Nintendo is known for many things, including creating iconic characters like Mario and Zelda. The company is also known to be quite stingy, rarely ever putting its games on sale. Remember it launched Luigi’s Mansion 2 remaster for $60? Get out of here! But in a shocking twist, Nintendo is now giving money back to people who went and bought snacks and souvenirs in its Museum. The reason? A tiny tax mix-up that made the prices slightly higher than they should have been.
It turns out visitors to the Nintendo Museum have been overpaying for snacks at its Bonus Stage gift shop since it opened in October 2024. Customers were mistakenly charged Japan’s standard 10% sales tax — instead of the reduced 8% tax that applies to take-home food items. This led to overcharges ranging from a whopping 20 to 30 yen, or about $0.15 to $0.20, per snack item. The three affected products are:
- Nintendo Museum Cookies.
- Correct price: 1,620 Yen ($10.64).
- Incorrect Price: 1,650 Yen ($10.84).
- Pull-Out Pikmin Cookies.
- Correct price: 1,080 Yen ($7.10)
- Incorrect Price: 1,100 Yen ($7.23)
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Polvorones.
- Correct price: 1,458 Yen ($9.58)
- Incorrect Price: 1,485 Yen ($9.76)
Now, four months later, Nintendo and the store operator, Nomura Medias, apologized for the blunder and are offering partial refunds. If you went to Kyoto and bought any of these snacks, you can submit a refund request through a form on the Nintendo Museum’s website. However, keep in mind that the requests only apply until June 30, 2025.
Sure, we’re not exactly talking about Pokemon TCG money here, but imagine if you do buy them in bulk, those extra yen will start to pile up. As the Nintendo Museum snacks price error went unnoticed for months, Japanese gamers’ reactions were mixed.
“Sales tax is complicated,” wrote hatsumeika_com on X. “Nintendo is a big company so there are bound to be errors, but this kind of thing seems to happen all the time.”
“Is there a way to find out everyone who bought them or something?” wrote zouchan0702 concerned.
“8% sales tax on food items should’ve been common sense!” wrote @tsukasa_special, attaching the post with an angry face emoji.
Nevertheless, others are more sympathetic. @hamusann12 said, “This is the fault of this country’s system.”
“Japan’s current consumption tax is complicated,” @sota358 agreed.
“Do your best, Nintendo!” wrote @hoshihika_ru.
So there you have it. The company that keeps Breath of the Wild at full price seven years later, is actually handing out refunds. Just don’t expect Nintendo to start slashing game prices anytime soon though.
