Awesome pics! It's a really cool experience, but that 100 yen shocked me too. Did you get a chance to go to a pachinko parlor?
During my first trip, I was in an arcade at a mall in Toride -
http://goo.gl/maps/wrlxx - with my wife..we were waiting for the bus back to the house. It's like in the middle of what I refered to as the "nebraska" of a Japan...small towns..all farming.
I was playing Tekken 2, which I thought I was quite unbeatable at.
Most 2 player PVP games then were set up back to back (with you sitting down, like a red tent) and most of the time you can't see who's playing against you.
A notification popped up 'You have been Challenged!" Of course, as a cocky 20-something I thought.."I'm about to PWN this sucker! Bring it on!".
I was destroyed in seconds.
I tried again, with my best guy, and lasted till the third round...only to lose again.
I stood up to view my opponent, and there's this teenager sitting there, with a completely emotionless look on his face. I high-tailed it to the bus stop.