Nintendo Kyoto, Japan: Channelling Our Inner Child, Kyoto, Japan

Super Mario was (and still is) the undisputed favourite. Every console, from SNES through Wii to Switch, came with one non-negotiable: a Mario game.

If you grew up playing Nintendo, visiting Kyoto adds a completely different layer to your Japan trip. So when we found ourselves in Kyoto, adding a Nintendo Kyoto experience to our itinerary was not even a question.

What we did not expect was to walk straight into a slice of gaming history, one that explains why Kyoto is one of the best places in Japan for Nintendo fans, Super Mario lovers, and gaming travellers.

Because Kyoto is not just temples and geishas, it is the birthplace of Nintendo. And it is where Super Mario was imagined.

Planning a Japan trip? Save this guide for your Nintendo and Super Mario bucket list, and let Feet Do Travel show you how to channel your inner child with a visit to the Nintendo Store, Kyoto.

Nintendo was founded in Kyoto, Japan, on 23 September 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, long before video games, consoles, or Mario Kart.

Originally, Nintendo produced traditional Japanese playing cards called hanafuda. Over time, the company evolved into toys, then video games, and eventually one of the most recognisable gaming brands in the world. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).