Published date: February 4, 2025
[Family Trip for 2 Adults and 2 Elementary School Kids] A Visit to the Nintendo Museum!
Room Type Stayed
Some info has been automatically translated by AI.
Experience of the stay
In October 2024, the Nintendo Museum opened in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture.
Being a family of game lovers, we managed to get tickets for the end of December after going through the competitive lottery.
It takes about 5 hours by car from Tokyo, but since we got tickets for morning admission, we decided it would be too tough to leave that morning… so we thought, let’s stay in Kyoto the night before! We found this hotel on HafH.
It’s very convenient, right in front of Kyoto Station, and it takes about an hour by car to reach the Nintendo Museum.
Also, I remember that Daiwa Roynet Group offers free accommodation for elementary school children, which made it an easy decision.
My husband is a HafH member, so we split the booking.
Upon arrival, the first-floor entrance was directly connected to a convenience store, making it easy to grab snacks and drinks.
The parking fee is 1,700 yen per night. The lobby was beautifully decorated for Christmas, enhancing the atmosphere.
As we enjoyed our welcome drinks and headed to our room, we found it to be a very clean and relaxing space. From our room's window, we had a great view of the platforms at Kyoto Station, and our kids were thrilled to see the shinkansen, which they don’t usually see.
Be aware that you'll hear train announcements from early morning until late at night, so it might not be the best for those who prefer a quieter stay.
I personally enjoyed listening to the diverse people leaving from this station, feeling a sense of adventure.
For dinner, we took a 15-minute walk to the other side of Kyoto Station and had clam ramen at "Kitata."
There aren’t dining facilities in the hotel, but there are countless restaurants nearby, so I don’t think you’ll have any trouble with meals.
The next morning, as we went down to the lobby, it had transformed from Christmas decorations to New Year’s decorations. It felt like a great bargain to experience two seasons at once.
We had pre-ordered the breakfast buffet when checking in, so we headed to the restaurant. ₍Adults 1650 yen, Children 6-11 years 990 yen₎
We all wore Nintendo character T-shirts, which made us a bit shy, but we were able to enjoy a delicious and leisurely meal.
The price was low, but the variety was abundant, and we had a lot of fun.
It felt more luxurious than a standard business hotel, and we had a comfortable stay.
I would definitely like to stay here again when I come to Kyoto.
Experiences during the trip
After breakfast, we took some time to relax before setting off for the long-awaited Nintendo Museum!
Suddenly, the Nintendo logo appears in the residential area of Uji.
I couldn't contain my excitement the moment I saw the sign.
Upon entering, we headed straight for the merchandise shop and bought everything we had our eyes on. (We had heard in advance that things would sell out if we didn't buy them first.) Early on, I had to carry a giant controller cushion, but I was extremely satisfied because I was able to buy everything I wanted.
₍Please note that there are no lockers upon entry…₎
Inside, there were plenty of photo spots, hidden Pikmin, and lots of little jokes, leaving us with no time to rest.
We played cooperative games with a giant controller, experienced retro games, and colored Hanafuda cards… both our kids and we, as a couple, were having a blast.
In the museum area where we could see the history of Nintendo, the two adults got a bit too carried away reminiscing, leaving the kids slightly bored.
For lunch, we made our own original burgers at the attached café.
There are said to be over 270,000 combinations you can make.
Whether you're a gamer or not, this place is definitely worth a visit!
(As of now, you need to enter a lottery three months in advance for your desired date, so be sure to check the official website carefully…)
From there, we moved on to Nara, stayed at a Marriott hotel (We did not use HafH for this one), and then enjoyed some sightseeing in Nara before heading home.
It turned out to be a wonderful end-of-year trip.