Nintendo underwent several name changes due to legal reasons. “Marufuku,” as seen on the sign above, was one of them. Image: Meiji 150-nen Kyoto no Kiseki official website
Before becoming known as an international electronic gaming company, Nintendo started out as a humble playing cards maker. Photos of their original headquarters has been circulating on the internet to remind gamers of the company’s beginnings.
The photos came from the “Meiji 150-nen Kyoto no Kiseki” (150 Years of Meiji: Kyoto’s Wonders) project. It collects various photos depicting old Kyoto during the Meiji era, reports French website Omake Books.
According to the report, historian Isao Yamazaki discovered the old photo, which was taken in 1889.
Nintendo’s history names Fusajiro Yamauchi as the company’s founder. But before founding the company, he was known as Fusajiro Fukui. His employer at the time, Naoshichi Yamauchi, adopted him in 1881. Fusajiro started Nintendo in 1889 to sell Hanafuda playing cards. He also became the head of Naoshichi’s Haikyo cement and wood company.
While the Romaji characters read “Marufuku”, the Japanese kanji characters read “Yamauchi Nintendo.” Image: Meiji 150-nen Kyoto no Kiseki official website
After many years as head of both companies, Fusajiro would later pass the torch in 1916 to his son-in-law, who was also adopted.
While Nintendo developed into the electronic game maker entity that it is today, Haikyo grew into the construction business and now has a fifth-generation Yamauchi as its head. It also kept good ties with Nintendo and even built many of the game company’s facilities.
Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that Nintendo has also kept with the company roots and continues to sell Hanafuda cards on its website. /ra
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