​

If there's ever a greater sense of finality at understanding the loss of something, it's seeing people posting photos and tributes of a funeral service. It has been reported that over 4,000 fans attended the two-day funeral services, which took place in Kyoto, Japan, at the Okazaki Betsuin Temple. High ranking Nintendo executives were in attendance, including Bill Trinen, Reggie Fils-Aime, Masahiro Sakurai, and Shigeru Miyamoto. Some touching tributes and eulogies were delivered by said guests, as well, with Nintendo releasing the eulogy given by Genyo Takeda, current acting Representative Director of Nintendo alongside Miyamoto.

As we gather here today for a joint funeral with Nintendo Co., Ltd. and Mr. Iwata's family, I would like to share my heartfelt condolences. President Iwata, allow me to call you Iwata-san, just as I always used to.

Iwata-san, you left us far too soon. Having just chaired our shareholders' meeting the other day on June 26, the news of your sudden death has left all the employees overcome with a deep sorrow. The late Yamauchi-san passed the baton to you in naming you the president of Nintendo in 2002, and the two Senior Managing Directors of the company, Shigeru Miyamoto and I, have been assisting and working alongside you. Being rather short-tempered myself, the thing that I am most deeply struck by is that you were a true leader in every sense of the word, overflowing with compassion for people. You always maintained a two-way dialogue, even with the next generation of employees, or with much younger members of the development and marketing teams, or with employees outside of Japan whose different customs and cultures can make communication challenging — sometimes even admitting your own mistakes to them. You demonstrated this through your belief that people could eventually come to understand one another, and your strong conviction that the best way for us to grow is through patient communication, even if it took several times, a dozen times or even seemingly endless discussion.

You succeeded in planting the seed in employees' hearts that, in order to solve an issue, there is a fundamental cycle whereby you make a hypothesis, execute the plan, see the result and then make adjustments, and by which you have caringly nurtured these seeds to sprout and mature into plants.

Until now, our successors and the younger generation would take a few first steps and then look back at you for guidance because they could not tell if they had chosen the right path. Today they cannot ask for your guidance anymore.

However, I am sure that they have already made the firm determination that they will continue on their own, making the hypothesis, executing the plan, seeing the results and reflecting on the results to improve and adjust by themselves.

In the face of your unbelievable passing it will surely take some time before we can emerge from this deep sorrow. Please know, however, that the seeds you have planted, and the plants that have sprouted will put forth small flowers as they bring smiles to the faces of people around the world, blossom into a grand flower bigger than even you, our leader, Iwata-san. Together with Miyamoto and others of our generation, we swear in our hearts that we will continue our efforts so that, someday, we can report and present to you the blossoming of these flowers. May you continuously watch over and guide us managers, our employees and your family.

On behalf of all of us, I would like to offer my heartfelt condolences and sincerest prayer. May you rest in peace, Iwata-san.

The amazing part is that these four thousand people attended the memorial service in spite of Typhoon Nangka raging near the temple that day. Photos of the service have been released, showing guests being inundated by heavy rains. Despite that, though, they were still able to show their last bits of love for a beloved Nintendo president, with Nintendo expressing gratitude to all of its fans for their care.

Thank you so much for honoring our late President Satoru Iwata with your kind condolences. Also, we'd like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who came to the wake or funeral in spite of bad weather and busy schedules. For all of your kindness, we humbly offer our thanks.

Thanks Mr. Iwata for delivering many fine hours of video gaming entertainment, you'll be sorely missed. Today, I finally understand, even though I don't want to understand.

Spoiler: Photos from service

 

[HaloEffect17]

This man will surely be missed. Rest in peace, Iwata.

 

[Seroczynski]

I expect his wife had no idea he was so beloved by others, even those who do not even know him personally.

 

[Anfroid]

where are the photos?

 

[WiiUBricker]

Another article says there were 3000 people attending the funeral.

 

[Ryukouki]

Another article says there were 3000 people attending the funeral.

The majority of sources covering said 2600 day one and 1500 day two.

 

[Mushkin]

i would liked to be there to pay my final respects

 

[storm75x]

Truly a great man of our time.

 

[VashTS]

i feel worse about his death than when some of my family members recently died. crazy how some people affect your lives differently.

 

[3DSXLGamer]

where are the photos?

This, you'd think gbatemps premier e3 reporter would think of things like this.

 

[Ryukouki]

This, you'd think gbatemps premier e3 reporter would think of things like this.

Sad part is pictures are almost nil - valued at three photos. Also got caught up with work covering a night shift and forgot to finish the prior obligation with this post. :/ Mistakes happen lol. There's not a ton out there right now, which isn't surprising. What I did find in return though was that Nintendo released one of the eulogies, the one done by Genyo Takeda. Photos have been added to the first post.

 

[3DSXLGamer]

No worries just playin, at least he rolled out with a sweet whip.
Mentioned that at the last funeral I been to and people weren't very fond of my comment.

 

[p1ngpong]

i feel worse about his death than when some of my family members recently died. crazy how some people affect your lives differently.

You need to re-evaluate your priorities if this is actually true.

 

[RiveaJ]

i feel worse about his death than when some of my family members recently died. crazy how some people affect your lives differently.

You need to re-evaluate your priorities if this is actually true.

I'm with Vash on this one.

 

[Osmosis]

He will always be remembered... Especially when having FUN playing with Nintendo.

 

[Bimmel]

I am grateful for these many hours I could spent with games that were pure fun to me.

Thank you for your great ideas, you changed the world in a good way.

 

[WiiCube_2013]

May Mr. Iwata rest in peace, he helped building Nintendo to what it is today (profitable in handhelds and the last-gen Wii) but now hopefully they'll change for the better. I was hoping it'd happen eventually but not by Mr. Iwata passing away that's just awful.

Anyway, I wonder who'll do the Nintendo Directs now and if the replacement will be as good as Mr. Iwata. He was downright topnotch for the NDs. :')

 

[leonmagnus99]

Already miss this guy .. like i read somewhere before someone saying, E3's and the Nintendo direct shows for Nintendo will be weird to watch without this good man , i friggin love his english .

Iwata, May you rest in peace .. <3 ;___;

 

[The Catboy]

And a quick honour to some of his accomplishment, courtesy of TheJWittz

 

[joepassive]

RIP Iwata, nintendo direct will never be the same without you.