New projection-mapped light show based on Pokémon TCG to debut in Tokyo on March 20th

One of many celebrations for the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise, a light show will be projected on the side of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1, based on the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The light show will be debuting on March 20th of this year, with a special celebration featuring Pikachu as a guest for the first showing. This event is free for the public and is scheduled to continue throughout the year.

“Pokémon Trading Card Game Tokyo Luminous Night,” as the show is titled, is hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in an effort to encourage nighttime tourism and “brighten up Tokyo's nightlife.” The show will feature sound and video projected onto the 3-D surface of the building, to celebrate “the Pokémon [Trading] Card Game, beloved across languages, generations, and regions, as a visual experience on an overwhelming scale.” The projection will take place on the east wall of the building and visitors can gather to watch at the Tokyo Metropolitan Plaza, with no reservation required.

The debut screening on March 20th will feature Pikachu and other unannounced Pokémon as guests, plus unannounced guest speaker(s) and a countdown. The debut will begin at 6:15 PM local time, rain or shine, and then screenings throughout March will occur on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays at 6:30 PM, 7:30 PM, and 9 PM local time. More screenings, and Pokémon Trading Card Game Tokyo Luminous Night times for April, when they are announced, can be found here.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has been hosting similar projection mapping displays for several years, and in 2024 won the Guinness World Record for “largest permanent projection mapping exhibition on a building.” Planning and supervision for Pokémon Trading Card Game Tokyo Luminous Night was done by Japanese media artist Synichi Yamamoto.