One of the best things about traveling is discovering how other people live in different places, whether that’s 200 miles down the road in another county or 2000 miles away on the opposite side of the world.
Wherever you journey to and for however long, there’s always the opportunity to find out something new about people and how they choose to live their lives.
Human from across the globe have many things in common, but one of the most persistent is our love of entertainment. Since time immemorial, societies have been coming up with solutions to keep themselves entertained through the good times and the bad.
We’ve put together a guide to some of the global entertainment you’ll find in different countries as you’re traveling through, from across the Channel in Europe all the way over to East Asia and down to the African continent.
Have you ever tried any of these pastimes? And if so, which were your favourites?
Pachinko, Japan
These peculiarly Japanese gaming arcades are colourful, noisy and lots of fun. They are often frequented by people of all ages and serve as an alternative to the Western slot machine. However, the pachinko machine operates more like pinball than a traditional one-armed bandit. The aim of the game is to guide multiple little metal balls into cups located at the bottom of the playing field; players must avoid holes and bounce the balls off metal pins placed at strategic points.
Pachinko machines have existed since at least the 1920s and grew in popularity over the years. They were wholly mechanical devices for most of their history but, in recent years, digital interfaces have taken over, much like with video slots. Although they are still extremely popular in their home country, they haven’t really spread elsewhere. So, visiting a pachinko parlour can feel like a truly authentic Japanese experience.
Roulette, France
The game of roulette has a long, storied history. It was first invented back in the 17th century and is based on designs by physicist Blaise Pascal, who was attempting to create a perpetual motion machine. Although his efforts didn’t pay off, the unique design of the roulette wheel was born instead. Since then, a zero has been added to the layout and, in many US casinos, an additional 00 has been inserted.
Roulette has enjoyed global success since it spread out from French gaming halls to other parts of Europe, the US and beyond. Many brick-and-mortar casinos now offer multiple variants of the game, but online gaming platforms are where the real variety lies.
The established roulette form has translated from a physical game to one which can be played on-screen remarkably well, giving rise to alternative playing styles and approaches. In part due to its online success, roulette feels like a truly global game, but it is still plenty of fun to visit the place where it all began and spin the wheel on French soil.
Mahjong, China
It’s likely that you’ve already heard of mahjong or seen it in a movie, even if you’ve never played it yourself. This tile-based game originated in China, where it is still an incredibly popular pastime. Thanks to travellers, merchants and Chinese communities established across the world, the game has been brought to many different communities, where it is enjoyed in clubs, groups, casinos and gaming halls as well as in people’s homes.
Played by people of all ages and skill levels, mahjong usually has 3-4 players using a set of 144 picture tiles. The aim of the game is to create sets and hands, with one person eventually playing a winning hand of 14 tiles. Although rules differ depending on where you are and who you’re playing with, the Old Hong Kong Mahjong Rules are the most widespread and representative.
Although there is a big mahjong playing community in the US, it can feel special to play in the game’s homeland of China, especially if you make the effort to seek out regional differences in gameplay.