Nintendo, as a company, has been around for a staggeringly long time. The Kyoto-based gaming giant has a very interesting past that is speckled with differing ventures such as playing cards, love hotels and innovative new toys. For some the journey to its original headquarters is a pilgrimage.
I am certainly one of those people.
As my wife and I planned out our first ever (and possibly last) vacation in the Land of the Rising Sun she asked if I wanted to try and visit the current Nintendo headquarters. I told her that while it would be neat, I had heard it was nothing more than a big white square settled in south Kyoto. No tours. No museum. No Miyamoto sitting on the front steps throwing stuffed Pikmin and signing autographs.
What did appeal to me was finding the fabled "original" Nintendo headquarters, which was established in the heart of Kyoto's long gone red light district in the the late 1950s. While Nintendo operated out of a few small buildings and shops before this location, this is their first true headquarters as a bigwig playing card company. My wife asked if, unlike the current headquarters, we could go in this original building. Nope.
Some have found their way inside in the past, but the building is officially sealed off to the public. "So why go at all?" my wife eventually asked. I just shrugged and told her that it was a well known piece of history and I would enjoy just being able to stand in it's shadow. It's like a famous statue or any monument to a time long gone. It's just interesting to witness firsthand.
The problem with this particular building is that is pretty much not on the map. Well, I should say the building is technically on the map, but it's not labeled. There's no solid address to type in so you can find it if you're ever wandering the streets of Kyoto.
And wander we did! Using clues from other sites we pieced together the general area (beside a river, north of Shichijo, east of Kiyamachi, etc.) and just went looking for a building that matched the description. Just as we were giving up hope, my wife pointed out a nearby structure that looked similar to the one in a picture we had found.
So here's how to find it, should you ever need directions.
The three story brick building is located on a street known as Syomen Dori and next to the prominent Kamo River. It's really not as hidden as everyone seems to claim and we actually passed it on our cab ride back to Kyoto station later in the week.
Here's an actual map that you can use to find the address. I dropped a pin in the exact location of the building so you can find it with ease.
Here's a view from the street.
And should you ever just need actual coordinates you can punch in the following - 34.99168, 135.76628.
It's just a big locked building and I can understand how many might find it silly to seek it out, but I don't think I was happier during our travels then when my wife spotted the old Nintendo plaque on the side of this monument to the Big N's legacy.
Comments 48
Neat! Maybe you should have done this on your own though oof.
Cool!
And to think, Koppai Nintendo's long-term goals were to sell playing cards you couldn't gamble with in cigarette stores to make thousand dollars.
This is so awesome! Thanks for sharing. That would have been too legit to have worked there back in the day.
I love japan ^_^ it looks so cool there.
@OneBagTravel Why on my own?
I've never been to their original HQ, but back in March I was visiting a friend in Osaka and I noticed their current HQ on the train home so we stopped by to take a look. May look for the old building next time I go to Kyoto.
Great article!
Why first and possibly last trip though?
I read a similar story about a writer going there and walking right in because the door wasn't locked. He said a security guard yelled "No tours" in Japanese at him. He said the lobby was covered in some great old Nintendo posters.
@Mr_Zurkon you're talking about Peer from IGN right? I was just about to comment that he told that story on the NVC podcast
How long since it has been locked?Because I saw a video where it was open.The person recording went inside where he found a woman that showed him the hall but didn't let him go in the rest of the building.I bookmarked the video but it has been deleted from Youtube .
@eleccross Yes, thank you. I thought it was his story but wasn't 100% sure.
@sizelando Because it costs some serious green to fly to Japan and stay there
@Randomname19 You know I was looking for that as well! At that time it was supposed to be locked as well, he just sort of lucked out.
@BenBertoli Ah I see, financial reasons. I thought there was an implication that it was a disappointing trip in some way! Glad that's not the case.
@sizelando Absolutely not. It was a fantastic experience! I actually enjoyed Kyoto more than Tokyo. I highly recommend it.
If I ever go to Japan, I'm gonna go check out the building. Even if I can't go inside, it is a rather neat piece of Nintendo's history.
Sweet.
It looks like something out of a movie.
@BenBertoli Even better, am heading there in September as it is. We're splitting the difference and doing a week in Tokyo and a week in Kyoto. Is there any other worthwhile Nintendo sights or places you discovered?
So what is the building used for now? Is it still owned by Nintendo?
I hear that they still make card games....that really true?
Anyways, Nintendo, a job well done. You come from a long way and you keep getting better than ever!
oh....how I wish I can see Nintendo employees once.....
@sizelando The MEGA Pokemon Center in Tokyo was a fun visit, though it was smaller than anticipated. Besides that you should hit up Akihabara for an overload of gaming/anime/manga goodness.
Seek out A-Too in Kyoto, it was the best used gaming store I found while I was there. Also, any Book Off will have tons of used games. There are three in Kyoto I think.
I swear I've seen this exact article somewhere else or posted here ages ago...
@Randomname19 Yh I know what video you're talking about. I can't find it now!
@BenBertoli Thanks very much, great suggestions.
Oh, it's THERE? It's pretty sad to think that when we were in Kyoto, our hotel was extremely close to that place... It would have been a five minute walk, at most. Oh well. Maybe next time.
@Dankykong Yeah? I wish I could have found it when I was looking
Interesting article. I would love to go to Japan someday but I fear my fear of flying will keep me from ever going there.
I'll be in Kyoto in April next year. Are there any other cool Nintendo or more generally videogames related spots that I should try to visit?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
I'll have to settle for traveling to Japan on my gamepad. I don't think I'd seek out Nintendo buildings since there's no visitors center. There should be one though like you can find at many longstanding HQ's. But I guess Nintendo never celebrates the age of the company like others do. But with Nintendo building theme park attractions who knows what might change for the real estate presence of the company in the future. They may become more welcoming at their Kyoto site as they "Disney-fy" their operations
NOW YOU'RE PLAYING WITH CARDS!!!
Nice one,I might make it out there one day.Just had a look at flights and I can get there from Thailand for pretty cheap so maybe next year.If I do I'll be sure to use this article to save me from some aimless wandering.The toughest part will be trying to convince whoever I'm travelling with to spend a day going to see a plaque on an abandoned building.
@kantaroo You might wanna read comment #24...
@Dankykong
https://nintendosegajapan.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/pilgrimage-to-nintendo-hq-in-kyoto/
Quite a few people have made the trip.
There's a Pokemon Center in most major cities, like Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya etc, though they're not always the easiest to get to. The one in Fukuoka is right in the main station, if you're visiting there.
In Tokyo, there is also the Nintendo Game Front, located on the 2nd floor of the Panasonic Center. It's OK, you can play the latest games there. Amazingly, there is no Nintendo World Store in Tokyo or anywhere in Japan. Really.
There's so much in Akhihabara, but the most famous is probably Super Potato.
Speaking of Pokémon Centers, I went to the Nagoya one a few times while on exchange although it moved from where it used to be now (Oasis 21) and is now located in a building called Matsuzakaya. I think it is in the Sakae area if anyone goes to see it.
if only, they bulld the real nintendo land (not the video game) at Japan, i think tokyo disneyland and universal studios osaka will have to share their profits..
@Franklin
nice info
Nintendo, dying since 1889 TM
Anyone know what year they moved out of this building?
@BenBertoli Thanks for posting the coordinates; I doubt I'll ever get to head over there, but it was cool to at least check out the building via Google Streetview
Although I won't be going to Japan any time soon, I want to, so this will definitely be something I'll be doing if I do. Thanks @BenBertoli for this
Haha, I walked by it last week without noticing it.
You used this article almost verbatim? It even provided the GPS coordinates. Must have been the one you used to find it?
https://nintendosegajapan.wordpress.com/2015/03/15/pilgrimage-to-nintendo-hq-in-kyoto/
@LachyMan I've never seen that article before. It wasn't one of the top hits when I googled it while on vacation, so it must just be a coincidence. Wish I had though! Would have made things a heck of a lot easier for me...
I don't know what made me come back and look for a response but I knew I had seen this elsewhere... I am confused but I'm too lazy to get clarification.
Can't wait till i get there. I'm in Kyoto in about a week!
I guess things are easier now. While at Kyoto Station, I typed in “Nintendo HQ,” and the iPhone Maps app told me how to get to both the original and modern HQs.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...