Johto Region Descriptions

New Bark Town
New Bark Town is located on the southern-east coast of the Johto region. While the town does sit between the two regions, outside of the Indigo Plateau, it doesn't see much in the way of tourism. It's one of the smallest towns in the region and for all intents and purposes has been treated as more of a farming town than anything else. Hoping to attract more popularity, similarly to Pallet Town, the town graciously invited a famous Pokémon researcher named Professor Elm to take residence. Unfortunately, the 'esteemed' professor seems more interested in delivering long and boring speeches than making exciting discoveries. Elm still has his uses, however - he distributes the starting Pokémon for the part of the region from his laboratory.

Route 29 leads west from New Bark Town, out to the rest of Johto. It's a fairly short route, a grassy little path leading to Cherrygrove City, filled with common types of Pokémon like Pidgey, Hoothoot, and Sentret. It junctions with route 46 about halfways through, although that road isn't truly accessible to those coming in from the south, being filled with ledges.

New Bark also joins with route 27 to the east, leading into the Tohjo Falls and route 26, the connecting point between the Kanto and Johto regions and the destination of those seeking to join the Indigo League. Only trainers who can traverse waterfalls, however, can travel that way.

Gym: None
Routes: 29 (West) ==> 46 (North), 27 (East - Kanto Route) ==> Tohjo Falls ==> 26 (and the rest of Kanto)

Cherrygrove City
Much like New Bark Town, Cherrygrove City doesn't have much in the way of anything - how it ever got to have city status bestowed upon it is a mystery. The city relies heavily on its tourism and the steady stream of Pokémon trainers that pass through it on the way to Kanto.

Restaurants, hotels and an army of gift shops line the main streets, eager to claim tourist money. Cherrygrove City is also known to be the birthplace of several writers and artists. Their residences are usually subject to being part of a city tour, which occurs daily to those interested. There's also a fishing hole for aspiring anglers to test their skills in.

To the north of Cherrygrove lies route 30, a grassy and tree-lined road that leads to route 31 and Violet City. Insect Pokémon can regularly be found in the area, among others.

Gym: None
Routes: 29 (East), 30 (North) ==> 31

Violet City
Located in the central Johto area, Violet City is the second biggest city in the region. It is home to the Violet City Gym, whose leader, Falkner, specializes in Flying-types. The Sprout Tower, a large flexible pagoda in the north area in the city, is home to a group of monks who train Bellsprout and teach the coexistance of beings through co-operation. Legend states that a 100-foot tall Bellsprout was used to create the pillar. The city is also known for its Pokémon Academy, a place to teach children and new Pokémon owners the proper ways to raise Pokémon.

Route 31 leads into the city from route 30; it is an extremely short path with little to write home about, but for having an entrance point to the Dark Cave, where trainers with properly prepared Pokémon can travel southward to reach route 46.

Route 32 is an extremely long route leading south from Violet City. Those interested in spleunking can explore the Ruins of Alph from here, a mysterious place said to be home to the enigmatic Unown. Alternatively, continuing south on route 32 will eventually lead travellers to the Union Cave, which must be passed through to continue to route 33.

Heading west from Violet will lead trainers to route 36, a crossroads located in central Johto. Unfortunately, a good deal of the time, Sudowoodo tend to block the roads and make travel impossible. Were the road unblocked, it would lead to the National Park, route 35 travelling to Goldenrod City, and route 37 leading to Ecruteak City.

Gym: Violet Gym
Routes: 31 (East), 32 (South) ==> Ruins of Alph/Union Cave, 36 (West) ==> National Park/35/37/Ruins of Alph

Azalea Town
Azalea Town is a rather isolated town located on the southern peninsula of Johto, sitting between Union Cave in the east and the mysterious Ilex Forest to the west. While they are quite secluded from the rest of the region, the townspeople of Azalea town are very welcoming to travellers. The atmosphere frequently switches between a calm, rural locale to that of a festive town. Festivals in Azalea are usually there to praise the town's local Pokémon savior - Slowpoke! A well has even been dedicated for Slowpoke to reside in, but lately the number of Slowpoke have been diminishing. It is said that the Slowpoke ended a drought in the town centuries prior with its yawn.

An aging PokéBall smith named Kurt also lives in Azalea Town and is on occasion willing to make custom PokéBalls out of Apricorns. As new technology surpasses the old, however, the olden-style balls have fallen out of favour, and Kurt rarely sees customers these days.

From the Union Cave, travellers need only pass a short distance through route 33 to arrive at the town. West from Azalea lies the Ilex Forest. It is a dark place, even during the bright of day - the trees grow so densely that the block out the light of the sun. Bug Pokémon flourish in the forest, as with most treed places the world over. A small shrine to a mystical Pokémon is also built in the forest. Travelling through the woods eventually leads to route 34, heading towards Goldenrod City.

Gym: Azalea Gym
Routes: 33 (East), Ilex Forest (West)

Goldenrod City
The biggest city in the four regions and the capital of Johto, Goldenrod spans a good portion of the western coast of Johto, being the region's major source of economy and telecommunications. Unfortunately because of its size, many tourists and trainers can quickly get lost in the winding maze of streets. To help ease the glut of lost travellers, underground paths have been set up to lead people to their destinations.

There are many notable landmarks and famous locations within Goldenrod City. The most notable is the National Park in the suburban district to the north, where trainers can relax with their Pokémon or partake in thrice-weekly bug-catching competitions. The city is also well known for the train station that links the Johto region with Kanto's Saffron City. Goldenrod City has a league gym in addition to a department store dedicated to serving the needs of Pokémon trainers and breeders. It should also be known that Goldenrod was the home of Bill, the man who developed the PC storage system. The Johto radio tower is also located in central Goldenrod, broadcasting multiple radio programs daily. Anyone seeking some quick cash can visit the Game Corner located in the southern district, which offers prizes for those blessed by lady luck. The Johto branch of Cerulean's bike shop is also located here in Goldenrod.

After passing through Ilex Forest, travellers can continue to the north on route 34 to reach Goldenrod City. It is a grassy route bordered by the ocean, and is most notable for the presence of an old couple running a daycare facility for Pokémon - it is said that the modern practice of breeding captured Pokémon began there. Heading north from the city will place travellers on route 35, a short road leading to the National Park. From the park, going eastwards will lead back to route 36, ending the large circular path through the mainland of Johto.

Gym: Goldenrod Gym
Routes: 34 (South), 35 (North)

Ecruteak City
Tucked away in the forested northern parts of Johto, Ecruteak City gives off a bit of a gloomy aura. Its spooky architecture is very similar to that of traditional Japanese buildings. Local attractions continue to give the city a bit of a haunted feel, including the Burned Tower - once known as the Brass Tower - and the Tin Tower.

These two towers form the basis of much of Johto's mythic Pokémon legends; long ago, the towers were built to foster friendship between people and Pokémon. Ho-oh was said to inhabit the Tin Tower, while Lugia roosted on the Brass Tower, and the three mythical beasts spent their time between the two. Alas, the Brass Tower was struck by lightning, and burned to the ground in a fire that raged for days. While the legendary birds took wing, the beasts perished in the blaze. Once the flames had died down, Ho-oh returned and resurrected them before vanishing once again, leaving them to guard the ruins of the tower. Lugia never returned to its former home, instead disappearing towards the Whirl Islands. Aside from the more serious attractions, Ecruteak is also home to a 'Kimono Dance Theatre', where pretty young girls dance for tourists and occasionally host battle tournaments.

The route leading in to southern Ecruteak from the circle-route of Johto is route 37; it's an extremely short grass path and is no trouble at all to travel. Route 38 travels west to adjoin with route 39 on the way to Olivine City. There are a few ways of travelling its paths, depending on how much grass one wants to walk through.

If travellers instead head to the east from Ecruteak, they will encounter route 42. This route has a few rather large streams crossing it, and only those who can surf their way through the water will be able to continue towards Mahogany Town. Route 42 is also the entrance point to Mt. Mortar, a series of caves located within the mountainous region.

Gym: Ecruteak Gym
Routes: 37 (South), 38 (West), 42 (East) ==> Mt Mortar

Olivine City
A port city in western Johto, Olivine links the goods trade between the region and Kanto with the assistance of its fleet of ships. There is even a ferry that operates out of the port, the S.S. Aqua, which sails daily between Olivine and Vermillion City. The most prominent feature of the city is its lighthouse, known as the Sparkling Lighthouse, which guides the ships away from harm in the sometimes foggy environs. The lighthouse is lit by an Ampharos that goes by the name of Amphy - it is said that the Olivine gym leader, Jasmine, takes care of the industrious Pokémon.

From route 38, travellers must continue through route 39 to enter Olivine City. It's a fairly short, grass-lined route, leading southwards into the city. A dairy farm, the MooMoo Farm, is located on this route, where prizewinning Miltank milk can be bought.

East and south from Olivine lies route 40, one of the two water routes present in Johto. It is a fairly straightgoing route, and is usually not bothered much by waves or bad weather; still, a surfing Pokémon is needed to pass through it - unless one has a boat - as no ferry exists between Olivine and Cianwood.

Gym: Olivine Gym
Routes: 39 (North), 40 (West/South)

Cianwood City
Cianwood City doesn't really have a lot going for it. A port city on a mountainous island to the southwest of the Johto region, Cianwood relies heavily on trade with Olivine for supplies - although it appears to be on the tip of a larger landmass, it is cut off from the rest of Johto. Fishing is a major economic activity of the city, and the local pharmacy is known for producing rare cures for both Pokémon and people. Aside from that, Cianwood doesn't get much in the way of travellers. Sailors and fisherman of the city, however will tell you tales of the mysterious Lugia that is said to live in the nearby Whirl Islands.

The only route connecting Cianwood to the rest of the region is route 41, a water route that passes between the Whirl Islands, so named for the whirlpools that surround them; travellers take caution. There are four main islands, with smaller ones scattered about - however, the raging whirlpools prevent most people from ever approaching them.

Gym: Cianwood Gym
Routes: 41 (East)

Mahogany Town
A very small town, Mahagony is generally only visited by outsiders because of their gym. Alas, the cold attitude of the leader makes such visits very brief. The town's only other significance is the that it used to be the home of ninja in days long ago. Recently, however, there has been a significant amount of people moving into the town. Some have been friendly, but most give very little detail about what they do or why they moved. Some townsfolk think the new residents are interested in studying Lake Rage to the north, but the new residents quickly deny such theories.

Besides the mountainous route 42 to the west, Mahogany is connected by two other routes to Johto. The first, route 43, heads to the north towards the Lake of Rage. It is a short, forested route with a toll road on it - if travellers do not wish to pay the P1000 fee, however, they can hike through the grass.

The Lake of Rage itself is a rather deep one, surrounded by forest on all sides. It is said that the lake was created when a group of Gyarados stirred up a storm - and a shining red Gyarados is said to live there still.

To the east of Mahogany stretches route 44, a fairly straight grassy area that leads on in to the Ice Path. The Path itself is just as its name declares, an icy cave. Unfortunately, it is filled with pitfalls and blocked off by stalagmites of ice - but it is the only way to reach Blackthorn City from the western parts of Johto.

Gym: Mahagony Gym
Routes: 42 (West), 43 (North) ==> Lake of Rage, 44 (East) ==> Ice Path

Blackthorn City
More like a mountain retreat than a city, Blackthorn City originally did not contain much to attract Pokémon trainers. A clan of masters of dragon-type Pokémon, however, made their homes in the mountain city, and built the Dragon's Den, a shrine to their charges, in an underground lake cavern that stretched beneath the city. The city nowadays sees many more visitors, as the rising popularity of its dragon masters, including the Indigo Elite Four member Lance, has attracted much attention. Capturing dragon Pokémon in the Den is now very limited instead of being banned (as it once was), and permission is usually given as a gift from the gym leader after defeating her.

The only way in to the city is through the Ice Path to the north, but there is one other route that leads out - route 45, to the south, is a road that can only be travelled downwards, as it is full of steep ledges that are almost impossible to climb. The path eventually joins up with route 46, heading back towards New Bark Town and Cherrygrove City.

Gym: Blackthorn Gym
Routes: Ice Path (North), 45 (South) ==> 46

Indigo Plateau
As most know, the Kanto and Johto regions share a single league, the Indigo League. The Indigo Plateau is reachable from Johto by travelling through New Bark Town and traversing the Tohjo Falls. You can see Kanto's Indigo Plateau entry for more information.

Mt. Silver/Silver Town
The most formidable area in the Kanto/Johto regions, the mountain cavern of Mt Silver is only open to those Pokémon trainers who can show their expertise - by gathering all 16 badges of the two regions. Rare and powerful Pokémon are known to live in the area, and high-ranked trainers often come there to train.

There is, however, a small town that rests outside on the foot of the mountain, known as Silver Town. This place is the home of the Silver Conference of the Pokémon League, held in the summer months. Aside from the bustle that comes with the Conference, Silver Town is mostly a sleepy little burg, only serving as the entrance to the challenges that lie in Mt. Silver.
Both the mountain and the town, while they lie in Johto, can only be reached from route 28 in Kanto, west of the Indigo Plateau and Victory Road.