Take Off with Pikachu: Japan’s Character-Themed Airports

Japan has 97 airports in total, and some have adopted famous characters as their official nicknames, as listed below.

Noto Satoyama Pokémon with You Airport (Wajima, Ishikawa)

From July 7, 2026 through September 30, 2029, this airport is sporting a new name. It is part of an initiative to support tourism, in collaboration with the Pokémon with You Foundation and Ishikawa Prefecture, and is aimed at cheering up children affected by the January 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake. Along with displays of 111 flying types of Pokémon at the entrance and various locations within the airport, monster characters will also appear around the prefecture during the event period, including as custom bus wraps.

Okayama Momotarō Airport (Okayama, Okayama)

The stained-glass window in the international departure lobby of Okayama Airport, featuring the renowned folktale hero Momotarō. (© Jiji)

Momotarō is a Japanese folktale about a boy born from a peach who goes on an adventure to defeat oni (ogres), accompanied by a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant. It is popularly believed that Momotarō is a local hero, hailing from Kibi in Okayama. In 2018, to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Okayama Airport’s opening, Momotarō’s name started being used to help promote tourism and the region’s specialty, peaches.

Tottori Sand Dunes Conan Airport (Tottori, Tottori)

Detective Conan artwork on display at Tottori Sand Dunes Conan Airport, Tottori. (© Kyōdō)

This airport was renamed on March 1, 2015, taking both the name of the famous regional tourist spot Tottori Sand Dunes and that of the main character from the popular manga series Detective Conan, created by Aoyama Gōshō, who comes from Hokuei in the prefecture. Illustrations and figures of the various characters in the series are displayed throughout the airport and a mystery-solving puzzle trail is regularly held on weekends and national holidays.

Yonago Kitarō Airport (Sakaiminato, Tottori)

Kitarō (center), appointed Airport Manager of Yonago Kitarō Airport for a day on September 28, 2013, poses for a commemorative photo with children (© Kyōdō)

In 2010, this airport was rebranded to include the name of the main character from the renowned yōkai manga series Gegege no Kitarō, as the artist Mizuki Shigeru came from the town of Sakaiminato. Tottori Prefecture states this is the first airport in the world to have been named after a yōkai.

Kōchi Ryōma Airport (Nankoku, Kōchi Prefecture)

Fans of Sakamoto Ryōma gather to celebrate the opening of the newly named Kōchi Ryōma Airport on November 15, 2003. (© Jiji)

The Ryōma in this airport’s name refers to Sakamoto Ryōma, a real-life samurai from the Tosa Domain (now Kōchi Prefecture) who was a prominent figure in the period leading up to the Meiji Restoration. The name change was made in 2003. While there are a number of overseas airports that bear the names of real people, including Charles de Gaulle Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, this is the only such airport in Japan.

Ōita Hello Kitty Airport (Kunisaki, Ōita)

Hello Kitty and Pompompurin are among the 22 popular Sanrio characters gathered for a special ceremony celebrating Sanrio Character Park Harmonyland’s thirty-fifth anniversary in Hiji, Ōita, on April 26, 2026. (© Jiji)

On April 13, 2025, to mark the thirty-fifth anniversary of Sanrio Character Park Harmonyland opening in the town of Hiji, this airport temporarily changed its name to Ōita Hello Kitty Airport. Visitors and passengers are greeted by illustrations of Sanrio characters in the arrival lobby, at the boarding gates, and in other areas, and can purchase original goods sold exclusively in the airport shops. While it was only originally meant to be so named during the Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, use of the name has now been extended through to the end of March 2027.

Data Sources

• Information on airports in Japan (Japanese) from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism
• Information on Okayama Momotarō Airport (Japanese) from Okayama Prefecture
• Information on Noto Satoyama Pokémon with You Airport (Japanese) from the Pokémon with You Foundation
• Information on Tottori Sand Dunes Conan Airport (Japanese) from Tottori Prefecture
• Information on Yonago Kitarō Airport (Japanese) from Tottori Prefecture
• Information on Kōchi Ryōma Airport (Japanese) from Kōchi Prefecture
• Information on Ōita Hello Kitty Airport (Japanese) from Sanrio Entertainment

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Nicknamed Noto Satoyama Pokémon with You Airport, the terminal interior features a whole range of Pokémon characters on July 7, 2026. © Jiji.)