Kyoto's Marufukuro Hotel: Stay in Nintendo's Original Headquarters!

The Inside Story for Nintendo Fans

Nintendo, the famous game company that was established in 1889, initially produced and sold traditional Japanese playing cards such as hanafuda and karuta.

Fusajiro Yamauchi was Nintendo's founder and also a hanafuda craftsman. In business and with games, he believed in the importance of skills and intelligence, but also in that of luck.

It's from this belief that the name Nintendo was born. Nintendo's underlying meaning is, "Do your best and let the heavens do the rest," or in other words, "Do all that's required to the best of your ability, then leave the rest up to fate."

After the paper hanafuda cards became a big hit, Nintendo also successfully produced Japan's first very own "Trump" cards (standard 52-card deck).

Giving a Historic Building a New Lease on Life

In 1947, second-generation president Sekiryo Yamauchi established a distribution company, Marufuku Co., Ltd. The company headquarters was the predecessor of the building that would later become the Marufukuro Hotel.

The three buildings functioned as an office, residence, and warehouse, and for more than 10 years continued looking over the history of the Yamauchi family and their staff.

Even after the company moved to a new location, the staff returned here every month to open the windows and ventilate the rooms. As a result, the buildings have remained in excellent condition despite being more than 100 years old.

Then, under the expert direction of the company Plan・Do・See Inc., this spot was newly reborn as the Marufukuro Hotel.

A Door That Allows You To Feel Nintendo's Long History

The Marufukuro Hotel is comprised of three existing buildings in addition to a newly restored building.

When you open the hotel's dark-green doors, the first thing that catches your eye is the former office space and a long hallway with an old storage area at the back.

Left: A wooden box imprinted with Nintendo's name used for trump playing cards. Upper right: An employee time clock. Lower right: A wooden box for bills and accounts.

According to a hotel spokesperson, the company wasn't allowed to change the size of the previous space. So they tried to make the best use of what was already there, by keeping materials and objects used in daily life at the time and using them throughout the building. These seem to add eye-catching details to the entire hotel.

The retro elevator that once carried packages and goods, quietly remains even today, as if telling stories of a bygone era.

dNa: A Library That Explores the Origins of Nintendo

The Yamauchi family, founders of Nintendo, have also curated a library called dNa.

Classic games such as GameBoy as well as related books and documents are on display. It will soon become apparent to visitors here why Nintendo places such a high value on originality and playfulness when it comes to product development.

Their philosophy of not being afraid to take on new challenges continues to lead them to the cutting edge of their industry.

A Project Using Tadao Ando's Originality and Ingenuity

The hotel's 18 guest rooms feature seven different types that combine Western and Japanese influences. The room designs were overseen by famous architect Tadao Ando.

Each of the four guest suites showcases its own unique interior decor, furniture, and lighting. So each time you visit you're sure to discover something new.

A Sophisticated New Building Designed by Tadao Ando

Architect Tadao Ando expresses a minimalist kind of architecture with the skillful use of exposed concrete building materials.

He was very particular about excluding extravagent decor―in the new annex as well―so that light and space could blend together and interact naturally.

In some guest rooms, Tadao Ando left behind his own signature and caricature on the walls. Fans of Mr. Ando will surely be pleased to see this personal touch.

An Existing Building With an Elegant and Retro Charm

The existing buildings are modest but elegant just the same. While making full use of their original architectural style, decorations were kept to a minimum so that the interior does not appear flashy.

Guests here can enjoy some relaxing time immersed in these old-fashioned, classic surroundings.

The Japanese Suite is a fusion of Western and Japanese styles.

Here you can see influences from one of Ando's earlier works, a private residence called Azuma House (Nagaya). Guests can move easily across a glassed-in hallway connecting the tatami room with the guest rooms (see photos below).

In the courtyard patio there's a luxurious open-air bath (rotemburo) that allows you to enjoy the scenery of each season. The highlight of this suite is being able to have a special, out-of-the-ordinary kind of experience that's connected with the weather.

The Balcony King guest room―right down to the smallest of details―has a unique classical feel. For example, the old-style yet modern wood-grain ceiling fan, the wine-red carpet that gives the space a relaxing atmosphere, and the balcony's white and black tiles.

When you turn around and look back from the open-air balcony you'll see the Nintendo sign right before your eyes.

Restaurant carta: A Cozy Spot Serving Yoshoku Cuisine

Instead of serving luxurious banquet-style cuisine, Restaurant carta would like travelers to feel right at home from the moment they taste the food at the beginning and end of their trip.

The menu at carta was created by culinary expert Ai Hosokawa.

She takes seasonal fruit and ingredients and combines it with fermented foods and seasonings that have been used in Japan since ancient times. The result is a never-before-seen, reinterpreted Western-style cuisine that is healthy for your body.

In Closing

When you visit the Marufukuro Hotel and sit down on the comfortable sofa, it feels like you're listening to soft and soothing music coming from a record.

Here you can bask in a history and atmosphere from more than 50 years ago, and have your Nintendo pilgrimage wishes fulfilled.

For Nintendo fans and architecture lovers alike, why not stay at the Marufukuro Hotel on your next Kyoto visit and leisurely follow in the footsteps of history?

Marufu Building

342 Kagiya-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 600-8126