Pokemon Go: Where might you catch 'em all in Japan?

There are rumours the game will launch there soon, alongside a sponsorship deal with McDonald's turning restaurants in to "Pokestops" or "gyms", where players can battle against each other or find new monsters.

Until then, Japanese would-be Pokemasters are left dreaming of where find to rare and favourite monsters. So we've come up with a few suggestions.

1. The Yumenoshima Tropical Plant Dome

This greenhouse in Tokyo is warm all year-round, making it the perfect place to fill your Pokedex with lots of grass and poison-type Pokemon.

These classes of pocket monster typically thrive in warmer temperatures.

And you wouldn't freeze hunting for and catching Pokemon outdoors during the chilly Tokyo winter.

Even better news for aspiring trainers who have chosen the cuddly starter grass Pokemon Bulbasaur,

The transparent glass walls of the dome reflect sunshine, ideal for your creature to soak up some rays and evolve into a fearsome Venusaur.

2. The 'ultimate Pokemon challenge' at the Imperial Palace

The grand Imperial Palace is the primary residence of the emperor of Japan.

Located in Tokyo's Chiyoda ward, many locals head to its parks during the summer for jogs and leisure activities.

Once Pokemon Go is unleashed, it could soon become a hunting hotspot like New York's Central Park.

But there's a downside: Twitter users in Japan have been speculating that looking for pocket monsters on palace grounds could prove to be the "ultimate Pokemon challenge", as it is a heavily restricted area.

Pokemon Go players will also be unlikely to find any rare ghost Pokemon like Haunter in the area, given the spiritual and sacred nature of the palace.

Pokemon have already been known to pop up in inappropriate places, and placing ghost Pokemon to spawn near areas like shrines could also symbolise disrespect.

3. Fire Pokemon on Sakurajima

For those wanting to get their hands on some fire Pokemon, what better place than Japan's Sakurajima volcano?

Bipedal lava Pokemon Magmar has been known to reside in and around active volcanoes, a suitable environment for it to heal its wounds by jumping into lava.

Magmar first appeared in an infamous volcanic gym battle, with his trainer Blaine.

But Magmar isn't the only flaming monster to be able to survive around volcanoes.

Let's not forget the legendary fire bird Moltres, with the ability to control fire and inflict scorching flame attacks.

Like Magmar, one of Moltres's gifts is being able to dip its body in molten volcano magma to burn and heal itself.

Perhaps Japan will need to put out public warnings, like the Bosnian charity which cautioned against chasing monsters into minefields.

4. Legendary ice bird Articuno on Mount Fuji

The snow-capped mountains of Japan's historic Mount Fuji will be the ideal place for another legendary bird: rare ice Pokemon Articuno.

The flapping of its wings is said to be so strong that it chills the air and when this Pokémon flies, snow will fall.

The mountain lies about 100km (62 miles) south-west of Tokyo and is popular with tourists.

But only the most dedicated of Pokemon trainers will brave the journey to its peak, to try their hands at catching the legendary Articuno.

5. Finding Lapras in Lake Yamanaka

If you're done searching Mount Fuji and have more Pokeballs to spare, why not head on down to Lake Yamanaka, the largest of all the Fuji Five lakes?

It could be the perfect setting for another rare ice Pokemon: the sea creature Lapras which drew inspiration from Scotland's Loch Ness monster.Often depicted as a large and gentle Pokemon that enjoys ferrying people across bodies of water, this is an intelligent Pokemon known to travel seas and lakes in large pods.

A perfect setting to find it in.

However, this docility has made it an easy target for hunters, who have nearly driven it to extinction.

(BBC)