Saffron City

Saffron City ヤマブキシティ Yamabuki City

The Shining, Golden Land of Commerce

Connecting routes   ↑ Route 5   ← Route 7 Saffron City Route 8 →   Route 6 ↓

Gym info Leader: Sabrina Type: Psychic Badge: Marsh Badge

Location of Saffron City in Kanto

Saffron City (Japanese: ヤマブキシティ Yamabuki City) is a sprawling metropolis in the Kanto region. It lies in between Celadon City, Vermilion City, Lavender Town, and Cerulean City. It is home to Sabrina, the Saffron City Gym Leader.

Saffron City is one of the busiest and largest cities in the region, and is even famous outside of Kanto. The large Silph Co. headquarters building stands firm as the city's centerpiece, while two gyms dominate the north-eastern corner district. Not only is this the central business district of Kanto, it also holds the region's largest infrastructure, including the Magnet Train station, which allows ease of access between Johto and Kanto.

At first, traveling to Saffron City is impossible, as the Officers at the city's lookout towers are thirsty and will not let anyone through. However, after giving the Officer a drink of Fresh Water from the Celadon Department Store in Generation I, or Tea from Generation III, he will let the player pass.

Places of interest

Silph Co. Headquarters

Main article: Silph Co.

Receiving the Master Ball from the President

The Silph Co. Headquarters is the largest and tallest building in the city. They are the leading manufacturer of Pokémon technology in the world, and produce a variety of goods for Pokémon trainers, such as the Poké Ball and the Silph Scope. Their status made them a target in the Generation I storyline, in which Team Rocket orchestrated the takeover of their headquarters in Saffron City. The player, though, will arrive just in time to take on the mission of driving them out of the city, and the President of Silph will reveal afterwards the top-secret development Team Rocket was after: the Master Ball, which can catch any Pokémon without fail.

The Silph Co. Head Office Building is an eleven-floor skyscraper, and is effectively a giant maze. People must navigate the building using warp tiles in order to reach different rooms. Some people hold a Card Key, which unlocks Silph's doors like a hotel key. During the events of the Team Rocket takeover, the player must find the Card Key on the fourth floor of the building. All the while, the player must battle numerous Team Rocket grunts, including the Rocket Brothers, and one Juggler. After this, the player may continue on to the board room to face Giovanni for the Master Ball. After driving Team Rocket out of the Silph headquarters, the player is free to explore the building and talk to the employees.

In Generation II, Silph Co. has increased security, and the player is not allowed to enter the upper floors. One of the guards, however, will kindly give the player an Up-Grade for talking to him, which will allow a Porygon to evolve, through a trade, into Porygon2. In Generation IV's HeartGold and SoulSilver, one of the Hoenn region's starter Pokémon may be obtained here towards the end of the game. The alternate forms of Rotom may also be accessed here in Generation IV, and the notebook present in the room Rotom's appliances can be found in indicates that Charon may have had past connection to the company.

Fighting Dojo

Main article: Fighting Dojo

Fighting Dojo leader accepting a battle in Generation III

In addition to Sabrina's Psychic-type Gym, there is also a secondary gym, the Fighting Dojo, which has Fighting-types. It is where, if the Karate Master Kiyo/Koichi is defeated, the player can obtain either Hitmonchan or Hitmonlee in Generation I and Generation III.

It was established that the Fighting Dojo and the Saffron Gym once battled against each other to determine which one would be the Indigo League's sixth Pokémon Gym. Due to the type advantage that the Psychic-types that were trained at the Saffron Gym had over the Fighting-types used by the Dojo, Saffron Gym easily won and became the official gym.

The Dojo is closed in Generation II, because the leader is training in Johto's Mount Mortar. In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the Gym Leaders of Kanto and Johto can be found here for a rematch, much like how the Sinnoh Gym Leaders can be found for a rematch in the Battleground in Pokémon Platinum. Unlike Platinum, the Leaders have set times at which they will appear. However, they will not arrive at the Dojo until certain conditions have been met elsewhere in the game. Specifically, each Leader's telephone number must be obtained while he or she is not in their Gym. Once the Gym Leader has been telephoned, he or she will accept multiple rematches, provided it is still within their allotted time period.

Magnet Train station

Main article: Magnet Train

Gold boarding the Magnet Train in the station

In Generation II and Generation IV, the Magnet Train runs from Saffron City to Goldenrod City in Johto, connecting the two regions. It is one of the few methods players can use to travel from region to region, and it will allow rapid travel between the two cities, going at over 340 miles per hour.

To board the train, the player must have a Pass. The Copycat in Saffron City has one, and is willing to give it up as a reward for returning her Poké Doll that a boy gave to her three years before. Initially, the train is out of service as a minion of Team Rocket has stolen a valuable part from the Power Plant in Kanto. After defeating him in Cerulean City, the player can retrieve the part from the Cerulean City Gym and return it to the Power Plant. With the component back in place, the train will have the necessary power to run.

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Vermilion City Gym Leader Lt. Surge will come here and offer to trade his Pikachu for the player's Pikachu. This Pikachu is notable because it originates from a different language than that of the player's game: in the Japanese release of HeartGold and SoulSilver, it is English.

Mr. Psychic's house

Main article: Mr. Psychic

Mr. Psychic's house in Generation III

Mr. Psychic lives in a house that is located in the southern-eastern suburb of the city. His house is better accessible by entering Saffron City from the southern entrance. He owns a small home, which is only one floor high. In his house there are two pot plants in the southern corners, three bookshelves in the northern corners and a painting on the northern wall. Mr. Psychic sits at a table in the middle of the room. When talked to for the first time, he will say that the player wants a TM and will give away TM29 (Psychic) to the player. This occurs in every generation to date.

Copycat's house

Main article: Copycat (character)

In Generation I and III, Copycat lives in a house that is located in the north-western suburb of the city. Copycat will give the TM for Mimic, or as a move tutor in Generation III, in return for a Clefairy-style Poké Doll. In her bedroom, there is a Super NES with a game that has Mario with a bucket on his head. In between the events of Generation I and Generation II, Copycat's house in Saffron City was torn down to make room for the Magnet Train station. In Generation II and IV, Copycat's Clefairy doll goes missing, and is found by a member of the Pokémon Fan Club in Vermilion City. When the player returns her lost doll, Copycat will reward them with a ticket to ride the Magnet Train that travels between Kanto and Johto.

Pokémon Trainer Fan Club

People gather to discuss their favorite celebrity trainers at the Pokémon Trainer Fan Club, which only exists in Generation III.

Saffron Gym

Main article: Saffron Gym

Saffron Gym in FireRed and LeafGreen

The Saffron Gym is the official gym of Saffron City. It is based on Psychic-type Pokémon. The Gym Leader is Sabrina. Trainers who defeat her receive the Marsh Badge. The Saffron Gym is a maze of warp tiles and nine rooms; seven of these rooms contain Trainers, while the other two are Sabrina's room and the entrance.

It was established that the Fighting Dojo and the Saffron Gym once battled against each other to determine which one would be the Indigo League's sixth Pokémon Gym. Due to the type advantage that the Psychic-types that were trained at the Saffron Gym had over the Fighting-types used by the Dojo, Saffron Gym easily won and became the official gym.

Demographics

The population is 66 in the Pokémon games, making it the fourth biggest city in the Pokémon world and the biggest in Kanto.

Poké Mart

Generations I and III	Generation II
Item Price Balls Great Ball 600 Medicine Hyper Potion 1,200 Parlyz Heal* 200 Full Heal 600 Revive 1,500 Other items Escape Rope 550 Max Repel 700	Item Price Balls Great Ball 600 Ultra Ball 1,200 Medicine Hyper Potion 1,200 Max Potion 2,500 Full Heal 600 Battle items X Attack 500 X Defend 550 Other items Flower Mail 50

Items

Generation I

• TM29 (Psychic): Gift from Mr. Psychic.
• TM31 (Mimic): Gift from Copycat.

Generation II

• Focus Band: Gift from Dojo Master.
• Pass: Gift from Copycat Girl.

Generation III

• Nugget (hidden)
• TM29 (Psychic): Gift from Mr. Psychic.

Pokémon

Generation IV

Pokémon		Games		Location	Levels	Rate
Gift Pokémon
	Treecko	HG	SS	Silph Co.	5	Only one
	Torchic	HG	SS	Silph Co.	5	Only one
	Mudkip	HG	SS	Silph Co.	5	Only one
	Pikachu	HG	SS	Lt. Surge at Magnet Train Station	The same as the Traded Pokémon	Trade Pikachu
	Beldum	HG	SS	Silph Co.	The same as the Traded Pokémon	Trade Forretress
A colored background means that the Pokémon can be found in this location in the specified game. A white background with a colored letter means that the Pokémon cannot be found here.

In Super Smash Bros.

Main article: Saffron City (stage)

Saffron City in Super Smash Bros.

Saffron City appears as a playable stage, specifically the roof of Silph Co., in Super Smash Bros. In the background, the text "Gotta Catch 'em All!" and "Route 5" can be seen. The part of the mountain range consisting of mountains such as Mt. Moon, Cerulean Cave and Mt. Silver can be seen north of Cerulean City. Interestingly, a minor building with some blurry text can be seen. The text seems to start with a "F", which possibly may mean that it is the Fighting Dojo. Flying Pokémon, such as Pidgeot or Butterfree can sometimes been seen.

Certain Pokémon will emerge from the elevator in the Silph Co. building and attack briefly, similar to Pokémon summoned from Poké Balls. Occasionally, Pidgey, Fearow, Butterfree, and other Flying-type Pokémon will appear in the background.

During the intro, Pikachu can be seen lying on a Poké Ball.

Trainer Tips

Differences in generations

In between the events of Generation I and Generation II, Copycat's house in Saffron City was torn down to make room for the Magnet Train station.

Saffron City in Generation I

Saffron City in Generation II

Trivia

• Its Japanese motto is ヤマブキ きんいろ かがやきのいろ, which translates into romaji as Yamabuki kiniro kagayaki no iro.
• Saffron is one of the only cities in Kanto that has enough visible houses to accommodate its population.
• Saffron City is the only in-game Kanto city that May won a Ribbon from.
• If Kanto's landscape were made to fit that of modern-day Japan, Saffron City occupies the space where Tokyo should be.

In other languages

Kanto Gym: Pewter City • Cerulean City • Vermilion City • Celadon City Fuchsia City • Saffron City • Cinnabar Island • Viridian City Towns: Pallet Town • Lavender Town League: Indigo Plateau Routes: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 Landmarks: Professor Oak's Laboratory • Viridian Forest • Diglett's Cave • Mt. Moon (Square) • Cerulean Cave • Cerulean Cape Rock Tunnel • Power Plant • Cycling Road • Rocket Hideout • Silph Co. • Pokémon Tower • Safari Zone/Pal Park • Seafoam Islands Pokémon Mansion • Victory Road • Tohjo Falls