I’ve always heard how cool and amazing Japanese vending machines are, machines that dispense anything and everything from food to used women’s underwear. Where are they all? Supposedly there is one vending machine in Japan for every twenty-three people. There were a lot of vending machines in Tokyo but it didn’t seem like there were nearly that many. At one machine for every twenty-three people, that’s over a million vending machines just in Tokyo. There just didn’t seem to be that many more than there are here in Korea. We searched and searched for bizarre and amazing Japanese vending machines but just couldn’t find many. Either the vending machine craze in Japan is a myth or a thing of the past or we completely missed all the truly interesting ones while we were in Tokyo. Where are all the amazing Japanese vending machines!? Where is the awesome walking Coca Cola robot vending machine!? Here are some of the most colorful and interesting Japanese vending machines we were able to find.
Just an average colorful Japanese vending machine selling different drinks.
A little more interesting.
Quite a fancy touchscreen vending machine but it's not selling anything strange, just drinks.
Sometimes we would see a row of vending machines like this but they were still only selling drinks.
Finally one not selling drinks! This one sells cigarettes, probably without proof of ID.
Finally something good! Ice Cream!
One of the more interesting kinds of vending machines we found in Japan, if they even qualify as vending machines. This machine is outside a small fast food restaurant. You place your order at the vending machine in the front and it gives you a ticket which you take inside to get your food from the cooks. Maybe not exactly a vending machine since it only gives you a ticket for food but still more interesting than one that sells drinks.
Now that I think about it, this picture was the only time I remember seeing anyone buying anything from a vending machine besides myself.
