Winning Pachinko by Eric C. Sedensky (1994, Paperback)

This out-of-print book is the definitive English guide to playing Pachinko (I'm sure there are better and more recent Japanese books). It contains a good brief history of the machines and a description of the current styles up to the time of the printing (1994). The bulk of the book is a guide to how the machines are played, how to look for ones that have favorable nail adjustments, and how to play in a Japanese pachinko parlor.

As the title promises, the author's main focus is on winning, so playing strategies for the main type of machine at the time make up a large portion of the book. This makes the book somewhat less valuable for modern players as machines of this decade are much closer to electronic slot machines, but many of the principles still apply. Most of the parlor information is still correct as far as I know. The important bit is an explanation of the loophole of cashing in special no-value prize winnings at a neighboring booth for actual yen.

Current online information to supplement this book can be found online at PachiTalk.com, a forum for pachinko and pachislo (Japanese slot machines) enthusiasts who exchange expertise and offer friendly support for owners of modern and vintage machines. A good eBay guide to buying vintage pachinko machines is here: http://reviews.ebay.com/VINTAGE-Pachinko-Machines_W0QQugidZ10000000001477270