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Things to Do While Gambling in Japan

Luckily there are still a few places where you can legally gambling in Japan. But once you've experienced these, then it's time to put on your tourist hat and visit some of the amazing sites.

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Things to Do While Gambling in Japan

So you want to go gambling in Japan? Well, it’s gotta be said, but Japan is certainly one of the coolest places for a westerner to visit. With a combination of ancient arts, crazy architecture, traditional music and all served up with amazing food, what’s not to love? The fact that the country is one of the world’s favorite travel destinations can attest to that as well. Technically there’s no gambling allowed across the country. So, though there are no casinos, you will still find some other things to gamble on. Let’s have a look at some different ways you can still enjoy flutter whilst in the land of the rising sun.

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Play Pachinko in Shinjuku

This noisy game is hugely popular all over Japan. though it’s not considered gambling from a legal perspective, it certainly looks like it to our eyes. The machines actually look like jackpot slots machines. It’s really a form of pseudo-gambling and the vast majority of Japanese adults appear to partake. Though you can find Pachinko parlors all over the country, probably the best experience for a foreigner is to go to the Maruhan Shinjuku Toho Building. This is the place where tourists are welcomed and you’ll learn to play Pachinko here.

When you visit, the very first thing you should do is get yourself a membership card. With this, you can visit multiple times as well as rack up points over the duration of many visits. These you can later exchange for prizes. In the Maruhan Shinjuku Toho Building, you’ll find over 1,000 Pachinko machines, which consists of Pachinko and Pachinko slots. Though is possible to exchange your points for cash, as a foreigner you might struggle to be able to do this. Your best bet is to ask another player (but they’ll all probably shake their heads and say nope). There are no real jackpot winning tips or tricks… the balls just fall where they fall.

All the staff is multi-lingual, speaking English, Spanish, Turkish, Chinese, and Korean. They will be more than happy to demonstrate how to play and ensure that you have a great Japanese experience.

The Samurai Museum and Robot Restaurant

Whilst you’re in Shinjuku, you really should check out the many awesome historic sights. One such place is the Shinjuku Samurai Museum. Once your tour is done here, you are encouraged to dress up as a Samurai. You can even learn some sword moves from the on-site choreographer. By walking down the street that connects the Samurai Museum with the Robot Restaurant, you’ll have a great idea of how the building’s architecture changed over the centuries.

Though it’s called the Robot Restaurant, in truth there are only light snacks available. But it’s certainly entertaining, with a robot band playing in the background as you order from a walking, talking robot. To escape the hustle and bustle of the busy streets, we suggest that you take a walk in Shinjuku Gyoen National Park, which is located bang center in the middle of the city. This used to be the Emperor’s private gardens, but have since been opened to the public. Of course, many people from the city flock there during the Springtime cherry blossom season. But, take it from us, it’s beautiful at any time of the year.

Gambling in Japan: Horse Racing at the Kyoto Racecourse

Though you’ve probably never heard of it, horse racing is a big thing in Japan. There are over 20,000 races held each year. In fact, betting on the horses brings gamblers from all over the world, as well as hundreds of thousands of locals. For the best horse racing experience, we suggest that you leave Tokyo and make yourself the journey by Bullet train to the ancient capital city of Kyoto.

The Kyoto racetrack is relatively modern and can hold over 120,000 people. Here you’ll find a number of different types of horse racing courses, including a jump course, a dirt course, and 2 x turf courses. The horse racing takes place all year round here. Gambling in Japan is allowed on the horses, and it’s a very lucrative business for some professional gamblers who have their own jackpot winning strategies. It goes without saying, that going to Kyoto just to bet on the horses, would be a bit sad. Kyoto itself is a wonder. Probably the first destination as a tourist would be to pay a visit to the Kiyomizu-Dera Temple, which is situated on the top of a hill overlooking the old city. Here you’ll find the Jishu Shrine, that was dedicated to the god of love.

Visiting Old Kyoto: Kabuki and Gion

For a family afternoon why not go to the Iwatayama Monkey Park. Here you’ll find monkeys everywhere, and you should pay special attention to your bags and belongings as these monkeys will snatch at anything they can get their furry mitts on. For those of you with a bent leaning towards history, then a visit to the Gion District is a must. Here you’ll be transported back to the time of Geishas and temples and theater. You should go see a kabuki show at the Minamiza Theater. Then it’s off to the Yasui Konpira-gu Shrine’s magical stone where you can write down your wishes and offer them to the stone.

If you’re in the Gion District, then there are any number of wonderful options as for as eating goes. A short 20 km bus ride will take you to the town of Kurama. Make your way to the top of Mount Kurama and you’ll find a Buddhist Temple which is called Kurama-Dera. The mountain has some very beautiful hiking trails for you to explore.

Bet on Bicycle Racing in Omiya-ku

Keirin is a unique form of cycle racing found only in Japan. It emerged after WWII and is certainly accounts for a great deal of gambling in Japan today. It is a cycle race involving just 9 cyclists doing laps around a special track called a velodrome. Actually, the sport was developed for no other reason than to create something for gambling purposes. One of the best of these velodromes is in Saitama and is the Omiya Velodrome, situated in Omiya-ku. It has a track circumference of 500 meters.

Omiya-ku is a northern facing part of the Tokyo suburbs and is seen as a hub that connects the capital city to the north of the country. but it’s also an excellent tourist spot as well. In fact, the very word “Omiya” actually means “shrine”. It’s here that you’ll find the Hikowa Shrine which was founded in 473 BC. It’s situated in beautiful gardens with trees and fish ponds, along with other smaller shrines. Whilst you’re in Omiya-ku, then why not pay a visit to the Omiya Railway Museum. Omiya is a hub for the Shinkansen bullet trains that made train travel in Japan so famous around the world.

Japanese Folklore and Bonai

If you’re a history buff, then you’ll be needing to go to the Saitama Prefectural Museum of History and Folklore. It’s chock full of fine art from 1,000 BC, as well as more modern pieces from the 17th and 18 centuries. There are also courses being run so that you can participate in making folk crafts in their workshops. Omiya-ku is also famous for it’s park, which is filled with cherry and apricot trees, as well as red pines.

Of course, any visit to Japan wouldn’t be complete without seeing some of the countries famed bonsai masterpieces. Omiya has a Bonsai Village where you’ll witness all things bonsai, from the trees themselves to the making of them and many bonsai related artifacts. Every May, it’s home to Japan’s biggest bonsai festival. If you come from Tokyo by train, then the Omiya Bonsai Village is just a short walk from the Omiya Koen Station which is located on the Tobu Urban Park Line.

Conclusion: Things to Do While Gambling in Japan

Japan will certainly be unlike any other country you’ll ever visit. It goes without saying that both nature and Japanese culture have a beauty not seen in other places. Then there are Japan’s unique gambling adventures to be had. Though there is talk of land-based casinos opening in the near future, who knows when that will actually be? Till then, get yourself down to the local Pachinko parlor, buy a bucket of steel balls, pull up a seat to the Pachinko machine, and start to play. It’ll be an experience you’ll never forget.