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Thread: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

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    Tokie Owens aoiumi's Avatar
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    Default Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    First post here, so please be kind.

    Just bought my first Pachinko on Craig's List. I believe it's a Nishijin A Aoi Umi. They wanted $150, but it seemed to not work, so I paid $100. After tinkering and taking apart a few parts, I found about 200 balls clogged up in the back, and now it's working like a charm. OK, the electrical still needs work, but that's secondary. I'm sure I'll be back here to ask lots of questions as I try to get it cleaner, etc. In the meantime....

    I'm heading to Tokyo later this week with my son, and with my new-found love of Pachinko, was wondering if anyone knows of places to see/buy older Pachinko machines in Tokyo?. Maybe antique stores? I don't think I want to get any of the newer/modern machines, as they seem less interesting to play (anyone want to convince me otherwise?) or too much like a slot machine. Any other recommendations of Pachinko-related things to see in Tokyo. I will be with my 13 year-old son, so might be limited against entering working pachinko parlors.




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    Goodwill Ambassador luckydog's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    most of the vintage machines is Japan were either trashed or shipped to the u.s. in the 70's for resale.

    space is limited for the Japanese people and they usually don't keep stuff to long, I don't think you would find any vintage bargains there.
    幸運わんわん Luckydog or Yukiwanwan in Japanese

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    I was thrown out of Top Gear Drunkenclam's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    The museums I know about are in Nagoya and Osaka, Not in Tokyo. Sorry
    Ian #UKPachinko

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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    to Pachitalk

    Do post some pictures of you machine when you get a chance, we love to look at them.

    You have to be 18 to enter a parlor in Japan. Also it is very hard to find old machines there and if you do you will end up paying $700 or more for one.

    Also I agree that the vintage ones are more fun than the modern ones.

    100 machines and counting...

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    Pachi Puro emmadog's Avatar
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    Default

    there are shops that sell older machines. there's a thread on the YJA section of the forum from awhile back that lists a bunch of shops, many of which cater to vintage machines.
    EM Pinballs & Arrangeballs

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    Tokie Owens aoiumi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. Makes sense, but disappointing, that it might be easier to find them here than in Japan. Also makes it less tempting to spend too much time looking, and either not find anything, or find something and then have no idea how to pack it as baggage! ;-)

    Here is the only photo I have so far of the pachinko I bought...

    Pachinko.jpg

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    I was thrown out of Top Gear Drunkenclam's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Quote Originally Posted by mxfaiman View Post

    You have to be 18 to enter a parlor in Japan.
    I know loads of places where that is the case





    Also it is very hard to find old machines there and if you do you will end up paying $700 or more for one.
    Thats for sure, Vintages are more common in the US than Japan, Especially as some people in the US through them out with the rubbish.



    Of course you could go to the pachi tool shop in Ueno, and spend a small fortune on nail adjusting gauges and tools ok ok a large fortune
    Last edited by Drunkenclam; 06-01-2015 at 04:15 PM.
    Ian #UKPachinko

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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Quote Originally Posted by Drunkenclam View Post
    Of course you could go to the pachi tool shop in Ueno, and spend a small fortune on nail adjusting gauges and tools ok ok a large fortune
    Thats for sure. But man are the tools nice. They are just as nice as Snap-on tools if people know what the quality of those are like.

    100 machines and counting...

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    Fever Hunter PachiNC's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Welcome to the wonderful world of pachinko! While you won't be able to take your son into the regular parlors you might be able to find an arcade that has some pachinko machines which are played just for fun. Also you may luck out and find an arcade that has some arrangeball machines or smartball machines. Arrangeball is a really fun looking variant of pachinko where the goal is to play a set number of balls into a set of numbered slots, there is a whole section about it here on patchi-talk. Smart ball, while not often discussed here, is basically the very close Japanese cousin of pinball. It is played horizontal and uses larger balls like American pinball but game play is more like pachinko as there are no flippers and it is played with multiple balls.

    If you don't find newest modern machines to your liking, you might want to take a look at some very late vintages or the early moderns. Some late vintage machines have electromechanical attractions and tulpis that add to the gameplay and some early modern machines like the Hannamono type, rely on electromecanical attractions instead of the sometimes monotinous action of slot machine reels.

    Also if you are able to get to the aforementioned pachinko tool shop I'm sure you will find no shortge of pachinko related do-dads to pick up, tools, nails, ball trays etc. Enjoy your trip and dont forget to tell us all about it.

    P.S. We love pictures too.
    Last edited by PachiNC; 06-01-2015 at 05:08 PM.

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    Tokie Owens aoiumi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Quote Originally Posted by Drunkenclam View Post

    Of course you could go to the pachi tool shop in Ueno, and spend a small fortune on nail adjusting gauges and tools ok ok a large fortune
    Sounds interesting. Hmmm... Address or exact name?

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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    http://www.ohirasyoukai.com/

    Cash only though.

    Yubinbango110-0015 Taito-ku, Tokyo Higashi Ueno 2-22-10 Higashi Ueno Koike Building 1F

    〒110-0015 東京都台東区東上野2-22-10 東上野小池ビル1F


    Also be aware pachinko tools aren't cheap. Nail adjusting pliers are about $50 and the hammers start about $100 though they do have some "used" ones for about half price. (By used I mean hardly used by our standards.)
    Last edited by mxfaiman; 06-01-2015 at 07:55 PM.

    100 machines and counting...

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    Pachi Puro Moparformances's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Welcome to Pachitalk
    Never Doubt that a small group of thoughtful, .......... /........ If your not going to stand behind our troops
    ...committed people can change the world. ............. /.................Please, Please stand in front of them
    .....Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has............./
    .........................................Margaret Mead

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    Tokie Owens aoiumi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Quote Originally Posted by mxfaiman View Post
    http://www.ohirasyoukai.com/

    Cash only though.

    Yubinbango110-0015 Taito-ku, Tokyo Higashi Ueno 2-22-10 Higashi Ueno Koike Building 1F

    〒110-0015 東京都台東区東上野2-22-10 東上野小池ビル1F


    Also be aware pachinko tools aren't cheap. Nail adjusting pliers are about $50 and the hammers start about $100 though they do have some "used" ones for about half price. (By used I mean hardly used by our standards.)
    Thanks for the info! Very helpful.

    At a minimum it sounds like an interesting place to visit, if we have time. Would it be a good place to buy a set of new balls (several of the balls in my machine are a little rusty/rough)? Or is it better to buy those online here as well?

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    Goodwill Ambassador luckydog's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    balls are better to buy off Ebay, just look for the best price shipped for the amount you want.
    幸運わんわん Luckydog or Yukiwanwan in Japanese

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    Gibisans - Japan West compirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Unless they have a good price on Gold Balls!

    人生は恐れなければ、とても素晴らしいものなんだよ。
    人生に必要なもの。それは勇気と想像力、そして少しのお金だ。

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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Place in Japan doesn't sell balls unfortunately. Also balls are easier to find on ebay unless you feel like carrying around a 50lb box of balls around japan (About 5000 balls because that is the minimum in most places.)

    100 machines and counting...

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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Quote Originally Posted by mxfaiman View Post
    Place in Japan doesn't sell balls unfortunately.
    Page 16 of their catalog. I realize there might be a minimum order, but the gold ones sell well here and they look so good!

    人生は恐れなければ、とても素晴らしいものなんだよ。
    人生に必要なもの。それは勇気と想像力、そして少しのお金だ。

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    Pachi Puro mxfaiman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Quote Originally Posted by compirate View Post
    Page 16 of their catalog. I realize there might be a minimum order, but the gold ones sell well here and they look so good!
    Oh thats right they do. But there is a minimum if I remember and they come unengraved. Also I never liked the gold balls. I have about 500 of them and they tarnish so fast that they end up looking like super dirty regular balls (sometimes I can't tell the difference).

    100 machines and counting...

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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    Quote Originally Posted by mxfaiman View Post
    Oh thats right they do. But there is a minimum if I remember and they come unengraved. Also I never liked the gold balls. I have about 500 of them and they tarnish so fast that they end up looking like super dirty regular balls (sometimes I can't tell the difference).
    That has been my experience as well. I've never been to a parlor in Japan. Do they actually use gold balls there or is it more of a novelty?

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    Eye Shooter Chumsize's Avatar
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    Default Re: Newbie. Headed to Tokyo

    I think I saw gold balls at one out-of-the-way place last time I was there. I think they served the purpose (at least at that place) to differentiate between 4 yen and 1 yen balls. The nicer places all have optical ball counters in a hole in permanently mounted trays now, and any winnings are dropped right on a card or e-coin.
    Woof!

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