When I first began this website, one of the first experiences I detailed was my first trip to Kyoto. In that entry, I mentioned that my first stop in the prefecture was the old Nintendo headquarters.

This was the place that housed the company’s humble beginnings producing Japanese playing cards (Hanafuda). These colorful cards depict colorful images of flowers and animals, as oppose to the numbers and suits of western playing cards. At the time of my visit I felt like I was achieving a lifelong goal. To be standing in front of the building where Hiroshi Yamauchi (former president of Nintendo) once lived, worked, and eventually set the ground work for what would be one of the most recognized companies in the world was surreal to say the least. The only thing that could have brought the experience to an even greater height would have been to be able to step inside the building itself. But of course that was not a possibility (at least if I wanted to refrain from being arrested for breaking and entering). I was content knowing I was as close as I was ever going to be able to get. At least, that’s what I thought…

A few years after I visited that building, it was bought and given new life in the form of a luxury hotel: the Marufukuro. As soon as I learned about this I knew I had to stay there.

As I walked up to the spot where I had stood before, I saw the familiar architecture and green plaques reading “The Nintendo Playing Card Co.”. Accompanying them were crimson flags on either side of doorway, which was now open to welcome guests. This sight hinted at a “same, but different” atmosphere. Also different this time around was the fact that I did not travel alone, but was joined by my wife. Together, we walked past the threshold.

Upon stepping into the establishment, we were warmly greeted by the staff and led into the lounge. They offered us drinks and told us about the different amenities in the hotel (later, they gave us a tour so we knew where all the facilities were).

Finishing with the check in, we were handed our key and on our way.

There are several different rooms available. The rooms from the existing building were originally part of the headquarters where Nintendo manufactured hanafuda cards (including the place where the Yamauchi family once lived). There are also rooms available from the new building. These rooms are part of an adjacent building that was not originally part of Nintendo, but have been annexed to become apart of the hotel. We booked the ‘Superior King’ (formally used as a guest room in the original building). We turned the key to our room, and walked inside…

I’ve had a lot of great moments in my life, and I’m not gonna go as far as to say this was the most memorable. What I will say is that walking into that room filled me with with a simple joy that reached both my adult self and inner child. Like stepping back through a time machine, the curtains and tile retained from the original design offered a glimpse into Showa era Japan.

Though the decoration alluded to a past era, there were additional things added to offer a cushier experience. One example was fridge stocked with an assortment of beverages (all of which was paid for already along with the room). They also offered an original blend of coffee (provided by a local coffee shop “Mur Mur Coffee“).

The bed had to have been an upgrade from what was there before. The cliché expression “like sleeping on a cloud” certainly applied here. The bathrooms appeared to have been renewed as well, equipped with high tech toilets that automatically raised their seat upon detecting motion. The shower room offered the traditional style seat and bucket often seen in Japanese bath houses (though the wood construct was a lot nicer than the cheaper plastic offerings). The shower was set up in a way so western style showers could also be taken, so there was some flexibility.

As Nintendo created playing cards long before videogames, the hotel offers decks of hanafuda cards that can be checked out and enjoyed. They don’t provide a rulebook, but several sources can be found online.

By far my favorite offering was the library. Upon checking into the hotel, the staff provided a 4 digit pin that allowed access to the library.

There were two main draws to this room. The first was found just to the left after entering. Here, we found an open bar supplied with several types of whiskey available.

I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to serving drinks, but I think even novices can enjoy the selection offered here. Weather you prefer straight, on the rocks, with seltzer or still water, this place has you covered. After procuring a drink we headed towards the opposite side of the room, which is where my favorite part of the entire establishment lied.

What would a library be without books? In this part of the hotel we found a collection of books connected to the history of the establishment. Books ranging from the history of hanafuda, to Nintendo as a videogame company, to business in general. There were books in Japanese, English, even one in French! (the language nerd in me meeting my videogame geek self in the middle) As I sipped on a whiskey and listened to slow jazz playing over the speakers, I perused the selection and admired the tranquil atmosphere.

The morning of our check out was spent in the lounge. We left our bags at the front desk and took advantage of the espresso machine while we planned our day. Finishing our drinks, we took one last trip to the library (how could we not?).

Though we felt we could have easily stayed longer, we had other exciting plans ahead of us. With much difficulty, we said farewell to the Marufukuro. Before our depart we did make sure to sign the guestbook, a way to show our gratitude for the hospitality shown to us.

I’d honestly recommend this hotel to anyone, but it holds a special kind of magic to those with an interest in Nintendo’s history. I certainly wouldn’t mind visiting again!