Traveling to Japan was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Nothing compared to the culture over there, and walking the busy streets of Tokyo was magical. While walking around the bustling city, you may see ambitious tourists on little go-kart dressed in Mario attire. The popular tourist attraction, called MariCar, places tourists in a real-life Mario Kart experience. Riders can then tour the city in their go-karts, pretending to race along the way. Racing in the busy streets of Tokyo isn't encouraged though, so most riders just enjoy the tour alongside their friends with a mild competitive incentive to finish first.
Of course, Nintendo wasn't down for this at all. The MariCar company had not received permission to use Nintendo's characters, so they were sued by the video game company in early 2017. Nintendo won the lawsuit this week, putting a cease to their characters being used while also winning 10 million yen (roughly $88,000 USD). MariCar can still operate without using the Nintendo characters, but the fine and the loss of the thrill from tourists might also sink the company. Luckily for tourists, there are a number of other amazing activities to do in the most populous city in the world.
(Via)
