Nintendo's New Fukuoka Store Sparks Mixed Reactions

Nintendo has exciting news for fans in Japan, announcing the opening of a new official store, Nintendo Fukuoka, set to launch at the end of 2025. This will mark the company’s fourth official store in the country, following the successful openings of Nintendo Tokyo, Nintendo Osaka, and Nintendo Kyoto. Unlike its predecessors, which are all located on Honshu, Japan's largest island, Nintendo Fukuoka will be situated in Fukuoka City on the southernmost main island of Kyushu.

The announcement on X (formerly Twitter) has sparked a wave of positive reactions from the Japanese gaming community, with many expressing their congratulations and hopes for more Nintendo stores across Japan. Some users even suggested that Sapporo, the largest city on Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, could be a fitting location for the next Nintendo store.

However, not all feedback was celebratory. A significant number of commenters expressed disappointment over the apparent oversight of Nagoya, Japan’s fourth-largest city and the capital of Aichi prefecture. Nagoya, a major manufacturing hub located in central Japan, has been grappling with a reputation for being "boring," a perception that was highlighted in a 2016 survey conducted by the city's own government. The survey asked residents of Japan's eight largest cities to rank them in terms of attractiveness to travelers. Interestingly, while residents of other cities ranked their own city first, Nagoyans placed their city third, behind Tokyo and Kyoto.

Nagoya's location between Tokyo and Osaka often results in it being bypassed by events and tours, a phenomenon known as the "Nagoya Skip," which was humorously addressed in the anime "Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki." This sentiment likely fueled the outcry over Nintendo's decision to open a store in Fukuoka rather than Nagoya. Adding to the conversation, Nagoya has recently been in the news for the upcoming opening of a new 17,000-person arena in July, which local officials hope will help combat the "Nagoya Skip" trend, as reported by Chukyo TV.

Nintendo Fukuoka will be conveniently located within a shopping mall at Hakata Station, Kyushu’s largest railway hub. This strategic placement not only connects it via bullet train to Honshu but also to Fukuoka Airport, making it easily accessible for both locals and tourists. Since the lifting of pandemic restrictions, Fukuoka has seen an increase in inbound tourism, especially from South Korea, and these numbers are expected to grow further, according to the Fukuoka Prefectural Government.

Nintendo's official stores are more than just retail spaces; they are vibrant hubs where fans can purchase Switch consoles, games, accessories, and a wide range of Nintendo merchandise. These stores also host events and offer hands-on experiences with new titles, suggesting that Nintendo Fukuoka will play a key role in promoting the highly anticipated Switch 2 and engaging with a broader audience.

In related news, Nintendo has expanded its presence in the U.S. by opening its first West Coast store, Nintendo San Francisco. IGN had the opportunity to tour the store and interview Nintendo of America's president, Doug Bowser, to learn more about this exciting development.