Things I didn't try early on: crane games

Crane games are something that I had tried in my home country before coming to Japan. But I think I was in Japan a few years before I tried the machines here. At first, I didn't realize how different - better - they are here to home. First and foremost, Japan's crane games have genuinely desirable prizes! 

In Japan, crane games, also called “UFO catchers", aren’t just arcade machines. They’re a national hobby, a mix of skill, luck, and collectible culture that appeals to kids, teens, adults, and even tourists. People spend hours, days, weeks, years honing their skills. There are even TV programs about crane games. Moreover, they have whole stores dedicated to just crane games. 

My children each went through a phase, around the middle years of elementary school, of wanting to visit a crane game center frequently. They are not a cheap hobby though. But I learned to find the stores with the most winnable machines! Thankfully, for my kids it was just a phase, but some people never outgrow the phase. I have adult friends who play crane games every week and have done since they were a child. I get though, it's a fun and often rewarding pastime. 

Have you tried crane games in Japan? Were you here long before you tried them?