While most forms of gambling are illegal in Japan, pachinko is an accepted legal form of gambling. You have to be 20 to play, but there are no other conditions.

The pachinko parlors open early in the day and stay open until late at night, with neon light advertisements glaring constantly. Since pachinko is a form of gambling, children are not allowed to play. Modern pachinko machines are equipped with motor-driven devices which shoot the metal balls on their course.