This Tokyo Bar Wants Pokémon GO Players To Be Friends

The smartphone game Pokémon Go has certainly taken the whole world by storm. Since its release, millions of players across the globe are trying to be “the very best.” Interestingly, the game has given birth to a deluge of die-hard fans in Japan. And you might be surprised by the fact that these Japanese players are mostly upper-middle-aged men and women.

However, the "friend" mechanic has been an issue for this crowd. For the older folks, it is really hard to undo years of social conditioning. These are individuals who learned that approaching strangers on the street is not appropriate, let alone discuss a narrative that includes imaginary creatures. That is why their overall gameplay experience is compromised.

But there is hope – and this is thanks to a bar in Tokyo called P-GO Izakaya Genkinokakera. Basically, this bar is where Pokémon Go trainers can congregate over drinks, as well as enjoy the game's battles, trades, and gifts to their hearts’ content.

The bar is reportedly located near Edogawabashi Station. It opened in April with the goal of catering to massive numbers of older Pokémon Go players. Of course, the establishment does not limit itself to older trainers – younger ones are also welcome to join the community. One of its signs outside says, “We love Pokémon Go! We love Japanese sake/alcohol!”

The bar does not really have many Pokémon-themed decorations, although there are some stuffed toys lying around. But if you are a huge Pokémon Go fan, you will certainly fall in love with its atmosphere. For instance, every night, the bar has a trainer battle tournament among its customers.

P-GO Izakaya Genkinokakera offers a good Wi-Fi connection, so players will not have to worry about their mobile device’s connection. Even more so, it is located near a PokéStop and a gym. In other words, there is no need for you to leave your table just to get things started.