Nintendo Museum

The Nintendo Museum is a museum located in Uji City, Kyoto, Japan, and officialy opened on October 2, 2024. It showcases the history of the company from its founding in 1889 as a manufacturer of playing cards to its rise as a global leader in the video game industry, with several interactive exhibits where visitors can play classic Nintendo games using unique setups, like oversized controllers.
==Background==
Nintendo was founded in 1889 by and initially produced hanafuda, traditional Japanese playing cards. Visitors to the museum can learn about this period through displays where they can even create their own cards as part of an interactive experience. In the 1970s, Nintendo began focusing on video games, with a major breakthrough in 1981 when Shigeru Miyamoto created , which introduced the character of . The museum has several exhibits dedicated to this period, featuring early arcade machines and consoles that helped make Nintendo a major force in the gaming industry.
==Features==
The museum focuses heavily on the Japanese concept of (hospitality), which is reflected in the design of the exhibits. Visitors are encouraged to explore at their own pace, with exhibits designed to be intuitive and enjoyable without needing lengthy explanations.Nintendo shows off Mario, Zelda, and 135 years of history in a new Kyoto museum
Another key aspect of the museum is Nintendo’s emphasis on gameplay and fun, which has always been central to its design philosophy. Visitors can see how this approach influenced games like and continues to shape modern titles such as .
===First Floor===
The first floor of the Nintendo Museum features several interactive stations where visitors can experience some of Nintendo’s classic products.
* Shigureden SP: A digital display exploring Hyakunin poems.
* Zapper & Scope SP: An exhibit where visitors can use the famous and Super Scope light guns to play shooting games.
* Ultra Machine SP: A recreation of the 1960s toy that lets visitors hit balls from a mechanical pitcher.
* Ultra Hand SP: A station where visitors use the classic Ultra Hand toy to grab objects, but with a Pokémon twist to it.
* Love Tester SP: Two people can hold their hands together and measure their Love level.
* Game & Watch SP: Visitors can use their shadows to play the first two games, Ball and Manhole.
* Nintendo Classics: 80 playable games from some ever-gold classics, such as NES, SNES, and N64.
* Big Controller: A playful exhibit where visitors can use oversized controllers to play Nintendo games.
===Second Floor===
The second floor is focused on the history of Nintendo’s consoles, displaying nearly every console the company has ever released. Large statues of famous characters like and are also present, alongside rare items and prototypes, including early designs of consoles and controllers. Some highlights include:
* Nintendo playing cards
* Nintendo handheld consoles
* (NES)
* Super Nintendo Entertainment System
* Nintendo 64
* Nintendo GameCube
* Wii
* Wii U
* Nintendo Switch
===Workshops===
The museum also offers hands-on workshops that focus on Nintendo’s history with playing cards:
* Craft Room- Let’s Make Hanafuda!: Visitors can create their own hanafuda playing cards using a specially made kit.
* Play Room - Try Playing Hanafuda!: Visitors can learn to play the traditional card game hanafuda based on hana-awase, using image recognition and projection.
===Additional Information===
* Coins: To enjoy some of the interactive exhibits, the museum grants visitors 10 digital coins, which can be used only inside the museum. 
* Café: The museum has a café, Hatena Burger, where visitors can enjoy Nintendo-themed food and drinks. 
* Shop: Bonus Stage, a gift shop, offers exclusive Nintendo merchandise, including collectibles not available elsewhere.
* Tickets: Visitors are encouraged to book in advance to secure a spot. The tickets are sold through a lottery system, and special passes are available for those wanting to participate in the workshops.
* Location and Access: The museum is located in Uji City, Kyoto, in a building that was previously the Nintendo Uji Ogura Plant. It is accessible via on the Kyoto Line (Kintetsu) and on the JR Nara Line.The Nintendo Museum Will Complete Construction In March 2024Nintendo Museum - Getting Here
==Gallery==
File:Nintendo history.png|Nintendo in the past
File:Nintendo consoles.png|The consoles featured in the museum
File:Nintendo museum inside 1.png|The museum from inside
File:Nintendo museum inside 2.png|Mario-themed pillars 
File:Shigureden SP.png|Hyakunin poems as part of Shigureden SP
File:Hatena Burger.png|The Hatena Burger café
==References==
==External Links==
* Official Nintendo Museum website
* Shigeru Miyamoto interview with The New York Times
Category:Events
Category:Exhibits
Category:Pokémon meta