Pachinko is a big deal in Japan.  According to Wikipedia, it is a mechanical game originating in Japan and is used as both a form of recreational arcade game and much more frequently as a gambling device.  A Pachinko machine resembles a vertical pinball machine.

Pachinko parlors were everywhere.  They are very, very, noisy, and bright, and it is said to be addictive!  Here’s a few shots inside:

There were also many restaurants in the area and plenty of  opportunities for fast food.  One popular type seemed to be dough balls filled with squid or octopus parts.  They are cooked in a metal  form similar to a cupcake form but not as deep.  Here’s someone turning them over.

And here’s what the finished product looks like in the form:

I saw this building and stairwell.  The shot was taken at sunset and something about the lighting in the stairwell intrigued me.  Do you like the image?

Last, but not least, was this sign on another Pachinko sign near our hotel in downtown Osaka. At 9:00 A.M., there was a line forming waiting for the parlor to open!

The next post will focus on Hiroshima, the site of the first Atom Bomb the United States dropped at the end of WW II.  

Thanks for looking,

adam