Business owner eggs on Nintendo by opening “M.A.R.I.O. Ramen” just outside the Nintendo Museum (UPDATE)

The Nintendo Museum has been open for a few months now, wooing people from all over the world to learn all about the history of the Big N. That means there’s more foot traffic than ever in the area, and one savvy business man is looking to take advantage of that with a new restaurant venture.

Located right in front of the Nintendo Museum is M.A.R.I.O. Ramen, an eatery that is no doubt looking to capitalize on its location and Nintendo’s branding. As you can guess, this restaurant has nothing to do with Nintendo in an official capacity, but they are definitely trying to cash in on Nintendo’s name and characters.

It appears M.A.R.I.O. Ramen hasn’t actually opened just yet, but the launch should be taking place any day now. That is, unless Nintendo can find a legal way to step in and squash the business before that happens. You can bet Nintendo is keeping a close watch on this location and is quite unhappy about the branding, but whether they have any legal ground to stand on in terms of blocking the business remains to be seen.

UPDATE: Locals in the area have noticed that the “M.A.R.I.O. Ramen” sign out front of the restaurant has been removed, and without explanation. It’s unclear whether this happened due to Nintendo stepping in, the restaurant deciding it was best to avoid a legal matter, or if the business was shuttered before it even had a chance to open.