Who Founded Nintendo? Fusajiro Yamauchi & the Company's Origins

Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo on September 23, 1889 in Kyoto, Japan.

Original Business

The company began as Nintendo Koppai (任天堂骨牌), manufacturing and selling Hanafuda (flower cards)—traditional Japanese playing cards. The name "Nintendo" (任天堂) roughly translates to "leave luck to heaven" or "the temple of free hanafuda."

Key Succession

• Fusajiro Yamauchi (1889–1929)
• Sekiryo Kaneda (adopted son, 1929–1949)
• Hiroshi Yamauchi (grandson, 1949–2002) – transitioned to toys, then video games.

Fusajiro's card company laid the foundation for over a century of entertainment innovation.