As a surprise to nobody, Japan is a top tourist destination. It’s not just gorgeous country with high-quality food, breathtaking sights, and friendly locals, but it also has an incredibly robust gaming culture that would put any nerd like myself into a blissful coma. I recently returned from Japan after running the 2026 Kyoto marathon (thanks to Nintendo sponsoring this race due to Mario’s 40th anniversary). While I was there, I was able to visit several gaming-related places and wish to share them with you in case you’re able to make it there sometime in the near future.
Note that I’ve only been to Japan twice, and I really only focused on gaming culture in the most recent trip, so my list is far from all-inclusive. I hope to return to Japan and add to this!
Kyoto
While not nearly as massive as Tokyo, there are some gaming gems in Kyoto. Here are some top places worth visiting if you’re a gamer. Bonus points if you love Nintendo:
Nintendo Museum
The Nintendo Museum opened up in Kyoto back in 2024. You must apply for the lottery system before you can purchase tickets, three months prior to your intended visit. You also need a Nintendo account. Despite all this, the trip is worth it. After a quick subway ride, it was easy to get to the site, and the employees were incredibly helpful. The museum itself is very much worth it, and I could put aside 2-3 hours to the visit.
The museum consists of two floors: the historical/archival level, where cameras are off-limits. It’s a circular room that documents Nintendo’s history from Hanafuda cards to each console generation. It also has a section dedicated to original concept art of Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and more. The lower level has all the interactive sections, which were a blast. Nintendo gives you a set number of virtual coins to spend on various activities. I went on a weekday afternoon and there still were sizeable lines; however, they all moved along fairly well. Lastly, there’s the gift shop, and you can imagine the goodies you can walk away with.
Nintendo Store – Kyoto
Nintendo Kyoto was a delightful experience, and it blew me away with all their exclusive goodies. I went after the Nintendo Museum, and I thought I was all set for souvenirs. Boy, was I wrong. Now, I’ve already been to Nintendo in New York, and I’ve found the locations in Japan have a lot of things not available in the United States. Even if you’re not in it to spend a lot of money, there were a lot of fun things to see and experience.
Author’s Note: In the neighboring city of Osaka, you also will find Super Nintendo World. I did not visit this location due to time restraints, and mileage will vary based on your travel goals in Japan. Even though it’s not a main point on my list, I at least wanted to mention it!
Tokyo
Tokyo is massive. You can find just about anything here: clothes, food, manga, a Godzilla statue, and more. You can also imagine that this capital of Japan is teeming with gaming stores, museums, and arcades.
Super Potato
This was high on my list to visit although I was unable to make it this year; however, it is very much worthy of this list. Super Potato has been commonly cited as a top-tier place for gamers to visit. There is a slew of retro consoles for sale and arcade games to enjoy. There are a few locations in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, but their flagship store is in Akihabara, Tokyo- also known as electric town- and odds are you’ll be visiting the area anyway.
Capcom Museum / Any Pop-up Exhibit
Technically the Capcom Creation: Moving Hearts Across the Globe has come and gone, but it’s worth mentioning because there are always pop-up exhibits or stores depending on time of year or gaming anniversary. I highly recommend looking up what’s going on while you’re in Japan on sites such as Essential Japan. These are when you can secure some exclusive loot.
Capcom Store / SEGA Store / Nintendo – Tokyo / Pokémon Center
These are lumped together because these stores are literally all on the same floor of one building: the Shibuya Parco mall. I nearly had a heart attack. Nintendo Tokyo is similar to the Kyoto location, but it’s still worth the visit. You will find lots of Sonic the Hedgehog merch at SEGA, as well as items from Atlus there. Capcom has insane merch, and the Pokémon center seemingly has plushies for almost every single Pokémon.
Themed Cafes
There are a handful of themed cafes in Tokyo that aren’t just Maid Cafes. If you are a fan of Pokémon, Kirby, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, or Monster Hunter, there is a cafe for you! Just know that many of them either require or highly recommend making a reservation. These cafes are purely fan service, with decor and treats inspired by the associated franchise.
Fangamer Store
Yes, there’s a Fangamer location in Shibuya, Tokyo! Check out their site and plan a visit!
Arcades
There are numerous arcades in Japan, especially Tokyo because of how embedded gaming is in their culture. The arcade scene is much different to that in the United States (honestly, putting ours to shame). Hot spots are in the Shibuya and Akihabara neighborhoods and are hard to miss. You will find modern games, retro games, rhythm games, and VR games. You are bound to find a handful of games you’ll love to waste your time on!
Gachapon Stores
There are gachapon machines and stores dedicated to the… hobby (?) EVERYWHERE. The variety of content in these machines also impressive, and they do have a selection of video-game themed gachapons such as Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, PlayStation, and even Professor Layton. There are several locations just list the arcade listing above, so many to list here, but Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Akihabara are hot spots. Capcom hosts gachapon stores in Akihabara.
Japan is a wonderful place to visit for many reasons, but if you’re a gamer, be prepared to bring an extra suitcase…or buy another suitcase there. The experiences are memorable, and you’ll feel right at home.
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