Someone is trying to open ‘Mario Ramen’ in front of Nintendo Museum in Japan

A business owner is trying to open a ‘Mario Ramen’ shop right in front of the Nintendo Museum in Japan, raising potential legal issues.

The business owner is reportedly planning to open a ramen shop named ‘M.A.R.I.O Ramen’ just steps away from the iconic Nintendo Museum, which has been welcoming visitors for several months now.

On January 23, Kyotopi_jp, an X account known for sharing updates on Kyoto events and cuisine, posted about a newly discovered establishment. While the noodle shop hasn’t opened its doors yet, its eye-catching signboard prominently shows ‘M.A.R.I.O Ramen’ in the familiar red and white color scheme.

While the restaurant shows no indication of being officially affiliated with Nintendo, it’s clear they are capitalizing on the brand’s iconic name and characters.

With Nintendo is known for being litigious, X users in Japan have been eagerly awaiting to see how this bold noodle venture will fare, considering it’s poking the bear.

Since M.A.R.I.O Ramen is conveniently located near Nintendo’s headquarters, many speculate that the owner is aiming to draw in visitors from the nearby museum by presenting the place as an official Mario-themed spot. This could potentially lead to legal consequences.

Others, however, have given the ramen spot the benefit of the doubt, suggesting that it could be a Kyoto version of Mario Ryuu Ramen, a well-known noodle shop from Nara.

But a quick Google search shows that the Nara-based establishment spells “Mario” in hiragana in its logo, with the kanji for “ryuu” at the end. This makes it distinct from the ‘M.A.R.I.O Ramen’ joint.

On January 29, locals noticed that the ‘M.A.R.I.O. Ramen’ sign had disappeared from the restaurant’s exterior. It’s unclear whether this change occurred as a result of Nintendo intervening, the restaurant deciding to sidestep potential legal issues, or if the business closed before ever opening.