BEER CAFÉ ZINC


Location: 2-30-11, Nakano Arai, Tokyo, Japan (東京都中野区新井2-30-11)
Date: February 2014, updated September 2015

Report by John

During the Chinese New Year holidays in February 2014, my wife and I visited Tokyo for my annual leisure trip.

After leaving the Neverland game arcade in the evening, I took a JR train to the Nakano district which is a famous shopping area for second-hand dolls.

I went through the Nakano Broadway which was full of both local and overseas visitors.

Nakano Broadway
Nakano Broadway

The Beer Café Zinc bar is located two blocks away from the end of Nakano Broadway. In fact, it was not easily located by a foreigner like me.

Beer Cafe Zinc's front view
Beer Café Zinc's front view

Opening hours and menu
The opening hours and the menu

I was the first one of our group to arrive at the Beer Café, and by 6pm there were few other guests there yet.

The bar area
The bar area

A Medieval Madness pinball there was in the bar and it was in excellent condition. The two flippers were powerful enough to reach every part of the playfield.  (^o^)

Medieval Madness
Medieval Madness

I got high score #1 without any difficulty. However, this was soon replaced by newer high scores made first by Mr. IK and then ZZY.

My early high score
My early high score

There was a total of four Japanese pinball friends who also showed up that night. They were Mr. Ito, ZZY (who also visited at Neverland that morning), Yasuda and IK.   We were playing the pinball while drinking the beer and enjoying the snacks.

One of the drinks and one of the dinner snacks
One of the drinks and one of the dinner snacks

A match between Mr Yasuda and ZZY
A competition with Mr Yasuda and ZZY

Another competition with  Mr ITO and IK
Another competition with Mr ITO and IK

We stayed at the Beer Café Zinc until 9:30pm, but the story did not end there; we continued on to the next pinball location - the Mikado at Takanobaba(高田馬場) - for our favourite game, Attacks from Mars.  

General information about the Beer Café Zinc is as follows:

  • Transportation: A 10-minute walk from north exit of JR Nakano station or Nakano subway station
  • Telephone: 03-5343-2164
  • Business hours: 11:30 - 15:00 & 17:00-05:00  (Mon to Sun)

  • Pinball cost: 100 Yen (~USD1.0) per 3-ball game

  • Website: r.gnavi.co.jp/g225500/

  • Comments: Machine was in excellent condition.


UPDATE - September 2015

The only change since my last visit to Zools bar in February 2013 is that current game is:

  • High Speed 2: The Getaway (Williams, 1992)

The game has changed from Medieval Madness to High Speed 2: The Getaway
The game has changed from Medieval Madness to High Speed 2: The Getaway

Others remained unchanged including the following:

  • Decoration & atmosphere

  • Friendly staff.  Although I am not good in Japanese, the staff still tried their best to introduce me to some good food

  • Good conditions of the pinball

  • Cold beer & delicious food

The bar is busy with many guests
The bar is busy with many guests

Dinner on a beer barrel
Dinner on a beer barrel

This is one of my strongly-recommended pinball locations to visit when you want to meet friends in Tokyo city.


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