it seems to be closer to be based of North York Moors, but aesthetically it looks similar to , a trans- route for both rail and canal.
 	 	/ 	 	Low-lying hills that are situated east from the city of York.
Turffield 	 	 	 	Aesthetically, it was heavily inspired by , a town located nearby the prehistoric . The fact that Turffield is situated within the standing stones was also inspired by . Geographically, it is closer to be based on York with the village aesthetic being a reference to , an environmental and planning policy that regulates the rural space. The hill figure is a reference to the , located in , a village near York.
 	 	 	 	A scenic railway viaduct that carries the over the .
Hulbury 	 	 	 	A major seaport that is known for the and . It is also the birthplace of . The houses built on a slope may have been inspired by .
Galar Mine No. 2 	 	 	 	From a geographical standpoint, it seems to be based on caves found in Forest of Bowland, such as Hell Hole, Whitewell Cave and Whitewell Pot. It is also located between Manchester and Liverpool, albeit much norther. It could've been inspired by , major tunnels that cross under the , but then it misses the mark of being located between real life Motostoke and Hulbury.
Motostoke Outskirts 	 	 	 	A railway bridge that crosses the between and . It is parallel to the .
Hammerlocke 	 	 	 	The second-largest city in the United Kingdom. It is known for its vast canal network, which gives it the nickname the .
Hammerlocke Stadium 	 	 	 	A medieval castle with over a thousand years of history.
Energy Plant 	(Body) and (summit) 	 	 	Both are the tallest buildings in Birmingham and constitute heritage of the city.
 	 	/ 	 	A scenic and dangerous road in the United Kingdom that passes over the Peak District between and . The route is named after a pub located at its summit. The desert theme may also be based on , which is known to be the only desert in the United Kingdom.
Stow-on-Side 	/ 	 	 	A spa town that is described as "The Gateway to the ". It is home to and is also known for its spring water. Its name, as well as its potteries, may have been a reference to . Matlock Bath is another town described as the gateway of the Peak District, the town is famous for its thermal lake (the same that surround the Gym), and the parade street, a main street filled with shops and entertainment places, just like the shops of Stow-on-Side.
Glimwood Tangle 	 	 	 	A well-known forest in the East Midlands that is said to be the home to the famous folklore character, .
Ballonlea 	or 	or 	 	Nottingham fits due to being surrounded by Sherwood Forest in the north, much like Ballonlea is surrounded by Glimwood Tangle. is a heavy aesthetical inspiration, due to Tudor architecture and being a birthplace of , who wrote many plays including the one about fairies — . Another possible inspiration is a more geographically correct , a village famous for its legends about witches and was used for filming .
 	 	/ 	/ 	A railway tunnel that goes under the .
 	 	 	 	Known for The Ironbridge Gorge area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which was formed by glacial overflow during last ice age. Wroxeter Roman City may have inspired the ruins on Route 8. Not only do the ruins resemble Roman architecture. Additionally the Pokémon Falinks, which takes inspiration from the Roman legion, can only be found here (apart from the wild area).
Circhester 	 	 	 	A Roman spa city famous for its Georgian style buildings, geothermal hot springs, and the rows of houses such as the and .
 	 	/ 	 	A large inlet in the that makes up most of Wales' coastline.
Spikemuth 	 	 	 	Llandudno is a seaside town resort, located on Creuddyn Peninsula, much like Spikemuth is located on its own peninsula. Could also be inspired by , as it is ranked as one of the UK's worst seaside resorts, but that title was only given long after the release of "Pokémon Sword & Shield".
Route 9 Tunnel 	 	 	 	An underwater road tunnel that goes under the .
 	and 	// 	 	A mountain range in Wales and National Park, with its highest mountain being . Chiltern is a hill escarpment in the north of London.
Wyndon 	 	 	 	The largest city and the capital of the United Kingdom. Home to , , the , and .
Rose of the Rondelands	/ 	 	 	While not a hotel, it is a popular tourist destination due to its neo-Gothic looking clock tower, which inspired the Rose of the Rondelands' own clock tower. The hotel facility may be inspired by the , a former government building now used by two hotels. It is located on the other side of the River Thames, facing the Palace of Westminster.
Wyndon Stadium 	 	 	 	The largest and most important stadium in the British Isles.
Rose Tower/ 	/ 	 	 	The was built for the and is now a slide attraction. The Shard is the tallest building in the .
====Isle of Armor====
The Isle of Man is a of the in the middle of the . It is one of the six along with , , , , and . The island has its unique language (known as ) and culture, with myths and legends that derive from . It is also world-famous for its .
Pokémon world 	Specific location	Parish 	Sheading 	Notes
Loop Lagoon 	 	 	 	A bay that was designated as a (MAB) biosphere reserve.
Workout Sea 	Smeale Beach 	 	Ayre 	A coastal area that is designated as a .
Master Dojo 	Jurby airfield 	 	 	Land formerly used by as training ground. Following the closure of the station in 1973, the area has been used for air shows, gliding, and private aviation. The station complex is converted into an industrial park and houses several tourist attractions, including the and the Isle of Man Motor Museum.
Soothing Wetlands 	and 	and 	Ayre and Michael	The largest water reservoir on the Isle of Man is located in the Sulby valley. The Curraghs is a wetland on the northwest of the island.
Challenge Beach 	 	 	 	The capital of the Isle of Man, which is home to many railways such as the , the , and the . It is the only ferry port on the island that connects to and .
Tower of Waters 	 	Douglas Borough Council	Middle 	A shelter to wrecked mariners build on (also known as Conister Rock) in the Douglas Bay in 1832, it becomes the landmark of Douglas. Visit to the tower is restricted due to the fragility of the Conister Rock, which is a tidal reef that reamins partially submerged expect for spring tides.
Challenge Road 	 	 	 	A seaside town that is home to the replica of the in the Museum; and . Its location up on the highest mountain of the Isle of Armor may also be a reference to , the highest mountain on the Isle of Man.
Tower of Darkness 	 	German 	Glenfaba 	Peel Castle is a Viking castle built on the remnants of earlier Celtic monasteries with a notable in the ruins of the Cathedral of St. German. The site is believed to be one of the possible locations of in the , which may inspire the plot of Isle of Armor and the special role of the Tower of Darkness towards the endgame. Peel castle is said to be haunted by a called in Manx Gaelic. The presence of wandering and in the Isle of Armor on cloudy days could be a reference to this folklore.
Forest of Focus 	 	and 	and 	A famous parish boundary bridge where fairies named (Manx Gaelic for 'little people') are said to dwell. People would say "Hello Fairies" when they cross and often leave wishes and notes beside the tree for good luck. Benevolent fairies are said to only appear in front of those they wish to see, and reward them with cure or blessing. The that appears before the player character and Hop may be partly inspired by the story of fairies.
Training Lowlands 	and Glen Rushen 	Malew and Rushen 	Rushen 	Castletown was the former capital of the Isle of Man before 1869. The is located in the suburb of the town. The hinterlands of Training Lowlands may be based on the Rushen Valley, which is a popular destination for hiking and camping.
Honeycalm Island 	 	Rushen 	Rushen 	A small islet located off the south coast.
Honeycalm Sea 	 	 	 	A body of water with various islets, which separate the Calf of Man.
Stepping-Stone Sea and Insular Sea	 	 	 	Water bodies surrounding the Isle of Man was known for hazardous navigation before the age of s. In modern days, the waters become ideal for viewing birds, sea mammals (particularly and s), and s. The widespread presence of Galarian ashore and at sea around the Isle of Armor echoes with the real-life ecology of the Isle of Man.
====Crown Tundra====
Pokémon world 	Specific location	County/Shire	Country	Notes
Crown Tundra 	 	 	 	A vast mountain range in the northern parts of Scotland, home to the famous and , the highest mountain in the island of .
Slippery Slope 	 	 	 	Known to be the 'gateway to the Highlands' as well as the Cairngorms National Park. It used to have a railway station which still stands today, despite not being in use anymore.
Max Lair 	 	 	 	Located near Dinnet, this giant bowl shaped pothole was formed via erosion from melted glacial ice. It can be entered though a narrow opening and is often filled with water, presenting an impression of a hidden den. Local legend states a notorious outlaw hid here once, long ago.
Freezington 	 	 	 	Ballater is a small town, famous for its connection with the royal family, as it has certified shops for the nobility, which supply the royal family when they are on vacation in the area. The town also has a train station. All this is related to the adoration of the inhabitants towards Calyrex.
Frostpoint Field 	 	 	 	This location features rocky terrain, despite being called a field, and so might be an invocation of this regional park. Rounded hills and mounds here called 'paps' are volcanic in origin and breast shaped, and can be found amongst ruins dating back to the Iron Age.
Path to the Peak 	and 	/ 	 	The tallest mountain in Scotland and tallest of the British Isles. Schiehallion is a mountain that its close to the geographic center of Scotland and has suffered from erosion by mountaineers, this is reflected in the mountain's location in the tundra and the path to the Crown Shrine.
Crown Shrine 	 	 	 	An immense medieval castle that was home to kings of Scotland in the past, which is referred to by Calyrex being once worshiped in the Crown Shrine.
Frigid Sea 	 	 	 	The largest island in the Frigid Sea may be based on the .
Three-Point Pass 	 	 	 	A ring of standing stones near the coast of Scotland, according to legend, a being of light known as the shining one, appears on the summer solstice, this in reference to the Dragapult and the Electivire of the game.
Roaring-Sea Caves 	 	, 	 	A coastal cave famous for its basalt columns and the resonant acoustics inside.
Old Cemetery 	 	, 	 	
Giant's Bed 	 	 	 	A stone circle that is a protected monument. The rocks of the Giant's bed had the same layout of the Croft stones.
Ballimere Lake and Dyna Tree Hill	 	/ 	 	The largest Loch in Scotland. The name literally means Lake of the Elms, which may be the inspiration for the Dynamax Tree resembling an elm.
===Paldea===
Paldea is based on the — which comprises , , and — and its shared culture and fauna. It draws inspiration primarily from the , as can be seen in its , , Pokémon nomenclature, as well as the sporadic use of the by the locals of Paldea; however, specific references to Portugal, its and can also be found, mainly on western locations of Paldea.
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	Administrative division 	Country	Notes
Cabo Poco 	/ 	/ 	/ 	The player's house is based on the province of Cadiz, probably in Algeciras as is the southern tip of Iberia. Geographically, Nemona's house is in a similar position to the British territory of . The Rock of Gibraltar may be the hill with the Great Ball south of Nemona's House.
Poco Path 	 	 	 	In the Spanish version, this path is known as Sendero de Cahíz, a reference to the city of .
Poco Path Lighthouse 	 	 	 	The tallest lighthouse in Spain, located in the harbor of Cadiz.
Inlet Grotto 	/ 	 	 	A system of grottoes and caves in the south of Spain. In the Spanish version, it is called Gruta Caleta in reference to La Caleta, a popular beach located also in the city of Cádiz.
Los Platos 	 	 	 	A small city near the center of Spain, being a commuter town for people who study and work in Toledo and Madrid. Also, the name of the town in french is Plato Real.
Mesagoza 	//// 	//// 	/ 	Geographically, it matches Toledo and Madrid - the former and current capitals of Spain. The gate bridges resemble the over the river, which passes through both Toledo and Lisbon. The city walls are reminiscent of the in Zaragoza, referenced in the English name. Heavy inspiration is also drawn from Barcelona's and its mosaics. The central plaza is based on in Madrid and possibly with its yellow coloring and open layout, as well as the streets of Chiado. The rose of winds in the plaza might be based on the one in in Barcelona, while the one by the south stairway resembles the one in Lisbon. The cobbled streets and buildings to the north resemble Toledo's old town, while the southeastern quadrant is reminiscent of Lisbon's colorful architecture and street layouts . The roof walkways might also be a reference to Rua do Carmo.
Naranja Academy/Uva Academy	/// 	// 	/ 	This location is based on several buildings. Its external architecture is inspired by the unfinished church and the in Barcelona. Its panopticon layout is based on the Carcél Modelo de Barcelona, while the arched bridges resemble the . The Entrance Hall seems to be inspired by the , famous for housing bats that protect its books from insects. Similarly, Noibat can be found here at night. The stairway leading to the Academy might be inspired by the Escadas Monumentais, a long stairway leading to the . The age of the Naranja/Uva Academy is a reference to the being the oldest in Iberia, with the University of Coimbra being the second oldest - at over eight and seven centuries respectively.
Paldea League stadium 	/ 	/ 	/ 	
South Paldean Sea 	// 	Exclusive Economic Zones of //	// 	The Atlantic Ocean and the Alboran Sea, the westernmost portion of the , are the two bodies of water directly south of Iberia, connected through the Strait of Gibraltar.
Secluded Beach 	 	 	 	In real life, it is a very popular holiday area in the south of Spain and recognizable for its holiday villas. This is the only beach in all of Paldea.
South Province (Area Five) 	/ 	/ 	 	This area appears to be based on the wetlands and lagoons around Murcia, as well as the beaches of . The lagoons of Campotéjar, in particular, used to be a wastewater treatment plant, which could have inspired the Paldean Wooper's typing. Doñana constitutes the only tropical wetland in continental Europe, being a migration stop for flamingos and various warm climate animals, this explains why the dominant Pokémon in the area is Flamigo.
South Province (Area Three)	 	 	 	A semi-arid desert with the characteristic landscapes of badlands, famous for being the recording location of several Western movies.
Artazon 	 	 	 	Geographically, it matches Murcia and especially Cartagena, where a similar hedge maze can be found. The windmill resembles the ones from La Mancha, popularized by , . Similar windmills can also be found on costal Murcia. Its Spanish name, Pueblo Altamía, references the , though the real location of the cave is in Cantabria.
Levincia 	 	 	 	A Mediterranean coastal city, famous for the , a complex of museums and institutions with a futuristic appearance. The overall design of Levincia also takes inspiration from other locations in the Valencian Community. The skyscrapers in Levincia resemble the coastal skyline of , which is the pioneer city of modernist architecture in Spain and precedes the of Madrid. Its colorful houses might be a reference to the ones of .
East Province (Area Three) 	 	 	 	Considered one of the most unique landscapes in Europe, even compared to Eurasian steppes. It is a place famous for its mining, its mountains and its festivals.
East Province (Area Two) 	 	 	 	Ademuz is part of a mountainous region filled with excavation sites, which may have likely served as the Area's primary inspiration.
East Paldean Sea 	/// 	 	 	The islands to the east likely represent the .
Zapapico 	/ 	/ 	 	Zapapico being surrounded and built upon large plateaus is similar to Cuenca. Cuenca was also originally built as a defensive city during the medieval period, and the player obtains the armour necessary to evolve Charcadet in this town. Setenil de las Bodegas is a small town built near the mountains and is famous for its historical and architectural ensemble, which includes terraced houses built on rocky walls and with white stone facades.
Tagtree Thicket 	 	 	 	Also known as the "painted forest" or “Bosque Animado”.
Glaseado Mountain 	 	 	 	The Aneto is the tallest mountain in the range. In the Spanish version, Glaseado is called Sierra Napada, which may reference the , a long mountainous chain in the south of Spain. Both the Aneto and the Sierra Nevada have snow-covered peaks.
Paldea's Highest Peak 	 	 	 	The highest mountain in continental Spain and the highest peak in the Sierra Nevada. At the top, there is a small sanctuary and viewpoint.
Fury Falls 	 	 	 	A waterfall about which the legends tell, that when the couples were going to get married, the brides had to jump the river at this point to show that their love for the couple was true, and if they succeeded, the marriage would be happy. But once, one of them didn't make it, and she was caught along with her boyfriend, who jumped to rescue her in a river eddy, where they both died. All this can be reflected in the presence of the Pokémon Chi-Yu.
Montenevera 	/ and 	// 	 	La Rioja is famed for its many mountain ranges and valleys, which dot Montenevera and its surrounding area. Not only are the buildings in Montenevera a similar style to those found in Ezcaray, but Ezcaray’s largest tourist attraction is its ski resort. Trasmoz is known as the only excommunicated of Spain because the town was one of the few that protected the victims of witchcraft. Zugarramurdi It was one of the towns most famous for the witch trials in the Basque area and is currently famous for its caves where rallies were held and for its celebrations based on witches.
North Province (Area One) 	/ 	/ 	 	The looming, spire-like peaks of the Picos are well represented with the spires in this area. It also coincides with the far northern regions of Spain and has a similar feel overall. In particular, the spire-like shape can be best seen in examples such as The Naranjo de Bulnes/Picu Urriellu, one of the most famous locations in all of Spain for mountain climbers.
North Province (Area Two) 	/ 	/ 	 	The distinctive look of these mixed tree forests is a pretty close match to this area and its location and casts a similar image of thin, tall stands of trees. The bamboo and the overall Chinese aesthetic may also be a reference to Northern Spain having large bamboo farms https://bambubatu.com/seeking-bamboo-in-spain-venture-in-valencia/ which focus on the Chinese . It may also be a reference to the native grass, which bears great resemblance to bamboo and grows to quite a size - both benefit more from the relatively wetter climate of the north.
North Province (Area Three)	/ 	/ 	 	It coincides geographically with the regions of Cantabria and Asturias. The is a green lighthouse that can be found here, matching the color of the North Province lighthouse in Paldea.
North Paldean Sea 	Enclaves in Northern Spain//	//// 	/ 	The eastern islands might be a reference to the many enclaves within the autonomous communities of Navarre, the Basque Country and Castille and León, as well as . The largest island also has a similar shape to the microstate of Andorra. The western islands could be a reference to the Atlantic Islands of Galicia.
Ruchbah Squad's Base 	 	 	 	A series of marshes and swamps in Cantabria.
Casseroya Lake 	 	 	 	Riberia Sacra is a UNESCO Heritage site. Located in Galicia, at the mountainous northwestern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, the biosphere reserve is a site of great natural beauty enriched by a rich cultural heritage. The river Miño meanders at the bottom of the vertiginous Sil canyons, in a landscape of valleys, tertiary depressions and scrubland foothills, resulting in a diversity of microclimates. Could also be based on , the largest freshwater lake in the Iberian peninsula, the lake is an important source of seafood for the nearby towns, that explains the name of the lake and the population of Tatsugiri's in the lake.
Colonnade Hollow 	 	 	 	A park and ecological zone, famous for its strangely shaped rock formations and which has been featured in several movies. The rock formation of Paldea may be based on the formation known as "El convento".
Socarrat Trail 	 	 	 	The oldest Natural Park in Galicia, popular for its hiking trails, with similar landscapes and vegetation, as can be seen here. It might also be inspired by the , a closer geographic match.
Medali 	/ 	/ 	 	It is based on Valladolid, matching its location and architecture, and Mérida, with its and white and yellow buildings.
Cascarrafa 	// 	// 	/ 	The location of this city and its towering walls seem to be a reference to the Almendra Dam in Salamanca. Its blue and white houses seem to be inspired by Portuguese southern towns, such as Porto Covo. The floor patterns are inspired by the traditional Portuguese pavement style. The oasis theme might also be a reference to the , which provides water to the drier southern Alentejo. The city's multi-tiered structure is possibly based on Vila Real in Portugal, which has a flowing river on the lower level.
Asado Desert 	 	 	 	The most extensive coastal sand dune system in Portugal, where a cliff can be seen to the North. The circle of rocks where the Quaking Earth Titan is found might have been inspired by the , the largest existing group of structured menhirs in the Iberian Peninsula.
Porto Marinada 	/ 	 	 	The main inspiration is the coastal town of Costa Nova, as seen in its typical striped houses and the market's facade. The layout of the town also matches Nazaré, with the lighthouse on a cliff and a beach to the north. Ponta do Sol in Madeira Island is also similar. The lighthouse might be inspired by the . The market's interior resembles the Mercado da Ribeira in Lisbon.
West Paldean Sea 	/ 	/ 	 	The larger archipelago might represent the Azores, being similar in scale and located at the same latitude. The smaller one matches the location of the Berlengas, off the coast of .
Segin Squad's Base 	 	 	 	The location matches the Zêzere Glacial Valley, the most representative of its kind in .
West Province (Area One) 	// 	// 	/ 	This area appears to be a mix of Serra da Arrábida with its coastal mountains and low vegetation and Serra de Aire with its traditional windmills next to modern wind farms. The windmills might also be inspired by .
Alfornada Cavern 	 	 	 	One of the main landmarks of Algarve. It is also likely inspired by the ("Old Windmills Cave") in Serra de Aire, referencing its proximity to the windmills of West Province (Area One).
Alfornada 	/ 	/ 	/ 	The city's theme is inspired by the Moorish influence in southern Iberia. Its location matches the , with many Algarve references such as its architecture, historical chimneys, decorative dishes on walls and the square panels of Algarve Shopping. There's also an , possibly related to the or the one in Albufeira. The ovens are based on Seville's ceramic ovens.
South Province (Area Six) 	// 	 	 	This area's semi-arid plateau reflects that of the Sagres Point. The path leading to Alfornada is inspired by the cliffs, arches and caves of the western Algarve coast. The ruins match the Roman ruins of Milreu, near Faro.
South Province (Area Two) 	Province of // 	/ 	/ 	These adjacent regions are characterized by hilly landscapes of dry grass and olive groves.
Cortondo 	--/ 	/ 	/ 	The Japanese and English names seem to reference Redondo, while the town itself could be based on EuroBEC, a union of the cities of Badajoz, the largest in this region, Elvas, with its prominent yellow walls and surrounding olive groves, and Campo Maior, with its "Festas do Povo" paper decorations resembling the ones under the Gym arena. The large tree holding it might be a reference to , the largest treetop in Iberia, in the center of .
Great Crater of Paldea 	 	/ 	 	The Sierra de Guadarrama is the highest mountain system in central Spain. Since ancient times, it has been called "The Seven Peaks of the Dragon", which could be the inspiration for the Paradox Pokémon.
Area Zero 	 	 	 	The landscapes of are reminiscent of Area Zero, with its waterfalls and steep cliffs reaching above the clouds.
Area Zero Underdepths 	 	 	 	With 1.589 meter, is the deepest cave system in the Iberian peninsula, an underground cave system full of little cliffs and vertical dim lighted tunnels in vertical and horizontal. The presence of the crystal tree in the underdepths can be a reference to the tree of the Hesperides Garden, a legendary tree of golden apples that some old world texts claimed was in the south of Spain and relationed with the people, a semi-legendary people that was believed were descendants of the atlantean people.
===Kitakami===
The land of Kitakami is inspired by the northeastern region of Japan, the (東北地方 Tōhoku Chihō, meaning "North East"); particularly , , and , the three northernmost prefectures on . Much like the real-world location, the land of Kitakami itself is well known for its countryside atmosphere as well as its mountains and rice paddles. 
The name "Kitakami" may be derived from the real-world , , or . Despite this, the terrain of the explorable areas of Kitakami in The Teal Mask is more similar to that of and neighboring areas on the borders of the three prefectures.
Pokémon world 	Specific location	Specific location 	Prefecture	Prefecture	Notes
Mossui Town 	 	 	 	 	Morioka is the capital and largest city of Iwate Prefecture. It is located at the confluence of the and its two tributaries, the and the . It is usually considered the gateway to the Hachimantai mountain range that crosses the border of Iwate and Akita.
Apple Hills 	, or 	, or Tsugaru region	or 	or 	These places are notable for their apple agriculture.
Oni Mountain & Infernal Pass	 	 	 	 	A Buddhist temple is located in the caldera of an active volcano and is considered to be a pilgrimage destination in Aomori Prefecture. In Japanese mythology, this mountain is believed to be one of the gates to the underworld.
Crystal Pool 	 	 	 	 	Lake Usori is a volcanic crater lake, located within same volcanic zone as Mount Osore. It is also known for being extremely acidic, due to hydrogen sulfide.
Chilling Waterhead 	 	 	 	 	Doesn't geographically match, but it is one of the Japan's largest limestones caverns.
Timeless Woods 	 	 	and 	and 	This mountainous area includes the last virgin forest of Siebold's beech which once covered most of northern Japan. It is also notable for being the habitat of Japanese black bears.
===Real-world locations mentioned===
* Prior to Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Lt. Surge was known as "The Lightning !". In , Pokémon Journal entries state that he "is rumored to have been a pilot while home in America."
* Game Freak's offices are present in the Celadon Condominiums, the equivalent location of their former real-world office in . Likewise, they have a building in Castelia City, and are found on 22F, the same floor that their former offices were on in Carrot Tower.
* In the Generation I games and , Taylor in the Silph Co. building mentions an international branch of Silph Co. In English, he states that the branch of the company is "in n no-man's-land". In the Japanese version, he states that the Ponaya Tunguska (Japanese: ポナヤツングスカ) branch is located "deep in Russia". Ponaya Tunguska appears to be a shortened form of the transliterated name of in Japanese (ポドカメンナヤツングースカ).
* was originally discovered in the jungles of the n country Guyana. This is mentioned in logs inside of Cinnabar Island's .
* In Gold, Silver, , HeartGold, and SoulSilver, , the guard in the gate north of Goldenrod City, will give the player a holding mail to deliver. The Spearow is nicknamed , the name of a country in .
* Upon losing to Misty in the original Japanese version of , one of her possible lines is "Kasumi-chan is number 1 in Japan! Just kidding." (カスミちゃん　にほんいちぃ！　なーんてね。)
* In the original Japanese version of FireRed and LeafGreen, Blaine refers to .
* Upon defeating Fisherman Bronson in the Sinnoh , he will say, "Why the emperor of fishing? It's an ancient Chinese legend...".
* A that can be battled in Generation IV's mentions that his guitar is actually a .
* Among the exhibits of the Nacrene museum, there is an African mask, referring to a place in the real world, in addition to being different from other exhibitions, which are related to the history of the Pokémon.
* , , , and 's names are derived from a real-world location, the .
* 's , , Gold, FireRed, and HeartGold Pokédex entries state that it is mentioned in legends. Its entries in Pokémon Sun and instead refer to "the East".
* 's Stadium and FireRed Pokédex entries mention that its spores are used in medicine in China.
* 's Stadium Pokédex entry mentions that it can clear the Eiffel Tower ( in the original Japanese version) in one leap, and its FireRed entry says that it can clear in one leap.
* 's Gold, Ruby, Sapphire, , Diamond, Pearl, , HeartGold, Black, White, Black 2, White 2 and X Pokédex entries mention its ability to swim the . Also, the direction of a Poliwrath's spirals depends on its geographical location. In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, it instead refers to "the ocean".
* 's Silver, FireRed, and SoulSilver Pokédex entries mention that South Americans say that it can see both the future and past.
* 's Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald Pokédex entries explain that a Delibird helped a famous explorer reach the top of . In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, it instead refers to "the world's highest mountain," which is what Mt. Everest is to Earth.
* 's Emerald Pokédex entry mentions ice.
* Galarian are implied to have been raised by Vikings in ancient times, and share many similarities with them.
===Real-world people and cultures mentioned===
* In the original Japanese version of , one of Lt. Surge's possible lines is 'How do you say "electric" in Japanese?' (エレクトリック　って　にほんごで　なんと　いいますか？)
* and are explicitly named after martial artists and , respectively. In other languages where their names are different, those names are likewise derived from real people.
* 's design and Japanese name Kabigon are derived from Game Freak programmer Kōji Nishino and his nickname of "Kirby" (Japanese: カービィ Kābī), which in turn is derived from .Shea, Brian (October 24, 2019). "More Burning Questions For The Pokémon Series." Game Informer (Archived on August 5, 2023.) This is referenced in , in which Nishino appears as a battleable NPC and his highest-leveled Pokémon is Snorlax.
* The core series games have featured staff members of Game Freak that typically reward the player for completing the National Pokédex, or occasionally through alternative methods. Shigeki Morimoto can be battled in the Generation V, , and games; in , he is fought in a Double Battle that also features director Kazumasa Iwao.
* NPCs in the core series games are regularly named after real-world people.
** Johto Route 35, Connecting Cave, Hau'oli Cemetery, and Viridian Forest (in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!) each contain a Trainer whose Japanese name is Ikue (in the latter two cases, this name was preserved in other languages as well) and who uses a Pikachu. Ikue Otani is the voice actress for Ash's Pikachu.
** In Gold, Silver, , Ruby, Sapphire, , HeartGold, SoulSilver, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire, there are s named Nob, after translator Nob Ogasawara. Additionally, in and Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, there is a named Nob on . Ogasawara confirmed via Twitter that his name was assigned to NPC trainers not by him, but by Nintendo of America staff as a reference to him.Tweet by Nob Ogasawara (@DougDinsdale). Posted on September 13, 2020.
** Alola Route 5 contains a Double Battle against trainers named Isa and Nico, named in honor of the daughters of Eric Medalle, a Pokémon creative director who was killed in an accident during the time Pokémon Sun and Moon were in development.Falling tree kills Pokémon designer and Detroit native Eric Medalle - Detroit Free Press
** In , an Artist NPC named Kapoor can trade with the player, a reference to British artist Anish Kapoor.
** In , several Trainers in the are references to people involved in the creation of the game.iimarck.us - Battle Tower In‐Jokes
*** Masuda is a reference to Junichi Masuda, Crystal's music director.
*** Tajiri is a reference to Pokémon's creator, Satoshi Tajiri, and his childhood fixation with bug catching.
*** Mori is a reference to Akito Mori, who is listed under "special thanks" in Crystal.
*** Kawakami is a reference to Naoko Kawakami, who is listed under "special thanks" in Crystal.
* In , a mentions the dance to a Kimono Girl while in the Kimono Dance Theater.
* In , six of the Seven Sages quote proverbs from several Chinese philosophers.
** Zinzolin quotes a proverb from and a line from at N's Castle.
** Gorm quotes a proverb from 's in Pinwheel Forest, and a line from both The and at N's Castle.
** Bronius quotes another line from Tao Te Ching at N's Castle.
** Giallo quotes another line from Mencius at N's Castle.
** In the Japanese version, Ryoku quotes a line from at N's Castle. In both versions, he also quotes a proverb by philosopher Hu Yin at N's Castle.
** Rood quotes another proverb from the Analects and made a reference to a Chinese idiom at N's Castle.
* In , the woman in Mistralton City who normally gives a Heart Scale in exchange for ten Sweet Hearts will trade a Heart Scale for only five Sweet Hearts on and .
* 's name is possibly derived from Cheops, the Greek name for Egyptian pharaoh .
===Other references to the real world===
* In all of the core series and some side series games, there is a Nintendo gaming console in the 's bedroom. This is a reference to the real-world gaming company that owns the franchise.
* In the Generation I games and their Generation III remakes, an old man at the Pewter Museum of Science states that the first moon landing occurred on July 20, 1969, the same date as the real world flight. In Generation VII, he instead merely states that it has been "decades" since the moon landing, but also talks about humankind's plans to set foot on a "faraway red planet" (implied to be ).
* and 's FireRed Pokédex entries mention both Pokémon being able to easily knock out an , an actual animal. However, in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Raichu's entry instead mentions .
* The event that takes place in includes real life pictures in the game.
* 's Sun, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Pokédex entries mentions it was created "20 years ago", referencing the release of Pocket Monsters Red and Green.
* Multiple references to the geographical relations between the real world locations the in-game regions are based on have been made throughout the games; for example, a on Galar Route 9 says people have between Kalos and Galar.
==In the side series games==
===Orre===
Orre is based on , , .https://web.archive.org/web/20031204082736/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0311/soft/interv01.html Many areas in Orre bear similarities to other locations in Arizona and northern Mexico as well, though it's not confirmed if these are intentional references.
Pokémon world 	Specific location	State	Notes
Phenac City 	 	 	Both cities were founded when a man brought water to the city and have similar names.
Pyrite Town 	// 	/ 	Likely inspired by local smuggling routes and former mining towns such as Aguila and Wickenburg, or Sonoyta, Sonora, commonly used to illegally cross the border.
Agate Village 	 	 	Agate Village is a mountainous, forested town, much like Flagstaff, which is located in the mountains north of Phoenix and has some prominent alpine forests due to its higher elevation.
Gateon Port 	/ 	/ 	Lake Havasu City and Gateon Port are towns located beside large bodies of water near Phoenix and Phenac, and are home to lighthouses and unusual bridges. Could also be based on San Felipe, Baja California, another coastal port town with square docks, which matches Gateon Port's location geographically, assuming Orre in Pokémon XD is equivalent to the area around the rotated 90 degrees clockwise (seen in the picture to the right).
Mt. Battle 	 	 	An area of dormant volcanoes in Arizona, located near Flagstaff. May be specifically based on , the highest peak of the range, or any of the nearby s in the area.
Outskirt Stand	 	 	A small town north of Phoenix that was once a popular stop along the railway from Phoenix to Prescott. The home of two of its first inhabitants still stands, as a historical site, that bear a passing resemblance to the rubble behind the traincar.
Citadark Isle 	/ 	 	Isla San Luis could be the primary inspiration for the design of the island, including the large volcanic center. Isla Ángel de la Guarda is home to unique species of snake and mouse, as well as a diverse range of other animal life, which may have inspired the amount of Shadow Pokémon encountered on the island.
==In the spin-off games==
===Pokémon Ranger series===
====Fiore====
Fiore appears to be based on and s, as well as in , in .
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	Specific location	Notes
Ringtown 	 	 	Both have a nearby river on the west, forests on the opposite side, and are close to the coast. Unlike Kurashiki, however, Ringtown doesn't have a port and the river doesn't traverse the settlement.
Summerland 	, , 	 	In-game, a tourist references how the S.S. Fiore ferries to Summerland. Similarly, there is a ferry route connecting Fukuda to Himeji. A resort in Summerland is also referenced, and present in Fukuda.
Fall City 	 	 	A port city lying east from Kurashiki. Similarly to Fall City, it has water streams running through.
Wintown 	 	 	
Fiore Temple 	 	 	The best known of the Japanese castles
Olive Jungle 	 	 	A popular tourist destination, this island saw the first successful olive cultivation in Japan, hence its nickname Olive Island.
Lyra Forest 	Forest areas neighboring 	 	
Sekra Range 	/ 	 	
Kisara Plain 	, possibly also other parks.	, 	
Kalakka Desert (Unused)	 	 	Vast desert dunes in the north of Kurashiki and Okayama that make up the only desert badland in Japan.
====Almia====
Almia appears to be based on and within the in and the very northern part of in Japan.
Pokémon world 	Specific location	Specific location 	Prefecture (subprefecture)	Prefecture (subprefecture)	Notes
Chicole Village 	 	 	（） 	() 	
Vientown 	 	 	（） 	() 	
Vien Forest 	 	 	（） 	() 	Mount Hakodate attracts tourists for its view of Hakodate. Similarly, the scenic point Lookout Ridge in Vien Forest gives a view of Vientown.
Pueltown 	 	 	（） 	() 	Hakodate and Pueltown are both port cities.
Altru Park 	 	 	（） 	() 	The Goryōkaku Tower overlooks Goryōkaku Park.
Altru BuildingAltru Tower	 	Goryōkaku Tower 	（） 	() 	The observation tower, which overlooks Goryōkaku Park, was rebuilt from 2004 to 2006.
Peril Cliffs 	 	 	（） 	() 	
Boyleland 	 	 	 	 	
Boyleland Volcano 	 	 	 	 	
Chroma Highlands 	 	 	（） 	() 	
Shiver Camp 	 	 	（） 	() 	Niseko is home to multiple ski resorts.
Oil Field Hideout 	 	 	 	 	The underwater Seikan Tunnel is a railway tunnel connecting Hokkaido Prefecture and Aomori Prefectures. The track level is about 100 m (330 ft) below the seabed.
Haruba Village 	 	 	 	 	The Port of Aomori operates ferries to .
Haruba Desert 	 	 	 	 	One of the few deserts in Japan, and the only in the north of the country. In real life, the zone is not an arid yellow sand desert like the games, instead it is a zone of sand dunes adjacent to a beach.
Hippowdon Temple 	 	 	 	 	An archaeological site and museum in Aomori Prefecture containing the ruins of a very large settlement. The presence of the Yellow Gem in Hippowdon Temple that protects may be a reference to the extensive jewelry and pottery treasures of the Jōmon people.
Almia Castle 	 	and other castles of the peninsula	 	 	Shinoridate is a destoryed fort near Hakodate. It is famous for the Shinori Hoard, a treasure of ninety-three golden coins from various parts of Asia (in reference to the treasure of the Almia castle). Another possible inspiration could be the , the only traditional Edo-period Japanese castle in Hokkaido, and the only in perfect condition, much like the Almia castle.
Capture Arena 	 	 	（） 	() 	The uninhabited island is also a nature preserve.
====Oblivia====
Oblivia may be based on the in .
Pokémon world 	Specific location	Specific location	Prefecture	Prefecture	Notes 	
Dolce Island 	Kamijima Island 	神島 	 	 	 	
Renbow Island 	 	 	 	 	 	
Cocona Village 	 	 	 	 	 	
Mitonga Island 	 	 	 	 	 	
Faldera Island 	Matsushima Island	松島 	 	 	 	
Sophian Island 	 	 	 	 	It is the largest island of the Oki archipelago and the one that contains the capital of the islands.	
Aqua Resort 	 	 	 	 	Both are the largest and most populated cities of their islands. Both are port cities. 	
Mt. Sorbet 	Mt. Daimanji 	 	 	 	Both are the tallest mountains in the islands. 	
Tilikule Island	 	 	 	 	 	
===New Pokémon Snap===
====Lental====
Lental may be based on the in . The Galápagos Islands have a notable variety of and have been historically important to ecological research, due to the different island's distinct environment and wildlife, most famously in the . Lental's islands seem to exaggerate this distinctiveness, presenting several very distinct environments in just a small selection of islands.
Pokémon world 	Specific location	Notes
Florio Island 	 	Name sounds evocatively similar, and its shape is not unlike the real island.
Belusylva Island 	 	A similar case of being reminiscent of the real island's shape and name.
Maricopia Islands	 	This bay has a preserved beach, notable for its abundance of aquatic life.
Voluca Island 	 	Similar to what appears in the map art for Voluca, this island contains two overlapping volcanoes.
Durice Island 	 	Contains the freshwater lake . It is made up of several extinct volcanoes.
Aurus Island 	 	One of the smaller islands, the most southerly, and is thought one of the oldest geographically.
===Pokkén Tournament===
====Ferrum====
Ferrum may be based on , the largest of the in , Japan. It seems to have had some of its islands brought closer into the mainland, and also submerged and merged parts of the geography. Alternatively, it may also be derived from as some of the landscape and architecture have similar features.
Pokémon world 	Specific location 	Notes
Old Ferrum Town	 	
Techne City 	 	
Tellur Town 	 	
Ferrum Stadium 	 	
Selen Island 	 	
Neos City 	 	
Haunted House 	Villaggio Minerario Asproni	An old mining village outside the city of , now an open-air museum.
Thalia Beach 	Cavoli Island 	
==In the TCG==
The TCG is home to a few specific regions, which are more loosely based than the game regions seem to be, opting instead to provide an overall impression of a real world region. Nonetheless, their motifs and inspirations still seem somewhat coherent to real world geography, and like the games, use artistic licence to produce art for the sets that provides an overall story to the visuals.
===Puzzle Continent===
The e-card sets, such as Aquapolis and Skyridge are constituted of four Japanese sets which included promotional material revealing the Puzzle Continent as their setting. Judging by the overall appearance and several other factors, such as geographical features and certain relics and motifs, the continent could be said to be an amalgamated , which has either been condensed and rearranged, or not represented to scale on the map. Much of the continent seems to be centered around the , as the map points north from what looks to be a small peninsula, potentially based on the . Material released on the topic does claim that the map is a work of imagination on the part of its creator. 
Pokémon world 	Specific location	Specific location	Notes
The Town on No Map (TCG) 	 	 	Aside from the coastline being similar for both, the clock tower and surrounding buildings, seen in some concept art as well as on many cards such as Growlithe (Aquapolis 80) and both Umbreon (Aquapolis 41) and Umbreon (Aquapolis H29) resemble the clock tower in Buenos Aires. The red seen in that last card could also allude to the cities use of such buses, and the numerous canals could be a reference to , just outside the main city, or the waterfront area. The power plant, which seems to be relatively close to the town's port might be an allusion to the Dr. Carlos Givogri power plant, found likewise inside the . Furthermore, the lighthouse from the set somewhat resembles the one on top of The Yacht Club Argentino, in Puerto Madero, but might also be loosely based on .
Undersea Ruins (Aquapolis 138) 	 	 	The ruins are the only truly coastal ruins, and similarly to the location on the Puzzle Continent, situated on a peninsula, namely the , which is at the top end of the real world continent. Therefore, the strongest candidate for inspiration of a real place for these ruins is probably this site; however, due to the ancient Greek style of architecture and unmatching geographical location, it could also be a nod towards theories of being located near .
Giant Tree Flaaffy (Aquapolis 47) 	 	 	This park could be one of a number of possible inspirations. It is known for its enormous trees, one of which, known as Alerzal Milenario, is 57 metres (187 ft) tall, 2.2 metres (7.2 ft) in diameter, and 2,600 years old. The park is also close to the border of Chile, and the La union region, where other such massive specimens live such as El Gran Abuelo, which has an 11 m (36 ft) wide tree trunk.
Apricorn Forest (Aquapolis 118) 	 	 	This forest full of might be an allusion to the patagonian andean forests, based on its geography. These forests are very dominated by tree growth, and include many fruiting trees, particularly berries such as the , and many more.
Crop Circles Exeggcute (Aquapolis 77)	 	 	Whilst not strictly speaking a crop circle, the Incan ruins of Moray does closely resemble the shape shown on the cards. The concentric circles were used for farming purposes, as terraced crops would be irrigated and lower crops would be out of the sunlight. Alternatively, it could be based on found in after deforestation in the which are circular.
Geoglyph Ho-Oh (Skyridge 149) 	 	 	These geoglyphs are the most obvious reference to a real location, and indicate this area of the continent takes inspiration from . The particular reference to Ho-Oh and appearance of the is actually a very close match to a particular formation, known as 'The Condor'.
Split Earth Pineco (Skyridge 85) 	 	 	An enormous in Peru, this incredibly deep formation brings to mind a tremendous split in the earth. It is 43 miles long, and is up to 2000 m (6600 ft) deep at its deepest points. The massive crack in the earth featured in this set is located at the bottom and travels down a huge canyon, which might have been an expression of the vastness of this real world canyon.
Underground Lake (Skyridge 141) 	 	 	Underneath the great split, there is said to be an underground lake where fossil Pokémon still live. Not long before the set released, this cave, not too far from the Colca Canyon, was thought to be the world's deepest, at places reaching 638 m (2093 ft) deep. It contains an underground stream and many were found in its various tunnels.
Crater Village Meowth (Skyridge 78) 	 	 	A very convincing inspiration for the crater village in the set - based around an in an area close to the Nazca lines. Even the simple buildings with a white square appearance are reminiscent of the real village, and the around the real location mirrors that crater of the set's village.
Stone Circle Kadabra (Skyridge 69) 	 	 	One of the few stone circles found in South America, these jagged rocks in a circle match well with the rectangular shaped on the card art. This shape was significant in determining their pre- origins, as the people used rectangular edges whilst Inca tended not to. The stone circles were actually the foundations of a tower-like tomb called a .
Cave Art Ditto (Skyridge 51) 	 	 	These small caves resemble quite closely the art on the card art, even down to the caves in the card art showing the cave paintings close by the entrance; the real life caves are only around 5 m (16 ft) deep.
Geysers Machoke (Skyridge 38) 	 	 	This area is an active volcanic area, that features many geyser-like and several boiling , which experienced an eruption in 2012 (long after the set was released). In particular, a landscape that looks particularly similar to this one appears in the card Staryu (Skyridge 103). These geysers might instead be based on , which are more correctly actual , but this doesn't relate much to their apparent geographical location on the map.
Caldera Lake Diglett (Skyridge 50) 	 	 	A similar landscape to the card art, this lake is the result of the nearby volcanic activity from nearby and , similarly to which the set's promotional material claims the water landscapes from this set are all derived from volcanic activity.
Waterfall Magikarp (Skyridge 75) 	 	 	This waterfall is part of a rapid river, claimed by promotional material to be volcanic in origin. If so, then this waterfall and rapids may be a depiction of the Petrohué river and waterfall. The river originates from the Todos los Santos Lake - and both are volcanic in nature, and this may match up to how the caldera lake might flow into the waterfall in the card art. The river contains , a volcanic rock, and like the river in the card art, has a fast flow - torrents can become quite dangerous in the rainy season.
Mysterious Mountain 	 	 	Three striking peaks jut out, known as Torres d'Agostini, Torres Central and Torres Monzino. These closely resemble the mountains used in the set - though the set is not always consistent in how they are depicted. The promotional art tends to emphasise the spire-like formation that seems to match the Torres del Paine. In addition, the several lakes, shown on the map below the peaks, is probably a reference to the similarly located lakes in the park, such as , , , and . These lakes are glacial, some with small floating in them - which further matches the promotional art.
Ancient Ruins (Skyridge 119) 	 	 	The temple shown in the art for Moltres (Skyridge H20) has a stone dial shaped layout that is remincient of the , a sacred stone that may have been by the as an clock, calendar or . An enigmatic site, it is associated with the Incan god of the sun, which may be the inspiration for the veneration the temple has for the legendary birds.
Mystery Zone (Skyridge 137) 	 	 	The 'Finca 6' site hosts these mysterious and has a layout closely matching the art for this card - even the sunken spheres are present. The spheres themselves, Miracle Sphere α (Skyridge 129), Miracle Sphere β (Skyridge 130) and Miracle Sphere γ (Skyridge 131) have their Japanese attack text reference Moltres, Articuno and Zapdos respectively, further pointing to these Pokémon's significance in this region.
===Holon===
The Delta Species based sets surrounding areas might be based in , perhaps specifically the , as some of the motifs, backgrounds and aesthetics seem to indicate this as an inspiration. Whilst certain regions can be seen as likely allusions to real places, trying to identify specific locations is less clear cut. 
 
Pokémon world 	Specific location	Specific location	Notes
Holon 	 	 	Similar geography; mountains surrounding a deep lake, and the card Latias δ (EX Holon Phantoms 11) even seems to show a fairly close match for the lake's shoreline and general appearance. The real lake inspires myths and legends that include a submerged advanced ancient civilisation and a great serpent beneath the depths, which might go some way to explain the Holon research tower and Gyarados ☆ δ (EX Holon Phantoms 102).
Crystal Guardians	 	 	Might be based on the general region of the island , the Philippine's biggest habitat of , which are featured in cards such as Gulpin (EX Crystal Guardians 33) along with sandy beaches with lush forested islets such as those found on Crystal Beach (EX Crystal Guardians 75).
Dragon Frontiers 	 	 	With its sky island seen on cards such as Typhlosion δ (EX Dragon Frontiers 12), may be inspired by the effect the has on in the mountainous region of , making the peak appear to be floating above the sky. The desert scenery in the set featured on cards such as Mareep δ (EX Dragon Frontiers 54) might be evocative of the desert areas of , found in the region of , meaning Dragon Frontiers could be located generally on the island of .
===Real-world locations mentioned===
* In the TCG Secret Mission (Gym Heroes 118) card, the map in the background shows German occupied Poland during World War II: Warsaw is located right above Raichu's right ear, Białystok and Brest-Litowsk behind Lt. Surge, and the Silesian Border between Andreashütte and Festenberg right below Raichu's binoculars. The rivers Weichsel, Narew and Bug are also depicted.
* In the TCG Lucky Stadium (Neo Destiny 100) card, there is a promotional print with a and a flying on a in New York City, with the visible in the background.
==In animation==
===Landscapes===
While the above locations are meant to correspond to the different regions around the real-life world, great liberties were taken with the design of their landscapes. Some of the designers have admitted to drawing inspiration from real-world locations outside their stated real-world counterparts, especially with locations depicted in Pokémon movies.
Pokémon world	Pokémon world 	Inspiration 	Inspiration	Notes
 	Porta Vista 	 	, 	
 	Neon Town 	 	, 	
 	Hollywood 	, 	, 	
 	Pummelo Island 	 	, 	Both are resort towns in an island, the houses of Pummelo had the same English architecture of Oban. The Pummelo Stadium is modeled after the , a folly colosseum in a hill of the city.
 	Big Town 	 	, 	
 	Whitestone 	 	, 	The white façade of Whitestone's buildings is reminiscent of the medieval town of Ostuni. Domed buildings in the background draw inspiration from Byzantine architecture, and flat-roofed structures mirror those of the city's real-world counterpart.
 	Devon Corporation 	 	, 	In the animated series, the Devon Corporation largely resembles the Toronto City Hall, the seats of the Toronto Municipal Government.
 	Sootopolis City 	 	 	Like its name suggests, Sootopolis City was created in the wake of a volcanic eruption (per ). Similarly, Santorini, Greece, was formed as a result of the , which left a large that filled with water and became the current bay in the center of the island of Santorini (Thera). Both cities boast landscapes dotted with vivid blue domed roofs.
 	Solaceon Ruins 	 	, 	
 	Area 28 	 	, 	
 	Odyssey Village 	 	, 	
 	Kalos Canyon 	 	, 	
 	Fleurrh City showcase theater	and the Pompidou 	, 	The modernist and undulating design of the theater could be based on that of the , which also operates as a theater and show room.
 	Anistar Gym 	Fusion between the and the	, 	
 	Gloire City 	 	, 	A coastal city located on Lake Annecy, famous for its medieval perched above on a 660-foot-tall rock.
 	Eclipse Castle 	 	, 	
 	Mega Island 	and 	, 	The first island is located on the outskirts of Saint-Malo but not as far out to sea as in the animated series, Petit Bé houses a fort from the year 1667, which may inspire the structures of the Mega Island.
 	Steelbound Town 	 	, 	Like Steelbound Town, which is an industrial town that sells industrial and contruction products, industrial plants in Hamilton also produce parts like for automotive, construction, infrastructure, agriculture, appliance, manufacturing, and pipe and tube industries. The name "Steelbound Town" also closely derives from Hamilton's nickname .
====In the movies====
Movie	Pokémon world	Pokémon world 	Inspiration 	Inspiration	Notes
M05 	 	Alto Mare 	 	 	Venice's canals were likely an inspiration for the canals of Alto Mare.
M06 	 	Forina 	 	, 	Wulingyuan is famed for its formation of quartzite sandstone pillars. Along with its ravines and gorges, the site also features a lush forest, several caves, natural bridges, and waterfalls.
M07 	 	LaRousse City 	 	, 	Vancouver is the city with the best quality of life in Canada and like the movie, it is a very ecological city with many scientific facilities.
M08 	 	Cameran Palace 	 	, 	
M09 	 	Samiya 	and 	, 	The design of the exterior of Samiya also closely resembles the Colosseum in Rome, one of Italy's most famous ancient landmarks.
M10 	 	Alamos Town 	 	, 	The Space-Time Towers are based on the uncompleted church of .
M11 	 	Ten'i Village 	 	, 	A village that was nearly destroyed by a . It is based on a town in Norway, which is threatened by the possibility of the mountain Åkerneset eroding into the , causing a .
M12 	 	Michina Town 	 	, 	Its landscape, which is filled with towering rock formations, resembles Meteora. Also, the architecture of the temples resembles that of ancient Greek temples.
M13 	 	Crown City 	 	 	Its modern buildings are based on the many new buildings in parts of Amsterdam, and the Pokémon Baccer stadium is based on the , the city's local football stadium.
M14 	 	Eindoak Town 	, and 	 	
M15 	 	Roshan City 	, , and Tennouzu Isle	, 	The Roshan tower is inspired by the .
M16 	 	New Tork City 	 	, 	A giant sprawling city with many skyscrapers, a large park in the middle of the city resembling , and a similar name. New Tork City as seen from above also resembles New York City's shape.
M17 	 	Avignon Town 	 	, 	The castle of Avignon Town, however, is based on the , a large hotel that overlooks much like Avignon Town's castle overlooks the town. The name "Avignon Town" however, comes from the the French commune in the real world.
M17 	 	Orsay City 	 	, 	A city in southern Ontario famous for its port and city skylines. Like Toronto, Orsay City has a large port as well. The large mall in the city is based on the Toronto Eaton Centre, a large mall in the center of city.
M17 	 	Diamond Domain 	 	, 	Colossal cave of several white crystals of Selenite in , and many of them are the largest in the whole world.
M17 	 	Allearth Forest	 	and 	Like several elements of the movie based in Canada, the design of the waterfalls is quite similar to the Niagara Falls which are recognizable as vertical falls and two large walls of water.
M18 	 	Dahara City 	and 	 	Dubai is located within the and houses some of the world's tallest skyscrapers. The highest skyscraper is based on the .
M19 	 	Azoth Kingdom 	 	, 	Occitanie is an ancient city famous for being the meeting point between the Mediterranean and the towns of the Massif Central (the inspiration for the Nebel Plateau). It is also recognizable by its enormous walls of the citadel.
M19 	 	Nebel Plateau 	and 	 	This area is similar to the Auvergne volcanoes in the , which is a highland region containing large mountain ranges and vast plateaus full of greenery and rich biodiversity.
M21 	 	Fula City 	and 	, 	
===Real-world locations mentioned===
* In School of Hard Knocks, fantasizes about and the .
* In The Ninja Poké-Showdown, James says that the Fuchsia Gym looks like a restaurant.
* In the English dub of The March of the Exeggutor Squad, Melvin says he wanted to make it to . In the Japanese version, he said that he wanted to make it to .
* In The Evolution Solution, Meowth says, "Keep digging till you hit China!" to Jessie and James, who were digging for clam shells.
* In the -inspired episode Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?, Misty described the town as like being in "merry old ".
* In Mewtwo Strikes Back, Team Rocket are disguised as . In the English dub, Brock says that he didn't know that Vikings still existed and replies that they "mostly live in ". This is a reference to the Minnesota Vikings, a football team in the area.
:*In the of the movie, Ash says that they come from , a reference to the Norse Vikings who lived from the 8th to the 11th century.
:* In the of the movie, Ash tells Brock that the Vikings are mostly on trips in , again referring to the Norse Vikings, but may also refer to , a Swedish .
:* In the of the movie, Ash quips that Vikings still live in the archipelago, referring to the fact that Sipoo was at the time mostly inhabited by Swedish-speaking Finns (another reference to Norse Vikings).
* At the end of Mewtwo Returns, Mewtwo is shown overlooking a "faraway city" that greatly resembles New York City. Buildings similar to the and the are visible in the distance.
* In Pokémon Heroes: Latios & Latias, Misty makes a direct reference to the Earth, saying, "The Earth is so pretty." However, she may be referring to the landscape rather than the literal planet.
* In Can't Beat the Heat, 's uses . Normally, a cloudy globe can be seen, but this time the Pacific Ocean and are prominent. This also happens in Volcanic Panic and the introduction to Mewtwo Strikes Back.
* In the English dub of The Scheme Team, Jessie talks about Antarctica, the place where their next assignment is located.
* In Pasta La Vista!, an ad in 's food guidebook mentions "Chinese noodles".
* A map of the Pokémon world seen in The Bloom Is On Axew! centered on Unova features several landmasses resembling Europe and Scandinavia, with some of them either being rotated or flipped.
* In the dub of Oshawott's Lost Scalchop!, while Ash's Oshawott was perfecting , states "" (lit. Jānā thā Japan, par pahunch gaye China), which refers to the real-world countries of and . The phrase itself can be interpreted roughly as "The aim and the result were different".
* In Movie Time! Zorua in "The Legend of the Pokémon Knight"!, the Eiffel Tower and the were seen on a movie poster.
* In the Hindi dub of Mega Revelations! , says "" (lit. Ham sab jānte hain, Kashmīr se Kanyākumāri tak). This is a common Indian saying, roughly translating to "Our knowledge is supreme", which refers to the Indian subcontinent's northernmost region, , and its southernmost city, .
* Starting with the sixteenth movie, each Pokémon movie features a recurring globe texture in the intro used to represent the Pokémon world (as opposed to simply featuring randomly-shaped, nondescript landmasses below the clouds): the globe texture features altered landmasses such as one resembling Africa but featuring only the Sahara Desert and the southern half being missing, a large island to the northwest of the Sahara-like landmass, the Arabian Peninsula missing several large chunks, a landmass resembling Australia but rotated 90 degrees clockwise in the middle of a body of water resembling the Indian Ocean, and the northeastern portion of Russia being missing. However, other parts of the globe remain virtually unchanged, like those resembling most of Europe, the Indian subcontinent, Central and Southeast Asia, and Papua New Guinea.
* In Mega Evolution Special IV, a holographic globe can be seen inside Lysandre Labs. The globe features continents similar to the real Earth, implying that the planet's continents may probably look very similar to that of the real Earth, and that all of the known regions in the Pokémon world may actually in fact be smaller parts of a much larger landmass.
* In the planetarium special Celestial Debris, a map of the Pokémon world can be seen on a computer monitor. The map texture looks very similar to the one used to represent the planet in later Pokémon films, with three landmasses resembling North America, Europe, and eastern Russia all appearing upside down.
===Real-world people and cultures mentioned===
* In Pokémon Shipwreck, Brock directly refers to the tale of who sent a to find dry land after a , according to most Abrahamic religions.
* The Japanese version of the song Team Rocket Forever includes the lines 「ムサシ!/コジロウ!/関門海峡/門司/下関」"Musashi!/Kojirō!/Kanmon Straits.../Moji.../Shimonoseki...", referencing the famous duel that and (the name basis for Jessie and James's Japanese names, Musashi and Kojirō) fought on an island in the , which is located between and .
* The Japanese holiday (means Doll Festival, but sometimes referred to as Girls' Day) is featured in Princess vs. Princess (dubbed as the Princess Festival).
* The Japanese holiday (Kodomo no Hi) is featured in The Purr-fect Hero (dubbed as Kids Day).
* Christmas is mentioned several times in the animated series and manga. Santa Claus is a recurring character in who first appeared in Holiday Hi-Jynx. In the dub, Santa's home is called the North Pole.
* In The Art of Pokémon, James mentions the presence of and 's paintings at his home.
* In Celebi: The Voice of the Forest, Meowth asks if they saw the Iron-Masked Marauder in a movie.
* In A Bite to Remember, Jessie says that created the . Max corrects her, saying that was the creator.
===Other references to the real world===
* In Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief!, a painting within the resort created by bears a striking resemblance to by .
* One of the hotels Ash and his group tried to stay at and ultimately failed to do so in the episode Riddle Me This! featured a painting of a tiger near grass, mirroring a similar painting found at .
* The nameless movie May describes in Lights, Camerupt, Action! is a reference to the movie .
* In 's flashback in Yes In Dee Dee, It's Dawn, a teacher tells her students a tale about and , which is similar to "".
* In I Choose You!, Ash dreams about being in an alternate reality where no Pokémon exist and children attend regular school.
==In the manga==
===Pokémon Adventures===
========
In A Charizard...and a Champion, a reference to Greek people was added in the English versions by Chuang Yi and VIZ, where says this: "As the Greek said, 'give me a long enough lever... and I can move the Earth'!" This quote is not present in the Japanese version.
==In the guidebooks==
===The Official Pokémon Handbook===
In The Official Pokémon Handbook: Deluxe Edition, 's entry claims that "it lives in the freezing-cold ".
==References==
*
es:Mundo Pokémon (ambientación)
it:Mondo dei Pokémon in relazione al mondo reale
ja:ゲーム内の地名のモデル一覧
zh:寶可夢世界與現實世界相關之處