I went to “Nintendo KYOTO” that opened in Takashimaya, Kyoto, so I would like to introduce you to the inside of the store.
“Nintendo KYOTO”, which opened in October 2023, is located in Kyoto Takashimaya S.C. “T8” and is the third directly managed store after Tokyo and Osaka, and has attracted attention even before its opening.
It’s so popular that admission is restricted on holidays, but since it was a weekday morning, I was able to get in without lining up.
I thought there would be a lot of people with children, but I was surprised to see that there were many people from overseas, and most of the visitors were adults.
The 7th floor is a store that sells goods, divided into character goods familiar from games and a Nintendo Switch corner. Among the approximately 1,500 goods, there are limited edition items that can only be obtained at Kyoto Takashimaya, so it’s worth a look.
Interior decoration of dots (pixels)
As the store is located in Kyoto, the birthplace of Nintendo, the interior is inspired by dots and grids, which can be said to be the origins of game characters. (The interior is grid-like like the Nintendo headquarters building and the GameCube)
Even the logo at the back of the store and the decorations on the ceiling are square.
Logo inside the store
Ceiling in the store
Of course, the exhibits on the walls and the tables lined with goods are basically arranged in a square.
Interior with a focus on square shapes
Character goods categorized by theme
The character goods in the store are divided into corners such as “Super Mario,” “The Legend of Zelda,” “Pig-In,” “Kirby,” and “Animal Forest.” There were stuffed animals, dolls, T-shirts, and even daily necessities and stationery.
It can be difficult to find your favorite among over 1,500 items, but all of them have colorful and familiar characters, making it fun to search.
Small children will have a lot of fun as they can even pick up the goods they are interested in. Also, adults can feel like children again since there are many characters they played with when they were children.
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日用品
Popular ones are Mario and Zelda
I have a personal opinion, but I think Mario and Zelda are Nintendo’s most popular games.
The Triforce-themed poster “The Legend Zelda,” displayed in the Legend of Zelda corner, has a cool look that completely changes Nintendo’s image of cute characters.
The hoodie and towel also have a cool design, so I’m planning on buying them.
Very popular stuffed toy!
After all, Mario is number one for people! Small children always come to touch it.
Nintendo Switch corner
The Nintendo Switch corner sells games and game software. Since it is an official store, you can freely mix and match the colors of the limited edition Nintendo Switch (organic EL model) main unit’s Joy-Con™, Joy-Con strap, and Nintendo Switch dock. that’s right.
Rooftop photo spot
If you take the escalator inside the store to the rooftop, you will find a venue where you can take a commemorative photo with Mario with the “Nintendo KYOTO” logo in the background.
When you go up to the rooftop, a female staff member wearing a cool head microphone will be standing by, and if you hand over your smartphone (camera), she will take a commemorative photo for you.
Even though I felt embarrassed, I held on to the pole and had my photo taken. (I would like to take pictures with small children)
Being on the rooftop, there is a sense of freedom. Taking a commemorative photo with Mario holding on to the goal pole will give you the exhilarating feeling of finishing in a game.
Deals
There is a corner near the center of the store where you can check in, so if you check in with your Nintendo Account, you will receive an original sticker.
Also, if you present the QR code of the Nintendo app “My Nintendo” at the time of checkout, you will be given gold points according to the purchase price, so please ask the staff in the store.
You can download the “My Nintendo” smartphone app here.⇒My Nitendo
Finally
This time, we introduced “Nintendo KYOTO”, which can be enjoyed not only by children but also by adults. Since Nintendo originated in Kyoto, this will be the base for disseminating information about Nintendo in Japan.
There are also events and game tournaments planned, so it looks like you’ll be able to have fun without getting bored.
The location is inside Takashimaya Kyoto store.