Nintendo's New Fukuoka Store Sparks Mixed Reactions

Nintendo has exciting news for fans in Japan, announcing the opening of a new official store in Fukuoka at the end of 2025. Named Nintendo Fukuoka, it will be the company's fourth official store in Japan, following Nintendo Tokyo, Nintendo Osaka, and Nintendo Kyoto. What sets Nintendo Fukuoka apart is its location on the southernmost main island of Kyushu, in Fukuoka City, marking the first time a Nintendo store will be situated outside of Japan’s largest island, Honshu.

The announcement on X (formerly Twitter) sparked a wave of positive reactions from Japanese fans. Many expressed their congratulations and hoped for more Nintendo stores across the country. Some even suggested that Sapporo, the largest city on the northernmost island of Hokkaido, could be the next ideal location for a Nintendo store.

However, the news wasn't met with universal approval. A significant number of commenters were disappointed that Nintendo chose to bypass Nagoya, the capital of Aichi prefecture and Japan's fourth-largest city. Nagoya suffers from a reputation of being "boring," which was highlighted in a 2016 survey conducted by the city's own government. In this survey, residents of Japan's eight biggest cities ranked their cities for attractiveness to travelers. Notably, Nagoya residents placed their city third, behind Tokyo and Kyoto, showcasing a unique case of local modesty. Additionally, Nagoya's location between Tokyo and Osaka often leads to it being skipped by events and tours, a phenomenon dubbed the "Nagoya Skip" and illustrated in the anime "Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki." The recent announcement of a new 17,000-person arena set to open in Nagoya in July has stirred hopes among city officials and local media that this development will help combat the "Nagoya Skip" trend (source: Chukyo TV).

Nintendo Fukuoka will be strategically located within a shopping mall at Hakata Station, Kyushu's largest major railway hub. This location is well-connected by bullet train to Honshu and by plane to Fukuoka Airport, making it highly accessible for residents of surrounding prefectures and inbound tourists. Since the lifting of pandemic restrictions, Fukuoka has seen a steady increase in visitors, particularly from South Korea, and this number is expected to grow (source: 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 various Nintendo merchandise, as well as participate in events and hands-on previews of upcoming titles. With the anticipated launch of the Switch 2, Nintendo Fukuoka is poised to play a significant role in promoting and introducing the new console to a broader audience.

In other Nintendo news, the company recently opened its first West Coast store in the U.S., 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.