Pachinko is a unique form of entertainment that the Japanese have enjoyed for over 80 years. Pachinko is easily recognized throughout Japan by its colorful, bright lights and exciting sounds. Although foreigners often find pachinko a bit confusing, hotel visitors can easily learn and enjoy playing pachinko at the MARUHAN Shinjuku Toho Building.
Pachinko's living room is often identified by the neon lighting and frightening sounds, but MARUHAN's living room is in a modern and well-designed building with little light from the outside. Located in the Kabukicho entertainment hub, MARUHAN shares a convenient location with Toho Theaters. Incredibly, it was very clean and the furnishings and decoration of the living room immediately impressed. With high ceilings and spacious hallways, the parlor is more inviting than any other pachinko parlor in the area. The grand entrance gives the feel of a casino and creates excitement as you climb the escalator that leads to the main hall.
MARUHAN's Shinjuku Toho building has a total of 1,160 machines, 704 pachinko and 456 pachi, similar to a slot machine. There is a wide range of prizes that you can exchange for the points you win, and with a membership card you can increase your winnings every time you visit. Without a membership card, your winnings will be forfeited unless you redeem your points for a prize that day. Some of you may wish to exchange your rewards for cash, but the salon is not allowed to have a relationship with such companies. The best way to find out how this works is to ask a fellow customer or observe how and where.
Although I've always been curious about pachinko, I could never muster the courage to play the game. Since I didn't understand the basic steps of pachinko, I had to watch away from it. If you are a beginner and don't speak Japanese, MARUHAN Shinjuku building is for you! MARUHAN is a friendly place for foreigners and wants to invite visitors to the world of pachinko. With staff speaking English, Chinese, Korean, Turkish and Spanish, you can get the help you need with a quick phone call. Free instructions in multiple languages near the entrance also give you a comprehensive overview of how to play pachinko.
MARUHAN Shinjuku Toho Building features free lockers, free luggage storage, free WiFi and a USB port on every device to charge your phone. Charging is possible free of charge. My personal favorite service is the shower shower, where a quick swirl of the box erases the smell of cigarettes or izakaya food from your clothes. Since smoking is allowed in most places, this is a great service for those who want to leave clean. If you are a non-smoker, there is a MARUHAN non-smoking building called MARUHAN Kabukicho on the other side of the building. There is also a plastic window on each machine that you can pull out to block out the noise and fumes of the customer next to you. Each section at MARUHAN features themes from different animes, and some of the most popular machines can even have a particularly long line on a Friday evening. With classic and modern machines, MARUHAN regularly updates the machines to ensure that repeat visits are never the same.
So how do you play? A game of pachinko can easily be played for 200 to 500 yen, and 1,000 yen will last you an average of 10 minutes. The value of the balls varies depending on the computer, but typically they are worth either 1 yen or 4 yen. Similar to a pinball machine, you move the handle to shoot the balls and you want the balls to fall into specific pockets where they fall. If the balls fall correctly, they will trigger a chain of events that can lead to a big win. Pachinko offers 100% luck once you master the basics, but the machines have different payout levels. You can watch the display above the machine to see the odds of each machine and what you can expect to win.
While you are playing, you can call the operator or customer service at any time using the “Call” button. Whether you want to order food from the cafe or ask for help, they are always there for you. For those who want to take a break but hope to keep the same machine, the machine will be reserved for you for approximately 40 minutes.
Whether you're curious or want to try your luck at mock gambling in Japan, MARUHAN Shinjuku Toho is the place to start your pachinko adventure. With helpful staff and countless services on offer, your stay couldn't be more comfortable while enjoying the exciting atmosphere of one of Japan's largest pachinko parlors.
MARUHAN Shinjuku Toho Building and MARUHAN Kabukicho are open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Players must be at least 18 years old. For more information, visit the MARUHAN website. Located in the heart of Tokyo and just a short walk from the train station.
