New Bark Town

New Bark Town (Japanese: ワカバタウン Wakaba Town) is located in southeastern Johto and is the hometown of the main character in the Generation II games and their remakes. It is home to the lab of Professor Elm, who possesses the starting Pokémon for Johto:, , and.

Other than being connected to in the west, it is also the town that must be passed through to reach Tohjo Falls,, and Indigo Plateau, via  and.

Generation II
The Town Where Winds of a New Beginning Blow (Japanese: はじまりを　つげる　かぜがふく　まち The town where winds of a new beginning blow.)

Generation IV
Winds of a New Beginning (Japanese: はじまり　つげる　かぜのまち The town of winds of a new beginning.)

Player's house
In Generations and, this house is where the undefined lives before beginning their journey. The lives here, and after the player has left town for the first time, she will save money if the player wishes and occasionally buys decorations for the bedroom, or items such as s.

The player's bedroom is a bit fancier than 's bedroom in. In Generation II, unlike Red's room, it can also be customized to include several Pokémon dolls, as well as beds, game systems, and carpets. The Town Map hanging on the wall can also be replaced with one of several posters of different Pokémon. However, in Generation IV, this feature is not included.

The player starts the game in their bedroom, in front of their PC and radio. The PC in the top-left corner of the room in Generation II has a few important purposes, but unlike in the Generation I bedroom's computer, it does not contain an item. In Generation IV, the PC is restricted to viewing the player's mail, and the mailbox in the beginning of the game contains a single letter composed by / (if the player is a boy/girl, respectively), with the following text signed with said person's name and with a icon in the blue stamp box:



EXCITED!
 * ADVENTURE!

I love POKéMON!
 * }

Professor Elm's lab
Professor Elm's laboratory lies right next to the western entrance into New Bark Town. Professor Elm works at his laboratory with his aide, usually doing experiments concerning Pokémon Eggs and. Here, Pokémon Trainers just beginning their quest are given the choice to receive either a, a , or a from Professor Elm.

Inside is one aide of Professor Elm's, a couple of shelves full of books, a table with three Poké Balls (a capsule in ), a computer, and a few tips for the player. There is also a machine here that has the ability to fully rest/restore all of the player's Pokémon, just like a Pokémon Center. In, Elm's Aide gives the player five s when leaving the lab for the first time.

At the beginning of the game, a can be seen looking through the window into the lab. If spoken to, he will kick people out of his way, and then continue to spy upon the lab.

In, Professor Elm's lab has an upstairs living area. His house from has now become the home of  or.

Friend's house
In, or  lives in the house below the undefined's house. In, it was actually Professor Elm's original home.

Generation II
New Bark Town has a population of 10, excluding the player character's rival.

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
New Bark Town's population is 11, assuming Silver is not from the town. This makes it the least populated town in Johto. However, it is the first starting Town to break the tradition by being over 10. This low number is likely due to its lack of amenities like a Gym or Pokémon Center, and its isolation from the rest of Johto.

Walking Pokémon effects
When interacting with walking Pokémon in, the Pokémon may occasionally show an altered mood specific to this location.
 * The walking Pokémon stretches out its body and relaxes when in this town, causing it to become happy. It also feels nice and sleepy and may doze off.
 * Outdoors: The walking Pokémon feels a breeze and stares intently at the sky. It can be surprised by a flower petal or leaf on its face, and sometimes sneezes.
 * Player's house: Standing near the player's mom, the walking Pokémon greets her and shows concern for her.
 * Player's bedroom: The walking Pokémon sings happily.
 * Friend's bedroom: The walking Pokémon wants to play with, even if Marill is not in the room.
 * Professor Elm's lab: The walking Pokémon fidgets in front of everyone and stares intently at the player's face.

In the anime
New Bark Town debuted in Don't Touch That 'Dile, where and  visited the laboratory of Johto's leading, Professor Elm. The group also helped get Professor Elm's back from, who had tried to steal it. After Ash had registered for the Johto League, the group headed for Violet City for Ash's first Johto Gym.

New Bark Town reappeared in Hatch Me If You Can, where Delia and boarded a ship and met up with Professor Elm at the town's port. Ash and his friends later returned to the town after Ash had earned all eight Johto Badges, allowing him to register for the Silver Conference. Afterwards, they headed for Mt. Silver to return the newly hatched to its home before the Silver Conference.

In the anime, New Bark Town is the hometown of, Vincent, , , and Top Coordinator.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga
New Bark Town is shown to be quite a bit larger in the Pokémon Adventures, including amenities such as a general hospital. It is the hometown of. Being a resident of the "Poké House", Gold has local fame in the area even before he became a Pokédex holder.

In the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga
New Bark Town appeared in Welcome Back, Clefairy!!.

Trivia

 * Despite appearing to be farther away from the Johto-Kanto border on the Pokégear's map, the undefined's house is 7 steps from the border with, 10 steps closer than the Pokémon Center at Mt. Silver is to , thus making it the closest destination to the border.
 * Out of all towns where the player starts, it is the only one to not have a connecting route to the north, but instead to the east and west.
 * It is also the only starting town that the player must pass through again after gaining their eighth Badge on the way to Pokémon League.
 * The name of this town started the running theme in which the player's starting town is named after a plant.
 * In, at some point during the player's journey, the starter Pokémon in Elm's lab that wasn't chosen by the player or stolen by the rival disappears without explanation, although it is hinted to have been given to someone else.
 * In the demo of showed off at  in 1997, the initial town was not New Bark Town but rather a different town named Silent Hills (サイレントヒルズ), which may have actually been a prototype design of New Bark Town. The town had a drastically different design, but may have been overhauled during the transition from the Game Boy to the Game Boy Color. Due to the first installment of the  horror game series being released about eight months prior to the actual Japanese release of Gold and Silver, in early 1999, it may have possibly led to the rename as Wakaba Town (ワカバタウン).

Name origin
Neuborkia Pueblo Primavera Bourg Geon Borgo Foglianova ワカバタウン 若叶镇