A closer look
Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo all the way back in 1889 as a humble business producing handmade Hanafuda playing cards in Kyoto. Long before they were legally terrorizing rom sites or convincing adults to buy cardboard accessories for a modern console, the company actually spent decades dabbling in various bizarre ventures, including a taxi service, instant rice, and even a chain of love hotels. Yes, the same wholesome corporation that eventually brought you the joy of Super Mario and Animal Crossing once profited off discreet rooms rented by the hour. It is profoundly inspiring to know that if your instant rice business fails catastrophically, you can always just invent a fat Italian plumber who eats magical mushrooms and eventually become an unstoppable multi-billion-dollar global entertainment monopoly
