Kanto Route 4

Route 4 (Japanese: ４ばんどうろ Route 4) is a route in northern Kanto, connecting and Mt. Moon to Cerulean City.

Western segment
In Generations I and III, Route 4 is split into two sections by Mt. Moon. On the western portion of the route, there is the western entrance to Mt. Moon, as well as a Pokémon Center. Inside this Pokémon Center, there is a shady man who sells the player a for 500. He is only present in Generations and.

The western portion of Route 4 begins by traveling north from the previous route; towards the mountain. There are several small ledges spanning from both sides of the route; however, there is enough clearing in the center to pass through. There are also several rocks along the sides that apparently can be mistaken for as a little girl explains as she trips on one. By traveling straight on, ahead will be a small Pokémon Center, one of two Pokémon Center's that can be found on a route, the other being on. The western terminus to Mt. Moon can also be found by traveling west of the Pokémon Center, which has been indented into the mountain face.

In the Pokémon Center, Trainers can heal their Pokémon after a hard journey through Route 3; however, a number of other things can be done in the Pokémon Center. In Generation I and III, a shady man, which happens to be the Magikarp salesman, can be found in the corner of the Center selling Trainers a for 500 (but does not offer a refund). While this may seem as something of a ripoff, some undefineds consider it very worthwhile to raise a Magikarp from such an early point in the game, allowing the player to train and evolve it into a much earlier than if they had waited until they are given an. There is also a man reading a newspaper, reading that Team Rocket are attacking citizens.

Eastern segment
From Mt. Moon, Route 4 travels to the east, swerving to the north and the south to avoid ledges along the route. The path turns north, then east near a large clump of trees surrounding a grassy area. The route is a very strange route as the ledges form a contour down the mountainside, leading Trainers due east and then south to the end of the path and a ledge that will force Trainers to go down it into a large clump of trees surrounding a grassy area. After going down this ledge, there is no return and Trainers must go east to reach Cerulean City.

Route 4 can, in fact, be reached from Cerulean City, by using, Trainers can Surf along to western part of Route 24, south to Cerulean Cave. Trainers can then travel west, past a on the highest hill, and then jump down the remaining ledges to access this section of the route.

Due to a ledge that separates Mt. Moon from Cerulean City, Trainers cannot return to the previous towns until they travel through Diglett's Cave and use on, use  to return to the cities west of Mt. Moon, or use  down from  (in Generations I and III only) or all the way around through Cinnabar Island. The majority of the route is fairly straight-forward as there is only one true way to proceed on the path and there are no s to battle (with the exception of the on the highest hill on the route; however, she is reached only by way of the waterway that begins on ).

Depending on the Generation, there are items, Move Tutors, or both along this path. In Generation III, two Move Tutors were added to the route. Located near the Mt. Moon entrance, these tutors will teach a the moves  and, but only once. Both tutors are jealous of the other's skills and will try to get Trainers to come to them instead of the other.

Generation I
Although the channel of water at the eastern edge of the route has no adjacent land tiles from which the player can legitimately fish, there are still fishing encounters programmed for it.

Generation I and III
Route 4 endured minor cosmetic changes but was not unchanged. The "gates" or the gaps in the ledges used for passed up them on the eastern segment were widened significantly, while the patch of tall grass near the Cerulean City entrance has grown in size covering the entire area. In the western segment, rocks and boulders had been included in Generation III for visual effect. Apart from this, most aesthetic features have been enhanced. Trees have become bigger, flowers are more visible, and most other sprites have been upgraded to Generation III standards.

Aside from cosmetic changes, two Move Tutors were added to the east portion of the route. Located near the Mt. Moon entrance, these tutors will teach a the moves  and. Both tutors are jealous of the other's skills and will try to get Trainers to come to them instead of the other. Other than this, only item positions and types were changed. , located on the second-highest hill was changed to. The hidden in the west segment was replaced by two Berries; a  and a Persim Berry in similar locations.

Generation II
In Generation II, the western portion of Route 4 was cut off and changed to an extension of Route 3. Due to this, Route 4 western entry starts at the eastern entrance of Mt. Moon, although most of the eastern portion remains the same. Along with this, the route was shortened significantly as the length between Mt. Moon and Cerulean City was slashed in half, as was the grassy area, however the layout and positioning of ledges and signposts remains mostly the same. There is no entrance to the Cerulean Cave from this route and the road is blocked off by barriers. The TM was replaced with an and three s were added to the route.

From Mt. Moon, Route 4 travels to the east, swerving to the north and the south to avoid ledges along the route. The path turns north, then east near a large clump of trees surrounding a grassy area. The route is a very strange route as the ledges form a contour down the mountainside, leading Trainers due east and then south to the end of the path and a ledge that will force Trainers to go down it into a large clump of trees surrounding a grassy area. After going down this ledge, there is no return and Trainers must go east to reach Cerulean City.

Generation IV
Other than graphical updates, the basic layout remains the same as previous generations, but the route is no longer flat, with hills leading down from Mt. Moon to add more depth to the route. Like Generation II, the western portion of Route 4 was cut off and changed to an extension of Route 3. Due to this, Route 4's western entry starts at the eastern entrance of Mt. Moon. Items and Trainers remain the same as in Generation II. Unlike in Generation II, Cerulean Cave remains in Cerulean City, however, unlike Generations I and III, there is no return to this route from the cave, likely to prevent the player from traveling to west Kanto without restoring the Power Plant.

In the anime
,, and hiked along Route 4 at the end of Clefairy and the Moon Stone. Gary Oak, who had been through the area before Ash, vandalized a sign to read "Gary was here! Ash is a loser!", causing Ash to lose his temper as the episode ended. The Route reappeared in the following episode, where Ash and finally reached its end and arrived at Cerulean City. Unlike the games, Route 4 is a forest route, not a mountain route.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga
Route 4 appeared in Gyarados Splashes In! and Raging Rhydon. After helping Misty to recapture her rampaging Gyarados, made a phone call to  from a nearby Pokémon Center. He told Red that what had happened with Gyarados was likely caused by Team Rocket. Afterwards, Red and Misty headed to Mt. Moon in search for a Moon Stone.

After encountering Team Rocket inside the caves of Mt. Moon, Red and Misty exited the mountain on the eastern section of Route 4. Misty was frustrated for them failing to find a Moon Stone, until Red revealed that he had actually managed to find one when Pika had collapsed a part of the cave to prevent Team Rocket from following them.