The pinball-like game of pachinko is extremely popular in Japan and can be found in many American casinos. The term pachinko is derived from the Japanese word pachi-pachi, meaning the clicking of small objects or the crackling of fire.

While the origins of pachinko are unknown, it most likely descended from the "Coringth Game" which originated in Chicago, USA. The game appeared in Japan in the early 1920's, and the first pachinko hall was opened in the Osaka Prefecture. Takeichi Masamura is known as the founder of today's pachinko for he developed the "Masamura Gauge", an arrangement of nails that became the basis for most of today's pachinko machines. In the 1980's pachinko machines became computerized and now have sounds and graphics that make the game more exiting.