A Nintendo Pilgrimage [part 5]: My Unforgettable Week in Kyoto

The Nintendo Museum - Final Hour of Our Visit

After immersing ourselves in the main exhibits of the Nintendo Museum (see previous parts of this trip report here and here), closing time approached—and one very important task remained: choosing what to buy at the museum store.

As we left the interactive area on the lower floor, we passed through a corridor lined with display windows containing historic Nintendo artifacts. These included console prototypes, old marketing materials, and photographs of game and card production processes over time.

Sadly, this area also has a strict "no photography" policy, so the few images shown here come from Nintendo’s official press kit.

The displays are organized in reverse chronology, moving further back in time as you walk. The final showcase is especially memorable: a large wooden cupboard with sliding doors and dozens of drawers labeled for different hanafuda card sets.

This cupboard originally stood in Nintendo’s former headquarters on Shōmen-dōri in Kyoto—now the Marufukuro hotel—making it a fitting conclusion to our journey through Nintendo’s history: back to where it started.

Mounted nearby is a framed piece of calligraphy that once hung in another Nintendo office and has now found a home in the museum. It features two of the three kanji from the company’s name—「任」and「天」—expressing the idea of trusting fate and “leaving luck to heaven.”

Exit Through the Gift Shop

And now, the moment of truth for our wallets. Stepping into the gift shop—cheekily called the "Bonus Stage"—we were immediately overwhelmed by the options.

A staggering 145 unique items were available (yes, I counted), all exclusive to the museum. Buying one of everything would set you back ¥335,885 (yes, I counted that too).

Since opening day, the selection has grown even further, with more items added in 2025.

Some products feature the Nintendo Museum logo—glasses, hats, cookies, and more.

A Nintendo Pilgrimage [part 4]: My Unforgettable Week in Kyoto

Touring the Nintendo Museum collection - Let’s Get (Inter)active

After finishing our exploration of first part of the Nintendo Museum, we headed downstairs to the lower level.

This section of the museum is dedicated to interactive exhibits—eight in total:

• Shigureden SP
• Ultra Machine SP
• Ultra Hand SP
• Love Tester SP
• Game & Watch SP
• Zapper & Scope SP
• Big Controller
• Nintendo Classics

Along with the workshops, this is where visitors can get hands-on with Nintendo’s past.

Most of these exhibits include the "SP" label, short for "Special," a nod to enhanced or modernized versions of classic items (much like the Game Boy Advance SP).

The lower level also includes a number of additional displays that complement the product showcase upstairs, adding context to the interactive experiences. Photography is allowed on this floor.

Shigureden SP

At the center of this area is Shigureden SP. The name refers to Shigureden, a museum opened in 2006 by then-Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district, which was centered around Ogura Hyakunin Isshu cards. Like Hanafuda, these are traditional Japanese playing cards and among Nintendo’s oldest products.

The game’s objective is to match card pairs containing fragments of classical poetry faster than your opponent. A card is shown on your handheld screen, and you must find its match on a giant digital display embedded in the floor.

The setup resembles the original Shigureden installation (now closed), although in this version Nintendo DS consoles have been replaced by visitors’ mobile devices.

Next to Shigureden SP is a large display dedicated to Nintendo’s rich legacy in playing cards.

The exhibit showcases a wide array of designs, shapes, and sizes produced over the decades. The cards are presented in chronological order, from left to right.

A Nintendo Pilgrimage [part 3]: My Unforgettable Week in Kyoto

Opening day at the Nintendo Museum

It is Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024. After months of waiting, and a few very special moments the day before, we finally arrived at our main destination: the Nintendo Museum.

The museum is just a short walk from Ogura Station in the southern part of Kyoto. From above, it’s easy to spot—thanks in a large part to the massive question block painted on its roof.

That question block perfectly captured our mindset that morning: full of curiosity about what awaited inside. Although the Nintendo Direct from August had revealed some details, and press coverage had surfaced a week ahead of the opening (a media event was hosted on September 23), we’d avoided spoilers appearing in our news and social media feeds, to keep the surprise intact.

As this was the grand opening, there was extra buzz at the entrance, with media on-site to document the moment.

Some fans who had not secured tickets still came just to see the museum from outside—and take a selfie, of course.

We also took the photo opportunity at the museum sign, commemorating the day.

While waiting for our time slot, we ran into fellow Nintendo enthusiasts who recognized us from our books and online posts (including this blog).

A Nintendo Pilgrimage [part 2]: My Unforgettable Week in Kyoto

Touchdown in Kyoto

After months of anticipation, my Japan trip began on October 1st, 2024. And the very first day already brought a number of highlights.

A direct flight from Amsterdam took thirteen hours to reach Kansai Airport in Osaka Bay.

From there, a short train ride brought me to my destination for the week: Kyoto!

With some time to spare before checking into my hotel, I headed to the Nintendo store.

The Kyoto Nintendo Store—one of only three in Japan at the time (the others being in Osaka and Tokyo)—offers a wide range of exclusive merchandise.

I managed to restrain myself, knowing there would be more shopping opportunities ahead at the museum store.

A Night at Marufukuro

Next stop: the Marufukuro hotel.

There I was joined by Florent and Fabrice, who had traveled to Kyoto separately. We would spend much of the coming days together.