High-Stakes Mahjong Shops Make a Comeback in Kabukicho After Apartment Mahjong Fades

On February 26, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s Organized Crime Control Division arrested five employees, including the manager, and eleven male and female customers of the mahjong parlor “Mahjong Jewel Ueno” in Taito Ward, Tokyo, on suspicion of operating a gambling establishment for profit. The parlor operated with the rule that money could be wagered, and large sums of money were exchanged daily. Since its opening in December of 2023, it is estimated that the business has generated over 400 million yen in sales.

High-stakes gambling in mahjong has been increasing, with Kabukicho in Shinjuku being particularly notable. By using special tiles and setting up high-value tip payouts, known as “shūgi,” given when a certain hand is achieved, large sums of money are reportedly being exchanged.

“I’ve lost 500,000 yen just this month.”

When I spoke to Mr. T, a frequent visitor to high-stakes mahjong parlors in Kabukicho, he mentioned that all the shops are bustling. He also told me that these parlors are using X (formerly Twitter) to promote events and attract customers.

“When I go to a store, I bring about 300,000 yen in my wallet. Currently, in Kabukicho, there are four high-stakes parlors, and among regulars, they each have nicknames like ‘Sensory Shop,’ ‘Jewelry Shop,’ ‘Totsutan Shop,’ and ‘Black Ship Shop.’

It’s often said that ‘high stakes mean poor security,’ but the staff is friendly to first-time customers and explains the special rules to them. The relationship between staff and customers is also close. There’s no fighting between customers, and everyone plays mahjong with good manners,” said Mr. T.

As for how the games actually work:

“When you lose, you could lose 200,000 yen if you come in last place three times in a row due to a special rule. In a quick game like the East Wind game, rolling the dice and having bad luck could mean a big loss. There’s a story from one shop where a regular said, ‘I’ve lost 500,000 yen just this month,’ and the staff responded, ‘You can still lose another 200,000 yen.’ It’s not normal by any standard,” he added.

Kabukicho, the Gambling Mecca

Kabukicho is famously known as the mecca for mahjong. It has been featured in numerous manga and dramas, often portrayed as a gambling hub, a battleground for high-stakes wagers. While these fictional depictions show unrealistic sums of money being exchanged during gambling games, they aren’t entirely fantasy. The peak of illegal mahjong parlors was around the 1980s, during the bubble era, when massive stakes like 1 million yen and 10 million yen tables were common. These games, called “Mansion Mahjong,” were held in private apartments and allowed entry only by invitation.

However, with time, this “Mansion Mahjong” phenomenon faded away. While it persisted in a smaller form until around 2017, by 2025, there have been no mentions of Mansion Mahjong. The shift came as illegal slot machines and casinos began operating in Kabukicho, drawing people away from illegal mahjong games. Back in the day, mahjong wasn’t seen as a popular game like it is now; it was often regarded as a pastime for the unsavory.

S, who played in these Mansion Mahjong games about 10 years ago when he was a student, reflects on the decline:

“Nowadays, betting large sums in mahjong is not trendy. People who enjoy mahjong play without stakes. It’s not worth getting arrested over small amounts. If you want to play for high stakes, you can gather people, play at a regular mahjong parlor, and settle up in cash after leaving the place.”

The reason the stakes have risen in Kabukicho

While it was believed that mansion mahjong had become extinct, high-stakes mahjong parlors continue to thrive in Kabukicho. I asked mahjong writer Makoto Fukuchi for his thoughts.

“The increase in stakes in Kabukicho started around 2020. During the late Heisei period, all mahjong parlors operated at the same stakes, but one particular parlor became popular by suddenly offering high stakes. After that, several other parlors followed suit and started offering high stakes.”

The background to the rise in stakes is said to be due to the trial and error of the stores after the COVID-19 pandemic caused a drop in customers.

“During the pandemic, customers were scarce in any type of shop, and mahjong parlors were no exception. To differentiate themselves, I think they raised the stakes.

Since stakes higher than the ‘Tenpin’ (1000 points = 100 yen; without special rules, you lose about 20,000 to 30,000 yen if you lose) would be at risk of being raided, they raised the stakes in the ‘tip’ part. There was already a unique ‘Kabukicho rule,’ so I think the high stakes were accepted by customers and became popular.”

When former Tokyo High Prosecutor Hiroshi Kurokawa was involved in a gambling scandal in 2020, the Ministry of Justice’s Criminal Bureau Chief, Takashi Kawahara, commented that the “Tenpin” rate they were playing at was not necessarily high, which led some to interpret that it might be acceptable to openly operate a parlor with the “Tenpin” rate. However, regardless of the rate, gambling is illegal.

 

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