Pokémon Turns 30 With a New Hotel Shaped Like a Giant Poké Ball

Pokémon is celebrating 30 years the biggest way possible: with a real-life hotel shaped like a giant Poké Ball, and 10 lucky pairs will get to stay in it.

Fans of Pokémon will be happy to learn that there’s a new hotel shaped like a giant poké ball in Tomakomai City, Hokkaido.

Coinciding with Pokemon’s 30th year, the popular media franchise teamed up with the Japanese hospitality brand NOT A HOTEL to bring to life this roughly 10-foot structure by the lake, with the promise of an immersive lodging experience.

Among the features of the unique hotel is a circular bed, air conditioning, a circular monitor displaying Pokémon imagery, and a large curved acrylic window overlooking the natural scenery.

The ball-shaped hotel also has bathroom tiles inspired by Snorlax, the Pokémon known to sleep and eat a lot. Guests can also control their room’s interior lighting through an in-room iPad, to match their favorite Pokémon.

The collaboration also marks the third anniversary of Pokémon Sleep, a mobile game that tracks users' sleep patterns and matches them with Pokémon who share similar sleep styles.

The hotel will not be accepting public reservations. Instead, there will be a social media lottery for 10 pairs who will get to stay for one night between October 8 and October 18, meals included.

Those who want to join the lottery must follow the official Pokémon Sleep account on X, download the Pokémon Sleep app, make a post related to the campaign, and complete an application form online. The lottery is open to fans in Japan, ages 18 and up, who have until September 30 to join.

The hotel is only one of several efforts to celebrate the milestone anniversary of Pokémon, including anniversary-edition trading cards which drew fans to stores, queueing for the rare cards.

In the U.K., fans camped outside stores overnight and one shop owner compared the scene to the Glastonbury Festival. Some rare cards have also resold online for “massively inflated” prices, according to a report by the BBC.