When it was announced that Nintendo’s former headquarters was going to be turned into a hotel, I imagined the worse case scenario: a cheesy cash-in to make some quick yen. That certainly doesn’t appear to be the end result. The hotel looks to be a stunning celebration of Nintendo’s heritage.
The building has long been a popular pilgrimage site, with Nintendo fans trekking over to stand outside and take selfies. But starting this Friday, it will open as Marufukuro — meaning, you can now sleep and eat here.
Previously, we saw images of the headquarters prior to renovation. Now, a day before guests arrive, we have a look at how the revamped digs look — and I must say, they appear to be spectacular.
The renovation seems to be lovely and respectfully done — like a restoration that overs overnight accommodation.
The hotel is filled with antiques.
There are hanafuda cards on the wall and other nods to Nintendo’s playing card pedigree.
There is also a library called “DNA,” that pays tribute to Nintendo’s history, complete with a Famicom and digital displays showing hanafuda cards.
Made up of three connected buildings, the hotel has 18 rooms, including seven suites. One of the buildings is the former Yamauchi family home.
World-famous architect Tadao Ando designed a new annex for the hotel.
Rooms start at 100,000 yen ($US822 ($1,141)) a night. The hotel is all-inclusive, so guests get breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are also apparently snacks available all around the clock.
This isn’t Nintendo’s first headquarters. In 1889, Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Marufuku Nintendo Card Co., producing traditional Japanese playing cards called hanafuda, and eventually Western playing cards as well. That building was demolished in 2004, and is apparently now a parking lot.
In the past few years, other landmarks have been turned into hotels, with the final results varying and sometimes not turning out so great. This hotel, however, looks very, very nice.
Check out an inside tour by Paolo from Tokyo in the clip below:
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