October 27th 2024.
As I sit here at my desk, still feeling the jet lag from my recent trip to Japan, I can't help but reflect on the amazing adventures I had while I was there. One of the highlights of my trip was my visit to the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto. As a long-time fan of Nintendo, I had been eagerly anticipating this experience, but getting tickets turned out to be more difficult than I expected.
I had hoped to secure tickets before leaving the UK, but unfortunately, all the ballots for the dates I would be in Kyoto had already passed. The only available tickets were for January, which was months away. Disappointed but still determined, I continued my trip without a visit to the museum on the itinerary.
It wasn't until I was on a train in Kyoto, scrolling through the usual travel and restaurant recommendations on my phone, that I stumbled upon a link to the Nintendo ticket availability website. On a whim, I clicked on it and was pleasantly surprised to see that there were tickets available for two days later. I couldn't believe my luck!
After some back and forth between my wife and I, we were able to confirm the tickets and I received the confirmation in my inbox. It was like winning the lottery. I've checked regularly since then, but I've never seen tickets available for any other date, so I truly feel like I lucked out.
The museum was located about half an hour outside of central Kyoto, in a quiet suburban area. Upon arrival, we were greeted by security who checked our tickets and directed us to the appropriate line for our time slot. We arrived about 15 minutes before our scheduled entry, so we joined the line and eagerly waited for our turn.
Once inside, we went through the standard security checks and received our credit card-style tokens. We had the option to choose a Mii or Mario image for our tokens, and of course, we went with Mario. These tokens were used for the interactive activities inside the museum, with each activity costing 10 coins.
The first thing we encountered was a small courtyard with some fun photo opportunities, like standing in a pipe or jumping under a block to look like you're breaking it. It was a cute little introduction before we headed into the main building on the left.
As we entered, we were greeted by a line of five Toads, each making different noises and singing when you moved their heads. It was a small detail, but it just felt so quintessentially Nintendo. We were then informed that we were not allowed to take any photos or videos in the museum, with the exception of the interactive area. This was a bit disappointing, as the museum had a lot of interesting exhibits that I would have loved to capture.
As we rode the escalator up, we were met with a sight that would make any Nintendo fanboy or fangirl's heart skip a beat. All the Nintendo consoles, from Game & Watch to Switch, were laid out before us. There were also various versions of each console and their peripherals, like lightguns and robots. It was a trip down memory lane as we exclaimed, "Do you remember that?" or "I never knew they made one of those for that console!".
The museum also had a section dedicated to other items that Nintendo had produced, such as a foldable pushchair and a ping pong ball launcher. It was fascinating to see the diverse range of products that Nintendo had dabbled in. Many of these items had old TV commercials playing above them on retro CRTs, which added to the nostalgic atmosphere.
One of the highlights for me was seeing a giant N64 controller on display. It was a funny sight and reminded me of the days when I used to play with my friends, struggling to reach all the buttons on that oversized controller.
Overall, my visit to the Nintendo Museum was a dream come true. It was a combination of nostalgia and discovery as I explored the history of my favorite gaming company. And to think, it all started with a lucky click on my phone while riding a train in Kyoto.
I just got back from an incredible trip to Japan yesterday. I've been walking around for over two weeks, and let me tell you, the long flight back home has left me feeling completely exhausted this morning. But I can't complain, because I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced such a beautiful and unique country. The people I met were some of the kindest and most genuine individuals I've ever encountered in my travels around the world.
Before my trip, I had been eagerly anticipating a visit to the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto. I've been a huge fan of Nintendo for as long as I can remember, and I truly believe they create some of the best games in the world. I used to import their consoles from Japan even before they were released in Europe, that's how dedicated I am. Unfortunately, when I tried to secure tickets before my trip, I found out that the ballots had already passed for the dates I would be there, and the next available tickets were for January. Talk about bad luck!
But as they say, fortune favors the bold. While on a train in Kyoto, I was going through the icons on my phone that I had saved for the trip, including links to restaurants and travel advice. That's when I noticed one icon that I didn't recognize. I clicked on it and realized it was the link to check for ticket availability at the Nintendo Museum. I thought, why not give it a try? And to my amazement, tickets were available for two days from then. I couldn't believe my luck!
The only problem was that I only had a data plan for Japan, and in order to confirm the tickets, I needed to call a number. Luckily, with the help of my wife, we were able to sort out the authorization and I received the ticket confirmation in my inbox. I was beyond ecstatic. I've checked regularly since then, but I haven't seen any tickets available for the dates I wanted, so I truly believe that this was a stroke of luck equivalent to winning the lottery.
The museum is located about half an hour outside of central Kyoto, and upon arrival, it's clear that you're in a Japanese suburb. There's not much around other than houses. A leisurely 10-minute walk leads you to the front gate, where security checks your ticket and directs you to the appropriate line for your designated time slot. We had arrived 15 minutes early, so we waited in line for our turn.
After going through security, where they check for any prohibited items like food or drinks, you're given a credit-card style token. You can choose to have a Mii image or Mario's face on it, and we opted for the latter. This token is used throughout the museum for the interactive elements. It holds 10 coins, which are used up as you participate in the activities.
Next, you enter a small courtyard with grassy mounds and photo opportunities with Mario-related items such as standing in pipes or jumping under blocks to look like you're breaking them. It's a cute little introduction to what's in store.
Finally, it was time to enter the museum. There are two buildings, one housing the interactive video game section on the left, and the other with a family area where you can create cards and a burger restaurant on the right. We headed into the main building on the left, not realizing that we needed to book a slot for the card creation area. Unfortunately, by the time we finished the first section, it was too late to book a slot, and we couldn't wait for the next available time.
Inside the main entrance, you're greeted by a line of five Toads in different colors. If you move their heads, they make noises and sing, which may seem trivial, but it's so quintessentially Nintendo. As you continue, you're reminded that no photography or recording is allowed in the museum, except for the interactive area. It's a shame, because the museum section is really interesting, but you can probably find most of the information online with a little searching.
As you ascend the escalator, any Nintendo fan's dream comes to life. All the Nintendo consoles are laid out, from Game & Watch to Switch. There are also various versions of each console and their accompanying peripherals, such as light guns, robots, printers, and connectors. You'll find yourself saying, "Oh, do you remember that?" or "I never knew you could get one of those for that!" There are also details on sales by region and other information about each console's lifecycle. It takes some time to go through all the items, but it's truly fascinating.
In this area, you'll also find items related to Nintendo's history of producing non-gaming items such as strollers, periscopes, ping pong ball launchers, board games, toy cars, and card games. It's a diverse range of items that you may never have known were produced by Nintendo. Above them, old CRTs play old TV commercials, many of which are hilariously dated.
One of the highlights is a giant N64 controller, which is a must-see for any fan. Overall, the Nintendo Museum is a must-visit for anyone who appreciates the history and impact of this iconic company. I feel incredibly fortunate to have gotten tickets and experienced it for myself. It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I will cherish the memories for years to come.
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