Touring Japan as an EarthBound Fan

Nintendo headquarters in Kyoto is really cool – actually, scratch that, it’s just an office building they won’t let you in. But still, I made that pilgrimage when I went and I didn’t regret it. Not the most scenic part of town or anything, but yeah.

Well, EB was based around Dragon Quest, so some EB fans might also like DQ. In Japan, there’s a place called Luida’s Bar, which offers DQ-themed decoration and food, but I forgot where it is in Japan.

Yeah, Luida’s Bar is legit. I can’t also recommend enough going to Fuji TV Station in Odaiba (if only to see some Game Center CX stuff ((somewhat EB/Mother related))), but a trip to Akihabara is a must! If they’re looking to try and score some Mother swag, the many game stores there should have some sweet merch. Super Potato is the big one, but there are several others there in Akiba. I wish I could remember the name of the store but there is a used goods store that also has an English webpage that sells a good number of Mother merchandise (I got my Mother 2 figures from there for a good price). If I can think of any others I’ll post ’em.

I will be following this conversation closely, add it is super useful info for future trips!

Hey mato, not sure if you saw this but you got a shoutout from BITF on teus. , and i didnt know if you saw it. heres the link. http://brawlinthefamily.keenspot.com/
(sorry if this isnt the best way to contact you, just didnt know a better way.)

It would be pretty neat to go to those arcades where Mother 2 and Mr. Saturn figurines can be acquired through UFO/Crane machines. I wonder if there are still those machines, and where they must be.

The restaurants were cool but I’d be WAY more interested in knowing any locations that sell Earthbound/Mother merchandise. We obviously can’t find much of it here.

I live in northern Japan (Misawa AFB). There is a thrift store like chain called “Game Souko” that sells a lot of used merchandise, particularly video game’s and video game memorabilia. Haven’t seen any figurines or plush toys yet, was able to snag a boxed copy of Mother 1+2 and Mother 3 for 2,000 yen a piece. Not sure about the Tokyo or Kyoto area, but I’m pretty sure they have a Game Souko in both cities if you ask around.

I’d say, check out some Japanese arcades, as some may have Mr. Saturn plushies in the Crane Machine/UFO Catchers.

Ahh~! I just remembered the name of the place! Mandarake! They sell MOTHER goods on a pretty regular basis, both new and used. They are definitely worth checking out. Like I said in my earlier post, Super Potato is a must see, but their stuff can be a bit more expensive than they should be.