Nintendo Museum Kyoto Ticket Guide — How to Enter, Buy, and Visit Smoothly

If you’re planning a trip to the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, getting tickets can feel confusing at first — especially because the museum uses a lottery system instead of regular ticket sales.

This guide walks you through everything you need to know: how the lottery works, how to enter, what to do if you win, and the steps to complete your ticket purchase. If you’re looking for details about the Call Verification step, I’ve created a separate, in-depth guide you can check as well.

Before You Apply — Important Requirements

Before entering the lottery, there are a few important things you need to know:

• A Nintendo Account is required to make a reservation. Creating an account is free.
• All tickets are issued by lottery, not first-come-first-served.
• Lottery results are sent by email and posted on your My Page on the official ticket site.
• Only winners are charged, and payment can be made by credit card only.
• If you plan to join a workshop at the museum, a separate reservation is required on the day of your visit.

Once you have a Nintendo Account and understand the basic rules, you’re ready to enter the lottery.

What Is the Nintendo Museum? (Quick Overview)

The Nintendo Museum, which opened in October 2024, is a new attraction in Uji, Kyoto, built on the site of Nintendo’s former factory. Rather than being in the busy downtown Kyoto areas like Gion or Kiyomizu-dera, the museum sits in a quieter, more relaxed part of the prefecture — making it an easy half-day trip from central Kyoto.

Inside, you’ll find a colorful collection of Nintendo’s history: from early playing cards and classic consoles to modern favorites like Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon. Exhibits are family-friendly, highly visual, and designed so both gamers and non-gamers can enjoy the experience.

From Kyoto Station, it’s about a 25-minute ride on the Kintetsu Line to Ogura Station, followed by a short 5-minute walk.
The route and the museum entrance are wheelchair-friendly, with elevators and smooth sidewalks all the way from the station.

How the Nintendo Museum Ticket System Works (Lottery)

Unlike many museums where you can simply buy a ticket online, the Nintendo Museum uses a lottery system. This means you first submit an entry for your preferred date and time, and only if your entry is selected can you purchase a ticket.

A few key points to know:

• Entering the lottery is free.
• Entering doesn’t guarantee a ticket.
• If you’re selected, you must purchase your ticket within a set deadline.
• Your phone number is important — it will be used later for Call Verification during the purchase process.

Once you understand this flow, the ticket process becomes much simpler:
enter → wait for results → buy → complete verification

Best Time to Visit (Based on Our Visit)

From our experience, the game area starts getting crowded around 11:30 am.

If possible, we highly recommend booking the 10:00 am opening slot to enjoy the exhibits with fewer people.

We know the tickets are lottery-based, so early entry isn’t always possible—but if you have the option, it’s worth it.

How to Enter the Ticket Lottery

Entering the Nintendo Museum ticket lottery is straightforward, and you can do it entirely online — even from overseas. Here’s how it works:

1. Go to the Official Ticket Page

   Visit the Nintendo Museum’s official reservation site. Lottery periods open on specific dates, so make sure you’re accessing the page during an active entry window.

2. Select Your Preferred Date and Time Slot

   Choose the day you want to visit and one of the available entry times.
   Each day is divided into multiple time slots to manage crowd levels.

3. Enter Your Personal Information

   You’ll be asked to enter the following details:

   • Your full name (exactly as it appears on your passport）
     The museum checks IDs at the entrance, so the name on your reservation must match your official identification — and for non-Japanese visitors, this means your passport.
   • Your email address
     Lottery results and purchase instructions will be sent here.
   • Your phone number
     This must be a number you can use for the Call Verification step if you win.
   • Names of all accompanying visitors
     Every person entering the museum must be listed, and their names should also match their passports.
4. Submit Your Lottery Entry

   After reviewing your details, click submit.
   You’ll receive a confirmation email that your entry has been accepted.

   Note: The ticketing site undergoes system maintenance every Tuesday from 19:00 to 22:00 Japan Standard Time (JST) — during this window the website may be unavailable, so plan accordingly.

5. Wait for the Lottery Results

   Results are typically sent by email on the date specified on the official website.
   If you’re selected, you’ll receive:

   • Your reserved date and time
   • A purchase link
   • A deadline for completing your ticket purchase

   Important: This deadline is shown in Japan Standard Time (JST).
   Be sure to convert the time to your own time zone to avoid missing your purchase window.

Lottery Results — What Happens If You Win?

When the lottery results are released, you’ll receive an email from the official Nintendo Museum ticketing system. The message will tell you whether your entry was selected or not.

If You Win the Lottery

If your entry is selected, your email will include:

• Your confirmed date and time slot
• A link to purchase your ticket
• A deadline for completing your ticket purchase
• Instructions for the Call Verification step (required during checkout)

You must complete your purchase before the deadline, or your reservation will be cancelled automatically.

Important:
The deadline listed in the email is based on Japan Standard Time (JST).
Be sure to convert it to your local time zone so you don’t accidentally miss it.

Payment is available by credit card only, and only the names listed on the reservation (matching valid ID) will be able to enter the museum.

Checking Your Results

If you don’t see an email, make sure to check your spam folder.
You can also view your results at any time by logging into My Page on the official ticket site.

How to Purchase Your Ticket After Winning

Once you’ve received your winning email, you must complete your ticket purchase before the deadline (Japan Standard Time). The process is simple, but there are a few important steps to keep in mind.

1. Open the Purchase Link in Your Email

   Your notification email will include a unique URL.
   Click this link to access your reservation page.

   If the page does not load, it may be during the system’s scheduled maintenance window (Tuesday 19:00–22:00 JST). Try again after this period.

2. Log In With Your Nintendo Account

   Use the same Nintendo Account you used to enter the lottery.
   Your reservation is tied to this account, so you cannot switch to a different one.

3. Confirm Your Reservation Details

   Review the following information:

   • Your date & time slot
   • Number of visitors
   • The names of all accompanying guests (must match their IDs)
4. Complete the Call Verification

   Before you can pay, you’ll be asked to verify the phone number you registered during the lottery.
   This involves making a short call to a Japanese number — no talking required, and the call disconnects automatically after about one second.

   Want more details about the phone verification?
   Here’s the full step-by-step guide:
   👉 https://wakudokijapan.com/nintendo-museums-call-verification/

5. Make Your Payment (Credit Card Only)

   Once your Call Verification is successful, you can proceed to payment.
   The museum accepts credit cards only, and the reservation will be finalized as soon as the transaction is complete.

Payment Troubleshooting — 3D Secure Errors (Important for Overseas Visitors)

Some international visitors may experience problems during the credit card payment step, especially related to 3D Secure authentication.

In my case, the system repeatedly showed the error message:

“Authentication via 3D Secure failed.”

What Caused the Issue? (3D Secure and International Cards)

Many international visitors run into this problem:
the 3D Secure authentication fails before the payment even reaches your credit card company.
This means the transaction is blocked during the authentication stage on the merchant side — not by your bank.

In my case, here’s what happened:

• My credit card company was able to see the attempted charge.
• They were not blocking the transaction, and no security hold had been placed on their side.
• I was transferred to the Fraud Department, and they said the issue “should be resolved,” yet the same error continued to appear.

This kind of mismatch — where the bank sees the attempt but cannot fix the authentication problem — is quite common when using international cards on Japanese payment gateways. The 3D Secure system may simply reject the authentication automatically, even when all your information is correct.

It’s understandably frustrating, especially when everything looks correct on your end and the system still refuses to let the payment go through.

How I Solved It

It took multiple attempts with different credit cards, but eventually one card went through successfully.

Because of this, my recommendation is:

• Try at least 2–3 different credit cards
• Cards issued by different networks (Visa, Mastercard, AmEx) may behave differently
• If possible, try a card that you’ve used successfully for other Japanese transactions

Hatena Burger – What It’s Like

One highlight inside the museum is Hatena Burger, where you can customize your own burger.

A nice touch: you don’t need to look for a table yourself.
While you’re ordering, the staff finds a table for you, and they even help carry your tray to the table!

It’s a small detail, but very appreciated—especially when the place gets busy.

Summary — How to Secure Nintendo Museum Tickets Smoothly

Getting tickets for the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto may seem complicated at first, but the process becomes much easier once you understand the steps:

• Enter the lottery during the official entry period.
• Check your results by email or My Page.
• If selected, purchase your tickets before the deadline (Japan Standard Time).
• During the purchase process, you’ll complete a quick Call Verification.
• Finish the payment with a credit card — and if you run into 3D Secure issues, trying multiple cards often solves the problem.

If you want to make the most of your trip, I also recommend exploring Uji — home to matcha cafés, Byodo-in Temple, and beautiful walking paths just minutes from the museum.

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