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Today I finally got kissed by Lady Luck. Luck be a lady tonight…. I won 16000 yen at pachinko after putting in 2000 yen with Reiko. We split it fifty-fifty.

Like a cross between pinball and a slot machine, there was the 8 on the left, the 8 on the right and then 8 in the middle but then the computer screen would cut to a crazy animation involving cartoon characters getting shot out of cannons using parachutes with numbers on. The six one would break and then the seven one would also break and for the first time since I`ve been playing this game on and off in Japan, the last kite with the third 8 wouldn`t break and he would float down to earth with three 8`s and a jackpot for me. I couldn`t believe it.

When this happens you have about five minutes to get as many of the silver balls into a small opening in the bottom centre of the vertical pinball table. For each ball you get in there, many more balls come out. You exchange these balls for prizes and then you take these prizes to a hole in the wall near the building where they are exchanged anonymously and in silence into cold cash.

Gambling for money is illegal in Japan but Pachinko parlours are densely scattered around Japan. They are garishly coloured, noisy and often filled with thick clouds of cigarette smoke. A certain pachinko parlour company puts large gorillas in various poses aka King Kong to distinguish itself. I`ll try and get some pictures.

I won four times in all filling up four trays with balls to make about 80 quid. I said before that I needed to win at this game before I could truly descend (ascend?) to the ranks of pachinko and gambling addict so I have taken the first step on a truly historic path. Hallelujah.