Escapading in Japan, there are millions of things to let oneself get captivated by. That could be a summer firework show, plum blossoms peeking out on the cusp of spring, overly-rowdy college students running through Kiyamachi at night, or a simple sunset while walking along Kamogawa river.
On other days it could be something as trivial as a Kirbie plushie in an arcade’s UFO Catcher that catches your eye. An arcade, also known as a “game center,” in Japan is the ideal shelter for dodging the typhoons during the rainy season, which is just around the corner. Unless you are not a fan of fun or cuteness, it’s pretty impossible NOT to enjoy yourself at a Japanese arcade.
So what do these multi-story neon play places have for their guests?
Most arcades in Japan will greet you on the first floor with a huge room full of UFO Catcher’s and claw machines that hold captive anime figures, plushies, candy and even electronics. Stroll around here for more than two minutes and you are bound to end up finding yourself trying to grab a Chiikawa doll or a Chainsaw Man figure.
We can’t say that everybody emerges victorious, but there are many strats to beat the system. The staff at the arcades are pretty generous and will readjust the item if it’s in a difficult position to grab, give you advice on how to win or even give you a handicap and put the item closer to where you need to get it. Our advice is to think of an escape plan before sacrificing your money to this giant glass case - in other words, know your limits, kid.
If you’re not feeling the UFO Catchers, then just take the escalators to the next floor. You are likely to find fighting, shooting and racing games, a ridiculous amount of dancing and music-based games, and even some horse racing games where you can bet fake money on the outcomes, if you’re into that. Even if you don’t participate in these festivities yourself, you can easily enjoy yourself just watching people go crazy with their friends on these floors. Other floors also offer classic group activities such as cosmic bowling, billiards, darts or karaoke.
What better way is there to cap off the night than a cute Purikura photoshoot? Purikura is the term for the mega-cute photo booths found in almost every city and arcade in Japan. After your photo session, you are guided to a touch panel where you get to digitally decorate the photos with kawaii stickers and bright colors. The editing software on these babies is so advanced, almost nobody walks out of a Purikura session without feeling more gorgeous than they were going in.
It’s not strange to find oneself spending hours at an arcade, singing at the top of your lungs, playing Tekken with a stranger at another gaming unit, or screaming at your friends as they throw a blue shell at you when playing Mario Kart. Some of us have even spent more time there than we care to tell people about. It’s easy to see why:
There’s something there for everyone and no matter how chill of a person you are, nobody is too grown or cool for Japanese arcades. And don’t let a sunny day stop you - hop on in, trade your bills for some jangly 100-yen coins and let the magic of the game center set you free.
