Nintendo Playing Cards Co. Ltd

In 1889, Fusajirô Yamauchi began manufacturing “Hanafuda” or “flower cards” under the brand name Nintendō Koppai. Cards were hand crafted using the bark from mulberry and mitsu-mata trees. Around 1902 the firm began producing Western style playing cards.

After WWII, Nintendō managed to survive a period of heavy taxation on playing-cards, which killed off many smaller manufacturers. In the second half of the 20th century they diversified into children’s toys and, later on, video games.