Why Foreigners (Tourists) Don’t Play Pachinko and Pachislot: A Ranking！

長北真 Pachinko the WORLD！海外と外国人とジャパニーズパチンコ事情

Hello again, it's Makoto. As we reach the fifth installment of this series, I aim to make you feel like you can invite foreigners into pachinko parlors just by reading. This time, I'll expand on the previously discussed topic of "Why foreigners don't enter pachinko stores". The sources for this information include the survey from the second article, feedback from tours, and my personal experiences from traveling around the world.

So, let's get to the main topic: "Why don't foreigners enter pachinko parlors?" Based on various comments I've received and noted, I've extracted and roughly categorized similar ones to create a ranking.

5th Place: Unaware of Location

To us players, this might seem surprising, but many non-players don't even realize pachinko parlors exist. They might not notice them, especially if they're only labeled in Japanese as "パチンコ" instead of "Pachinko".

4th Place: Fear

Please don't misunderstand; this isn't about me being scary. Imagine being in Thailand, encountering a restaurant where everything, from the sign to the menu, is only in Thai. What would you do? Even with my extensive travel experience, I'd turn away. It's unknown and potentially intimidating. Imagine how it feels for a foreigner encountering a pachinko parlor with Japanese-only signs.

▲Regarding this, well, you might sort of understand it.

▲But how would you feel if this were displayed in front of a store

I thought of showing a menu written only in Thai when I went to Thailand, but since most signs there also include English, I ended up picking a random place from Google Maps instead. It gives off a vibe that they are eagerly trying to make a profit from foreigners. This is the kind of eeriness I'm talking about. I just want to convey the image.

The third most common reason: No one to go with.

This was often mentioned by people who were traveling alone. Indeed, it's like asking if someone wants to go bungee jumping alone. While you can visit a haunted house by yourself, the thrill is better shared with someone else. I always feel like showing off when I get something good in a gacha pull. Is it just me?

I wish I could be reborn as a sexy lady in my next life.

▲I hope this appearance is not the reason.

The second most common reason: Not knowing how much money is needed.

This ties back to the second article. If we take the survey results at face value, about 90% of foreigners think pachinko could cost them up to 50,000 to 100,000 yen per hour. They might even think that playing for 2 hours with 3-4 people could result in a collective loss of 400,000 to 500,000 yen! Given this perspective, their concern is understandable. But I wonder how they would react if they knew that we pachinko fans stay in the parlors from opening to closing time?

The TOP Reason: Not feeling welcomed or feeling rejected.

The top reason was that they did not feel welcomed. Foreigners feel unwelcome in pachinko parlors due to a variety of factors. Key points include:

◆Lack of English signage at entrances, leaving non-Japanese speakers feeling unwelcome.
Right, there is no “Welcome” sign nor any sort of English information at all.

◆Local patrons giving strange looks to foreigners approaching the parlors.
It very depends on the place they are visiting, but yes we do surprise when we see foreigners playing pachinko.

◆Inadequate or incorrect English information available, which can be disappointing compared to international standards.
I also agreed with this context. There are a lot of English texts in wrong usage. If you would compare with other casinos in outside Japan, they would be disappointed for sure.

◆The absence of other foreigners in parlors can deter new visitors.
This passage reflects on the natural human tendency to be drawn to popular or crowded places, a phenomenon observed globally. It notes that tourists often prefer bustling establishments, like the famed Ichiran ramen chain, over quieter, less frequented spots. The author contrasts this with the situation in pachinko parlors, where despite being crowded, the noticeable absence of other foreigners can deter new visitors from entering. This highlights the challenge of stepping into an environment where one doesn't see others like themselves, a common barrier in unfamiliar cultural settings.

Additional factors mentioned were low ratings on platforms like Google Maps, and uncertainty about which parlor to choose due to a lack of clear, appealing information. This reflects a broader issue of accessibility and cultural barriers faced by foreign visitors.

I`m feeling this is short compared to other columns, but it might be that others are too long. See you on next!

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We have organized a special tour to introduce pachinko, a traditional Japanese form of entertainment, to our foreign friends. On this tour, you will be accompanied by an instructor who is fluent in English and well-versed in pachinko, providing detailed guidance from the basics to advanced techniques. Pachinko, known for its bright lights and unique sounds, has been a beloved game in Japan for over 80 years. Although the tour is just two hours, it offers a wealth of knowledge about pachinko's history and how to play!