Shinjuku is where many visitors see their first pachinko parlour. The neon of Kabukicho, the roar of the street, and a giant Godzilla head watching over it all. It’s also home to Tokyo’s best-documented English-friendly hall. Here’s how to make Shinjuku your first pachinko stop.
The hall: MARUHAN Shinjuku Toho Bldg.
| Where | 2F, Shinjuku Toho Building, 1-19-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku |
| Languages | Staff can teach in English, Chinese and Korean. Free manga guide (MARUHAN) |
| Size | 1,160 machines: 4-yen and 1-yen pachinko, 20-yen and 5-yen pachislot (MARUHAN) |
| Hours | MARUHAN’s visitor page: 10:00–22:30. NAVITIME (2026) and Japanese Slot Guide: 10:00–22:40. Confirm on the day |
| Access | About 5–9 minutes on foot from JR Shinjuku Station East Exit, or about 3 minutes from Seibu-Shinjuku Station (NAVITIME) |
| PachiPass status | Verified (desk check of the official page, 4 Oct 2026). Full record: MARUHAN Shinjuku Toho Bldg. |
How to spot it: it’s in the building with the Godzilla head, which sits on the 8th-floor terrace of the Shinjuku Toho Building (Shinjuku Toho Bldg). NAVITIME notes that the same building houses TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku and Hotel Gracery Shinjuku (NAVITIME).
What NAVITIME’s 2026 walkthrough adds: the gaming floor is non-smoking, with designated smoking rooms and a heated-tobacco play area. Free Wi-Fi and smartphone chargers are available. Photos and videos are basically not allowed inside, and some halls hand out free earplugs (NAVITIME).
What to play first
MARUHAN lists a 1-yen pachinko section here (MARUHAN), and NAVITIME suggests it for beginners (NAVITIME). Look for higher-probability machines (around 1/99) if you’d like to see a jackpot sooner, knowing each jackpot pays less (machine types; beginner-friendly machines).
Other halls in Shinjuku
Shinjuku has many other halls. At the time of writing, PachiPass hasn’t verified foreign-language support at any of them, so we don’t list them as English-friendly. Walking into any licensed hall is fine. Just expect Japanese-only help, and bring our first-visit guide.
Prefer a guide?
Small guided experiences have been listed in Kabukicho (compare on our tours page):
- A 90-minute private Shinjuku night tour combining Kabukicho, pachinko, an arcade and Omoide Yokocho, from US$26.13 when reviewed (The Tokyo Explorer).
- A two-hour hall visit with a local host on Airbnb Experiences, from US$102 per guest when we checked (Airbnb).
Prices are dated, and play money is extra on every tour.
Planning the night
PachiPass suggestion, not a rule:
- Early evening: start with the Shinjuku sights. GO TOKYO describes Kabukicho, east of the station, as Shinjuku’s neon nightlife maze, and notes that Godzilla appears in the projection mapping on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (GO TOKYO).
- One hour at MARUHAN with a fixed budget, for example ¥1,000–¥3,000 at 1-yen. Leave the rest at your hotel (what it costs).
- Exchange your balls for snacks at the prize counter as a souvenir (prizes explained).
- Dinner nearby.
Quick answers
Where can I play pachinko in Shinjuku as a tourist?
The best-documented option is MARUHAN Shinjuku Toho Bldg., on the 2nd floor of the Shinjuku Toho Building (the one with the Godzilla head) in Kabukicho. MARUHAN's official visitor page says staff there can teach in English, Chinese and Korean and offers a free manga guide.
What time does MARUHAN Shinjuku open?
MARUHAN's visitor page lists 10:00–22:30, while Japan Travel by NAVITIME and Japanese Slot Guide give 22:40 as closing time. Confirm on the day. Halls stop play shortly before closing.
Is there a pachinko tour in Shinjuku?
Yes. Small guided experiences in Kabukicho have been listed on Viator and Airbnb Experiences. Prices and availability change, so compare on our tours page.
Is Kabukicho safe for tourists?
Kabukicho is Tokyo's best-known nightlife district and is busy late into the night. Stick to well-lit main streets, ignore touts, and don't follow anyone into a bar. The parlour itself is a normal, staffed business.
Sources
- MARUHAN – Let's Play Pachinko (Shinjuku Toho Bldg; EN/CN/KR teaching; 1,160 machines)
- Japan Travel by NAVITIME – How to Play Pachinko (MARUHAN Shinjuku walkthrough; access; hours 10:00–22:40; 2026)
- Shinjuku Toho Bldg – Godzilla Information Map (official)
- GO TOKYO – Shinjuku area guide (official Tokyo tourism)
- Japanese Slot Guide – Tokyo halls
- The Tokyo Explorer – Shinjuku night tour with pachinko (Viator listing review)
- Airbnb – Step Inside a Tokyo Pachinko Hall with a Local (Kabukicho)
Facts on this page were last checked against these sources on 4 October 2026. Rules, prices and venues change, so always follow the signs and staff at the venue.
