If you travel across Japan, searching far and wide, you can encounter hundreds of Pokémon-themed manhole covers. The now famous covers have been installed to promote regional tourism by attracting Poke-fans to local areas of Japan in search of their favorite characters.

Now it looks like the power of Pokémon is being used in a new way, with Japan’s very first Pokémon-themed postbox being revealed in Kagawa Prefecture.

But who’s that Pokémon decorating the top of the post box!?

Iiiiiiiit’s Slowpoke

Kagawa prefecture is already having a bumper year for Pokémon, having released a range of exciting goods based on the Prefectural Pokémon Ambassador, Slowpoke, in March.

Slowpoke was appointed as ambassador to the prefecture in 2018 due to the similarity in the sound of it’s Japanese name—Yadon—with Kagawa’s regional special cuisine, udon noodles. Since then it has been featured not only on manhole covers, but on a range of prefectural goods such as packaged curry or spices.

It comes as no surprise then that the Pokémon postbox being installed in Tagawa city is also Slowpoke themed!

The post box is easy to spot thanks to a stylish pink and white-themed design, and an adorable statue of the eponymous Slowpoke poking out of the top. The design on the side of the post box also features images Slowpoke and its evolutions like “Slowking” alongside images showing off Kagawa prefectures uniqueness, such as Udon noodles.

The post box is located in front Chuo Post Office in Takamatsu city, and was officially unveiled on March 23rd by representatives from the Kagawa Prefecture PR team, including Slowpoke itself, and from the Pokémon Company.

The post box is fully functioning and awaiting the letters of fans of the Pokémon franchise.

Pokémon post van and Slowpoke mail stamp

Despite their ambassador’s slovenly nature, there’s nothing slow about Takamatsu city’s Pokémon post. Especially now that Takamatsu city post office has also added a new mail delivery truck to its fleet featuring special Slowpoke mail designs. The truck can be seen collecting and delivering letters around the Takemtasu city area.

For a limited time, until December 31st 2021, any fans that do visit the Takamastu city Chuo post office can find a special Slowpoke mail stamp in the lobby. The stamp can be used to stamp letters, though it is only for decoration and not a date stamp, or in a notebook to commemorate your visit.

The Slowpoke mail services in Kagawa prefecture are awesome and hopefully the beginning of an increasing trend of Poké-fication of the mail service in Japan.


By - Toby M.