Secret Nintendo café in Tokyo opens doors to the public

Hashimoto sits inside 84, a secret café for Nintendo fans, in Tokyo, Japan. Tucked away at the back of a nondescript building in the hip Shibuya district, the establishment named 84 is the brainchild of the former Nintendo Co. employee, who initially conceived it as a sanctuary for game developers to nerd out and relax. — Bloomberg

For years, a former Nintendo Co employee ran a members-only diner at a secret location in Tokyo, frequented by movers and shakers in the video game industry. After closing its doors just before the pandemic last year, it has quietly reopened as a café and this time anyone can make a reservation. It’s a one-of-a-kind industry institution filled with classic game memorabilia that insists on keeping its location a mystery.

Tucked away at the back of a nondescript building in the hip Shibuya district, the establishment named 84 is the brainchild of Toru Hashimoto, who initially conceived it as a sanctuary for game developers to nerd out and relax. Entering the venue triggers a Legend Of Zelda achievement jingle. On the walls are impromptu doodles by the creators of legendary franchises like Pokémon, Dragon Quest and Mega Man. And scattered around the place are precious artifacts from Hashimoto’s time in Nintendo.