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Thread: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

  1. #1
    Sandwich Shooter ocpachinko's Avatar
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    Default Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Last week my wife and I used my frequent flyer miles to visit Japan for 6 days: 2 in Tokyo, 1 in Takayama and 3 in Kyoto. Of course we had to visit the famous Pachinko Museum in Tokyo that logicprobe so nicely discovered in the Japan Times article in August: http://www.pachitalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6556&highlight=pachinko+museum

    You may notice there’s no address in the article. It’s “in the middle of Tokyo's Higashi-Ueno district near JR Ueno Station.”

    So we walk north northeast from Ueno Station and see a few pachinko parlor supply distributors’ offices. Gathering courage, I entered one and asked the gentleman inside “Sumimasen, Pachinko Hakubutsukan Kudasai” (stop laughing rupan777!) Luckily I printed out the Japan Times article, since Japanese do pretty well with printed English, and when he saw the key words, he smiled, motioned me outside, locked the shop, and led us personally three blocks to the museum.

    And that is why we went to Japan. Sure, I wanted to see this place, but we went because I had briefly visited a dozen years before and found it fascinating, with wonderful helpful people and a sense of, well, tranquility that comes from most everything generally working as it should. Lots of people, yes, but somehow still serene. On our trip I witnessed exactly one thing not working properly: a sink in a (western) bathroom in Takayama. Oh, and our train Takayama-Kyoto was one minute late to arrive. I don’t want to exaggerate.

    You go up the elevator to the museum. It’s free, but no pictures allowed (I hear the collective groans of all of you). I was hoping most especially to take pictures of the earliest machines: the earliest from 1946 with pins evenly distributed, and the 5 or so early hand-built (and decorated) from the early Masamura Gauge period. Then there are another half dozen or so one-ball machines (some you see on eBay), and maybe a dozen manual machines (you’ve seen most of these on eBay). Compirate, you can be proud. Then the machines continue with mid 70’s and later electric shooter models into the 90’s (over 100 examples…most rarely seen here). You can’t play them (except three in the front), and some are just the cels.

    The space is compact, as you’d expect, and there’s nice labeling in Japanese, which of course I can’t read-except the release date, which helped. If I had happened by when the Mr. Makino was there I might have had better luck with my photo request…and certainly it would have been an interesting visit!

    The main revelations: the early hand-painted machines, rather amateurishly decorated…it didn’t take too long for more modern manufacturing to take hold. And seeing such a range of machines from the 80’s and 90’s was quite interesting…though visual overload takes over when you can’t read the captions. Finally, it was fascinating to see the much-discussed playfield water damage on the early machines in the collection…if it doesn’t bother Mr. Makino it shouldn’t bother us!

    Two postscripts.

    1) In Tokyo and Kyoto main business streets, there is a pachinko parlor (50-200 machines on average) on nearly EVERY block. Usually one floor pachinko, one pachislo. We were both a little surprised at this density…even though we knew they’d be around. The first parlor I entered contained almost an entire ground floor of http://www.p-world.co.jp/_machine/kisyu.cgi?kisyu=p3966. Easily 100+ of them. Around 1/3 in use in the middle of a weekday. No waiting.
    2) In Kyoto, in a 8 floor super-arcade, 1/3 of 1 floor was devoted to coin-operated no-ball-handling pachinkos…about 40 machines…from 1998 to the present. Sealed ball trays, cyclic operation. 100 yen here (in a coin slot) gets 200 balls (I think)...shown on a counter unit on the coin acceptor on the right side of the machine. It tracks winnings; you play until you run out. Much cheaper than standard, but you can’t win cash…just more play time…unless there’s something I didn’t know! They had Evangelion and Star Wars, for example, but of course not the very newest machines. We didn’t see children playing here, though.

    Sorry for the long post, but at least I wanted to encourage those who will come after. Get your Japan Rail Pass, discount winter air tickets, and enjoy!
    [D] means [developement] [doramatic] [demention] and [design]

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  3. #2
    Captain Weirdo Sid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    I want to go to Japan now..

    Woww good write up.. and thanks very much for that..

    "I've stopped fighting my inner demons, we are on the same side now."

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    Stuey - The RADministrator MrGneiss's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Thanks for sharing all that with us, to cool!

    First TJ gets to goto Arby's and now you going to Japan, I am getting more jealous every day.

    "Blowing smoke rings at the moon."

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    Sandwich Shooter ocpachinko's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    At Arby's TJ could actually HEAR the machines...and converse in English about them with their greatest fan! As a pilgrimage destination I think he may have made the better choice (but I suspect my wife might disagree... )
    [D] means [developement] [doramatic] [demention] and [design]

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    Tokie Owens Extase's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Great report, enjoyed reading it

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    Site Admin Tulsa's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Damn it, now I want to go too!
    Meanwhile, somewhere in Oklahoma.

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    Mr. Pachitalk arbycoffee's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    ME TOO!
    "This is My Personal Opinion and no others"

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    Slotter Jr. rupan777's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Quote Originally Posted by ocpachinko
    Gathering courage, I entered one and asked the gentleman inside “Sumimasen, Pachinko Hakubutsukan Kudasai” (stop laughing rupan777!)
    Were you thinking of buying the place? v.gif

    Juust kidding. That's great, I never had a chance to hunt down that museum even though I went to Akihabara (a mere 15 minute walk away) once a month.
    Player, not collector. ドルドル箱yo~~~!
    Check out my journal for translated pachinko guides and manuals.

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    Pachi Puro Firewire's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Yes, thank you for the write up. It was great!
    Firewire

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    Sandwich Shooter ocpachinko's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Rupan777, you were nearby, but to find it I had to inconvenience someone, and the place isn't exactly well advertised...so you'll just have to make it on your next trip! It was rather strange seeing so many machines without the chance to hear or play them...kind of like the silent museums of musical instruments...a little sad. You can almost hear them ask to be played again!
    [D] means [developement] [doramatic] [demention] and [design]

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    Slotter Jr. rupan777's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Quote Originally Posted by ocpachinko
    Rupan777, you were nearby, but to find it I had to inconvenience someone, and the place isn't exactly well advertised...so you'll just have to make it on your next trip! It was rather strange seeing so many machines without the chance to hear or play them...kind of like the silent museums of musical instruments...a little sad. You can almost hear them ask to be played again!
    Probably if I go, I'll try a police officer; directions are the only thing they are really good for there.
    Player, not collector. ドルドル箱yo~~~!
    Check out my journal for translated pachinko guides and manuals.

  14. #12
    Slotter Jr. rupan777's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Quote Originally Posted by ocpachinko
    The first parlor I entered contained almost an entire ground floor of http://www.p-world.co.jp/_machine/kisyu.cgi?kisyu=p3966. Easily 100+ of them. Around 1/3 in use in the middle of a weekday. No waiting.
    Note to azlew: didn't I say this machine would be shooting up to the top of the charts? #2 with a bullet.
    Last edited by rupan777; 11-15-2005 at 05:51 PM.
    Player, not collector. ドルドル箱yo~~~!
    Check out my journal for translated pachinko guides and manuals.

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  16. #13
    Sandwich Shooter ocpachinko's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Actually I DID ask a police officer...he got me to Higashi-Ueno...and couldn't have been nicer! Drew a map!

    I strongly encourage you all to go...admittedly the hardest part (other than the cash) is sitting in that plane...or standing in the back, as some do. Once there it's pretty smooth sailing; considerable concessions have been made to English readers on signage. And in an emergency, there's McDonalds, 7-Elevens, Circle K's, and am/pm's EVERYWHERE! Not to mention drink vending machines every 100 feet with 33(!) different types of drink (since that obviously is insufficient you often find these in banks of 2 or 3). Most have hot coffees and teas as well. Hotels in Tokyo aren't cheap, but with advance search you can find a nice western-style room out-of-season for around $100/night (obviously less for a Japanese-style budget ryokan/minshuku.) You don't have to stay a long time to get the experience; efficient transport sees to that. No crime exists that is likely to affect you--how many places is that true for? I could go on about the (non pachinko) sights we saw...

    And if my wife and I went there to relax (!) there must be something to it!
    [D] means [developement] [doramatic] [demention] and [design]

  17. #14
    Eye Shooter sacpinplayer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Thanks for the great post. Very good reading, though it made me a tad jealous.

    Mike
    Mike
    Arnold The Terminator Sheep, the baaaddest sheep in the whole damn town, plays only Star Wars, ROBOCOP, and Sakura Pachinkos in CA.

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    Tokie Owens Extase's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Excellent posts again. Please post as much as you can bear about japan as I would love to hear about, and I'm sure others would, too.

  19. #16
    You're Welcome! azlew's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Quote Originally Posted by rupan777
    Note to azlew: didn't I say this machine would be shooting up to the top of the charts? #2 with a bullet.
    Hehe I guess it depends on what chart you are referring to

    The one that matters the most has it at :

    11 rank CRGO! GO! Marine M56 29.3%

    as of today.

    But it does have a bullet

  20. #17
    Sparky RKnarr01's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Does the mcdonalds have the same stuff here? any different unique items?

  21. #18
    You're Welcome! azlew's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Quote Originally Posted by ocpachinko
    I strongly encourage you all to go...
    OCPACHINKO :

    THANKYOU for a TERRIFIC TRIP REPORT !!!!


    BTW :I am willing to participate in a pachitalk members convention to Japan. Someone here probably has connections on a group price etc:questionm

  22. #19
    Slotter Jr. rupan777's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Quote Originally Posted by RKnarr01
    Does the mcdonalds have the same stuff here? any different unique items?
    No, they have some unique items like the Teriyaki Mac, Chicken Tatsuta Burger, etc. and they have one unique item monthly. It's November now so I guess they have the Tsukimi Burger which is just a burger with an egg and bacon.
    Player, not collector. ドルドル箱yo~~~!
    Check out my journal for translated pachinko guides and manuals.

  23. #20
    Sparky RKnarr01's Avatar
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    Default Re: Road Trip Report: Tokyo Pachinko Museum

    Azlew i second a group trip, who has the FF miles?

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