Johto is literally a dysfunctional region. The east-west split at Ecruteak is the fundamental issue. It is from that point that you can go either way and the Pokemon/trainers will be equally weak in both directions. Due to this, the elite four is the weakest ever, and the fifth gym is no easier than the seventh.

Johto sacrificed challenge and structure for a sense of non-linearity. It is the worst region.