Nintendo marks 137 years since founding in Kyoto

Nintendo celebrates its 137th anniversary, marking the founding of the company by Fusajiro Yamauchi in Kyoto on September 23, 1889. Originally established as Nintendo Koppai, the business began by producing Hanafuda, a traditional Japanese playing card.

Throughout its history, the company underwent several transformations. In 1951, it became Nintendo Playing Card Co. Ltd, later securing a deal with The Walt Disney Company to market cards featuring Disney characters. Following its 1962 stock market debut, Hiroshi Yamauchi transitioned the firm into Nintendo Co., Ltd. While the company explored diverse ventures such as taxi services and hotels, it found significant success in the toy industry with products like the Ultra Hand and optical gun series.

The company eventually pivoted toward electronic entertainment in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Key milestones include the launch of Game & Watch, the arcade success of Donkey Kong, and the introduction of iconic consoles such as the NES, Game Boy, and the Nintendo Switch.