Pleasure dome: Pachinko is the national game of Japan, and Itsuko Hasegawa has invented a suburban temple type to celebrate it

Architectural Review, The, May, 2003

Pachinko is an immensely popular pastime but almost solely limited to Japan. Every Japanese city seems studded with pachinko parlours, easily detectable by their bright signs in rather pretty pastel-coloured fluorescent tubes. Inside, through the cigarette smoke, intent figures can be discerned sitting in orderly rows completely obsessed by the machines in front of them. Players are quite amiable and prepared to smile at occasional puzzled foreigners as they shuffle, sheepish and puzzled, round the mysteries. but pachinko fanatics are really desperate to get back to their tinkling balls.

Pachinko is a combination of slot machine and pinball game; players can control only the speed at which small stainless-steel balls are fed into the devices. These dance down a labyrinth of pins, most to disappear, but a few may lodge in a device that activates a sort of fruit machine, which in propitious circumstances releases balls to players. Balls may be exchanged for more play, or a parlour's goods and services--though not directly for money because of strict Japanese laws against gambling (these themselves may help to explain the popularity of the game).

Itsuko Hasegawa has won an open competition for an out-of town pachinko centre with her notion of a circus. The basic idea is that a white tent containing all manner of delights will emerge from a grassy field. Pachinko will of course be the main activity, but there will be others: some (like billiards, slot machines and a beauty salon) scarcely much more healthy than pachinko playing. But others are more. vigorous: for instance there will be a swimming pool, a gym and even a boxing ring.

The big membrane structure of the tent (designed in conjunction with Cecil Balmond of Arups) will be based on a concrete structure partly dug into the ground, with spoil mounded up to make the green knoll rising out of the surrounding car park, which is to be of reinforced grass rather than asphalt. Gently swirling pedestrian bridges will convey customers into the tent. From these, people will look down on the intense activities below and choose to which to descend. Round the edges of the tent, sheltered by the concrete abutments, will be more tranquil places for restaurant and cafe and a mediatheque.

Pachinko, it seems, is likely to continue its great popularity and, amiably louche as the parlours are, clearly it needs a temple. Hasegawa has provided it. H. V.

Architect Itsuko Hasegawa Ateller, Tokyo

Structural engineer Cecil Balmond at Arup

Photographs Hiroshi Ueda