dimwit wrote:I've always thought playing pachinko is a rite of passage in Japan.

Passage to where, poverty?

Does changing out Pachinko machines count? Did that my first year here.

dimwit wrote:random Google search turns up any number of Gaijins playing Pachinko

That's the second time that "Heather" has appeared on FG...
FG Thread: Ryokan Want More FG Money

there was a guide to "winning" at pachinko in english a few years back [possibly by tuttle?] a rather small volume, it tempted me, stacked seductively at Fine Books Oriental [don't go there unless you have a hundred or two quid spare...], alas it was priced rather too high and other tomes took precedence, on hindsight i wish i had picked it up out of novelty if nothing else.

i happen to know an ex pachinko pro in sapporo, and his advice on winning was "don't start in the first place, at least at soapland you get something for your money"

btw, any idea who coined those most distasteful words "japanophile" and "japanologist" and have they been shot yet?

There is a very, very easy way to 100% guarantee that you make money at Pachinko. Become "sakura".

Well, the respected Katokori and myself went to play pachinko everyday for 10 days for the sake of a little experiment.
We were allowed to spend only 1000 yen per day and we were sharing our gain. The goal of this was to see if we were goint to break even or lose money or make a profit.
So basically we had to make 20 000 in 10 days.
It happened on the 7th day, Katakori won 20 500 yens that night. So we made 250 yens each. This doesn't prove anything but it was fun to try the different machines and understand the game in itself. Even if it's a game you can play and win without actually understand anything about it.
The machine we won on was the Yellow Cab machine, where each number is attached to a picture of girl from yellow cab. I don't remember the name of the lucky girl that made our day
We started this thing because the first time i played pachinko (almost a year ago) i made 40 000 in one evening. I didn't played until that experiment and haven't played since then.
Now, during the first 6 days of the experiment i didn't feel particularly more "japanophile" than i am, i just felt like a moron giving away money to some north-korean gangsters. On the 7th day(aka FEVER day) i thought that Katakori was one lucky bastard and i praised him for it.
The last two days were like the first 6 days without the image of the north-korean gangster laughing all his way to the bank.
All in all it was kinda fun.

congrats FGL, i think thats the first time that term, in that sense, has been used on FG [correct me if i`m wrong]

hmm wonder if i`ll ever be able to track down a Parodius pachinko machine in good nick..

kotatsuneko wrote:there was a guide to "winning" at pachinko in english a few years back [possibly by tuttle?] a rather small volume, it tempted me, stacked seductively at Fine Books Oriental [don't go there unless you have a hundred or two quid spare...], alas it was priced rather too high and other tomes took precedence, on hindsight i wish i had picked it up out of novelty if nothing else.

I have a copy of that one. It's "Winning Pachinko" by Eric Sedensky



I can't say it's a classic but it is one of a kind.

kotatsuneko wrote:congrats FGL, i think thats the first time that term, in that sense, has been used on FG [correct me if i`m wrong]

In today's Pachinko parlor everything is computerized and the percentage of amount of $$$ paid out is very closely controlled. The likelihood of machines paying out much money is also individually controlled. No surprises here really.

Pachinko sakura are typically younger Japanese who work in groups generally run by Chinese. The group will have an "agreement" with one or more parlor owners that works like this:

1. each day the group will get the numbers of machines that are programmed to pay out at a parlor
2. they give machine numbers out to group members who then ensure they line up in front of said parlor nice and early
3. parlor opens, the group members race to their set machines -- often ones near the doors etc
4. the sakura will play all day, amassing a large to huge collection of balls
5. at the end of the day the sakura change their balls for cash
6. each sakura keeps a pre-determined amount of cash (typically 20,000) and then transfers the balance via furikomi (bank transfer) to the group.
7. the group keeps a cut (no idea how much) and gives the balance back to the pachinko parlor.

The parlor is happy because they get to appear to be paying out large amounts of $$$ without having to pay out much at all. Also because they are paying out a (nearly) set average every day anyway they don't have to pay out any more than normal.

The sakura are happy cause they are getting 20,000yen or so for 10 to 11 hours of time spent playing pachinko. Tax free of course which means it isn't a bad wage at all if you can handle playing pachinko all day 5 days/week.

And of course the people running the sakura group are happy because they're getting funds to support whatever other "activities" they are up to.

The only loser is of course the average punter who is suckered in by the winnings he sees the sakura getting. Not only are those winnings not real, but the fact that the sakura are "winning" so much will actually be reducing the amount he might be able to get.

heh, yup thats the book I was thinking of, Mulboyne! I bet you've got both of those english books on chindogu [spelling? - drunk] , too

FG Lurker wrote:Pachinko sakura are typically younger Japanese who work in groups generally run by Chinese.

Sounds like a good subject for a Sake-Drenched Postcard. Captain Japan, whatta ya say?