Home
Home
About the site mascot
 
What are Articles?
This is an Article Detail Page. Articles usually contain more content in terms of images, photos and text than any other item of data on the site. All Articles on the site are written by Danny.
日本語/Japanese  Thu 09/14 21:30 JST
After world war two, manufacturers in Japan for some reason had a surplus of ball bearings (would love to know why) and some folk decided to put them to good use. The "good use" in this case was a game called Pachinko.
People line up every morning to get into a Pachinko parlor where they then buy a few crates of ball bearings to pour into a Pachinko machine. They then use a knob on the machine which controls the velocity of the balls that are being shot out the side of the machine. The balls then make their way randomly hitting nails(?) which then change their trajectory. The idea of the game is to get as many balls as one can into a slot in the middle of the machine. When that happens, more balls come out of the machine and an assistant helps stack up yer crates of balls.

The reason why people line up every morning to get into these parlors is because certain machines have been rigged the night before to deal out better results and this is common knowledge among the veteran players - how they identify which machine has been rigged is beyond me.
Its illegal to play for cash in Japan so what happens is that when one has had enough of the noise and cigarette smoke that fills the parlors, they go to a counter in the parlor and exchange their balls for items such as cuddly toys and pens. What they then do is take these useless items and go offsite to a separate dingy looking store and exchange their stuff for cash - a loophole.

Was out shopping for groceries in armor as usual and stopped by to play...
Pachinko Trooper (click to enlarge)
Polls
Danny, you wouldn't have pockets on your stormtrooper armor, would you? Where do you keep your pachinko earnings? or better yet where do you keep your wallet in the first place. ^^ 
(ID #39416) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Mike in Chicago
Pachinko!!! ive heard about this on teh travel channel here in the states. And that dingy store is really easy to miss, its just a window and houses and apartment complexes next to it. but sounds like a new intevated way of "not" gambling. i hope vegas catches on.... hopfully
(ID #39417) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Grin in KL, Malaysia
We have a smaller version one here from where I come from. But I didn't know it was called Pachinko up till now. 
(ID #39424) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
mike... that travel channel must have some really old footage. ^^ if you pass by a pachinko parlor, you'd have to be both blind and deaf to miss it. ^^
(ID #39425) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Marty in Boston MA USA
I found Pachinko a quick way to lose 5000 yen. It would be cool if I was a little luckier...
(ID #39428) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Brent in Humidity Houston
I'll probably never play one of those not because I'll lose money for sure (With my luck I would), but because I probably wouldn't have much money on me. XD
(ID #39429) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
しゃき in アマゾン
ダニーはパチンコ中毒だったの?(笑)
(ID #39430) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
kheops in Switzerland
hey danny, don't you get gold instead of cash wehen you win at pachinko? I went to a pachinko called big apple in akihabara this year. It was the first time i played, i put 1000yen in and won 10000yen after 20min... HAHAHA pretty lucky for the first time huh?
Well i told the guy from the pachinko that i wanted to stop, so i threw the balls into a machine and he gave me a ticket and said: down steeerrrrs.
Hmmm ok, i went downstairs to a big counter and the lovely lady asked me to choose from the list. So i told her 1 box of cigarettes and a choco-snack. Well i thaught that what i won was pretty shabby until get gave me some little gold chips with a plastic box protection... i had no idea what to do with it... didn't realized it was gold. Until an employee of the pachinko takes me to a "pachinko gold exchange" located 2 streets away from the pachinko. haha i had so much fun with pachinko.
(ID #39431) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
maki in 渋谷
新しい携帯電話らしいです。
http://it.nikkei.co.jp/mobile/news/index.aspx?n=MMIT0f000013092006

「機動戦士ガンダムを意識した」デザインらしいです。ストームトルーパーももちょっと似ている。とコメントしてあったのでダニーに紹介します。EOF

-maki
(ID #39432) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Tyen in New Zealand
Heres a idea I heard a while ago. About the ball bearingts oversupply. During the war test were carried out with experimental weapons, such as the"Bumble-bee". This evil device was dropped out of large aircraft, as it fell it exploded from a huge ball, into large ones, to smaller ones, until eventually the sky was full of thousands upon thousands of ball bearings, so once they hit the ground... or any unfortuanate people...well use your imagination 200000 ball bearings, falling on a 5km square bit of land at 120km.... yeah...
(ID #39434) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Arekusu in The lost woods
Oooh, i remember playing that game, i dont think i ever played it on an actual machine, but i played it on the computer.

And lol Danny, that post sounds like one big innuendo to me ^_^
(ID #39442) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Chopper Dave in Medford, Oregon
Essentially its just a huge Shotgun, loaded with buckshot, shooting from high in the air...Right Tyen? Anywho, I dont think I would want to step into a Pachinko parlor. That would give me a headache soooooo fast o.O
(ID #39443) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Phil Lee in Chapel Hill, NC
That's a wonderful photo, but it's a pity you weren't playing the licensed Star Wars pachinko game at the same time:

http://www.slot-pachinko.com/05PHTL/P2005STARWARSW.HTM

It's an excruciating experience, looping the first ten seconds or so of the Star Wars theme over and over and over again.  Yeesh.
(ID #39446) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Soul3ss in San Francisco, CA
Pachinko kicks ass! I've got an old Gundam pachinko machine in my room. It's pretty cool. I also have a pinball machine in my house, the Star Wars Trilogy one. Both cost quite a lot. Hmmm... I can't remember how many people I slayed for these, lol.
(ID #39452) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Danny Choo in Tokyo
Phil,
Thats a great find - thanks ^o^

makiさん、
元気?リンクありがとうございました。ストームトルーパーコスプレをやっていることを同僚などに知っていて、この携帯何度も薦められた!

しゃき、
仕事せい!(笑)

marvin,
Have modified the armor to put my bits and pieces like credit cards, mobile etc. Need to make more mods to put more crap though ^^
(ID #39455) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
ごっど
こんにちは、ワンフェスを一緒に戦わせてもらいましたごっどです。
ダニーさんもパチンコやるんですか?
(ID #39468) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Danny Choo in Tokyo
ごっどさん、
最近物忘れが激しい(年のせいか)のでごっどさんはストリートファイターのリュウさんだったのか、US AVIATORさんだったのか覚えていないです。orz。ごめんなさ〜い!

パチンコはやりません。たまたま入ってみただけです^^;
(ID #39490) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
ごっど
UEDAと一緒にいた、太り気味の男ですよー(泣
(ID #39502) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Danny in Tokyo
おーまいごっど。
ごっどさん、許してください!
(ID #39507) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Stormtroopers_helmet
はじめまして!
実は私もアーマー持ってまして
パレードやイベントに何度か出撃した
事があります。
でも最近はなかなか時間がなく
待機ばかりなのでそろそろ
出撃したいものです(笑)
Tofu-san in Palos Verdes, CA
 Pachinko seems entertaining, but I'm under 18.
(ID #40806) Posted on 2007/01/02 01:11
Karasu-kun in Right coast, usa
大学生徒, データ変更師
Registered on 2007/07/27 11:49
Totally own 2 pachinko machines, I love the designs. I have a Gegege no Kitaro one and a Back to the Future one, complete with a little plastic Delorean behind a 2-way mirror that is revealed whenever you get enough reels going, blue light-up lightning bolt effects coming off of the middle of the machine and the video screen portion is all done anime-style ^^.
(ID #57969) Posted on 2007/09/28 08:11
Danny, you wouldn't have pockets on your stormtrooper armor, would you? Where do you keep your pachinko earnings? or better yet where do you keep your wallet in the first place. ^^ 
(ID #81420) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Mike in Chicago
Pachinko!!! ive heard about this on teh travel channel here in the states. And that dingy store is really easy to miss, its just a window and houses and apartment complexes next to it. but sounds like a new intevated way of "not" gambling. i hope vegas catches on.... hopfully
(ID #81421) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Grin in KL, Malaysia
We have a smaller version one here from where I come from. But I didn't know it was called Pachinko up till now. 
(ID #81428) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
mike... that travel channel must have some really old footage. ^^ if you pass by a pachinko parlor, you'd have to be both blind and deaf to miss it. ^^
(ID #81429) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Marty in Boston MA USA
I found Pachinko a quick way to lose 5000 yen. It would be cool if I was a little luckier...
(ID #81432) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Brent in Humidity Houston
I'll probably never play one of those not because I'll lose money for sure (With my luck I would), but because I probably wouldn't have much money on me. XD
(ID #81433) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
しゃき in アマゾン
ダニーはパチンコ中毒だったの?(笑)
(ID #81434) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
kheops in Switzerland
hey danny, don't you get gold instead of cash wehen you win at pachinko? I went to a pachinko called big apple in akihabara this year. It was the first time i played, i put 1000yen in and won 10000yen after 20min... HAHAHA pretty lucky for the first time huh?
Well i told the guy from the pachinko that i wanted to stop, so i threw the balls into a machine and he gave me a ticket and said: down steeerrrrs.
Hmmm ok, i went downstairs to a big counter and the lovely lady asked me to choose from the list. So i told her 1 box of cigarettes and a choco-snack. Well i thaught that what i won was pretty shabby until get gave me some little gold chips with a plastic box protection... i had no idea what to do with it... didn't realized it was gold. Until an employee of the pachinko takes me to a "pachinko gold exchange" located 2 streets away from the pachinko. haha i had so much fun with pachinko.
(ID #81435) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
maki in 渋谷
新しい携帯電話らしいです。
http://it.nikkei.co.jp/mobile/news/index.aspx?n=MMIT0f000013092006

「機動戦士ガンダムを意識した」デザインらしいです。ストームトルーパーももちょっと似ている。とコメントしてあったのでダニーに紹介します。EOF

-maki
(ID #81436) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Tyen in New Zealand
Heres a idea I heard a while ago. About the ball bearingts oversupply. During the war test were carried out with experimental weapons, such as the"Bumble-bee". This evil device was dropped out of large aircraft, as it fell it exploded from a huge ball, into large ones, to smaller ones, until eventually the sky was full of thousands upon thousands of ball bearings, so once they hit the ground... or any unfortuanate people...well use your imagination 200000 ball bearings, falling on a 5km square bit of land at 120km.... yeah...
(ID #81438) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Arekusu in The lost woods
Oooh, i remember playing that game, i dont think i ever played it on an actual machine, but i played it on the computer.

And lol Danny, that post sounds like one big innuendo to me ^_^
(ID #81446) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Chopper Dave in Medford, Oregon
Essentially its just a huge Shotgun, loaded with buckshot, shooting from high in the air...Right Tyen? Anywho, I dont think I would want to step into a Pachinko parlor. That would give me a headache soooooo fast o.O
(ID #81447) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Phil Lee in Chapel Hill, NC
That's a wonderful photo, but it's a pity you weren't playing the licensed Star Wars pachinko game at the same time:

http://www.slot-pachinko.com/05PHTL/P2005STARWARSW.HTM

It's an excruciating experience, looping the first ten seconds or so of the Star Wars theme over and over and over again.  Yeesh.
(ID #81450) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Soul3ss in San Francisco, CA
Pachinko kicks ass! I've got an old Gundam pachinko machine in my room. It's pretty cool. I also have a pinball machine in my house, the Star Wars Trilogy one. Both cost quite a lot. Hmmm... I can't remember how many people I slayed for these, lol.
(ID #81456) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Danny Choo in Tokyo
Phil,
Thats a great find - thanks ^o^

makiさん、
元気?リンクありがとうございました。ストームトルーパーコスプレをやっていることを同僚などに知っていて、この携帯何度も薦められた!

しゃき、
仕事せい!(笑)

marvin,
Have modified the armor to put my bits and pieces like credit cards, mobile etc. Need to make more mods to put more crap though ^^
(ID #81459) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
ごっど
こんにちは、ワンフェスを一緒に戦わせてもらいましたごっどです。
ダニーさんもパチンコやるんですか?
(ID #81472) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Danny Choo in Tokyo
ごっどさん、
最近物忘れが激しい(年のせいか)のでごっどさんはストリートファイターのリュウさんだったのか、US AVIATORさんだったのか覚えていないです。orz。ごめんなさ〜い!

パチンコはやりません。たまたま入ってみただけです^^;
(ID #81494) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
ごっど
UEDAと一緒にいた、太り気味の男ですよー(泣
(ID #81506) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Danny in Tokyo
おーまいごっど。
ごっどさん、許してください!
(ID #81511) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Stormtroopers_helmet
はじめまして!
実は私もアーマー持ってまして
パレードやイベントに何度か出撃した
事があります。
でも最近はなかなか時間がなく
待機ばかりなのでそろそろ
出撃したいものです(笑)
Tofu-san in Palos Verdes, CA
 Pachinko seems entertaining, but I'm under 18.
(ID #82810) Posted on 1999/11/30 14:00
Ukotaku1991 in London
Otaku student
Registered on 2008/01/16 05:28
Pachinko is very bad, its the same thing as gambling but instead of winning money, u win prizes xDDD. Its alrite if u spend a little but not alot.
(ID #163103) Posted on 2008/03/29 06:20
Previous Articles
Okinawa Photo
comments(32)
Okinawa
comments(20)
Enoshima
comments(32)
O2 Supli
comments(22)
Tokyo train
comments(32)
Square Watermelon
comments(44)
Akihabara Photos
comments(18)
Tokyo car purchase
comments(31)
Women only carriage
comments(34)
Japan DS Lite
comments(28)
Balleggs
comments(17)
Nakano Broadway
comments(33)
Articles being read right now...
January 2008 Stats
comments(79)
Itachari
comments(35)
Roundup : 2007 week 47
comments(27)
Holiday (Summertime) figure
comments(24)
Wallpaper Tool
comments(36)
Pocket Money in Japan
comments(84)
Orient Industry
comments(31)
Education in Japan
comments(82)
God Gundam & Nobel Gundam
comments(27)
Otaku Hunting
comments(73)
Haruhi Auction
comments(41)
Fauna
comments(26)
DC Network
  • [www] Figure.fm
  • [www] Otaku.fm
  • [www] Kirainet
  • [rss] Article feed
  • [rss] News feed
  • Recommended
    Click here to refresh partner list.
    These partner placements rotate and randomly switch places on each page refresh.
    View advertising info
    and site stats here.
    Full list of partners in this slot are listed below.
    Featured Feeds
    Find out how to put your RSS feed here.
    ( More » )
    dannychoo.com ( Creative Commons ) ( Danny Choo ) ( Anime, Gundam, Figures, Japan ) Since 2000 ( 1211046943 )