Vending Machines

Vending Machines

Japan must be the world leader in vending machines … at the end of 2018, the number of vending machines in the country was nearly 3 million, or a vending machine for each 37 citizens!

But why??? Firstly, it is safe; it is unheard of for people here to break into a machine for cash or stock. And it seems that anyone with a small plot of land that has people walking past it thinks that it is a good business opportunity. What is puzzling to me, is that alongside all these vending machines, are thousands and thousands of convenience stores, known as konbini. Many of these are open 24 hours a day – and vending machines are sometimes sited in close proximity.

Unlike for example Hong Kong, where you can purchase a wide selection of goods from a vending machine (umbrellas, face masks, cosmetics, phone accessories), in Japan the offering is invariably drinks with much the same selection from machine to machine, although checking out a few local ones this morning, I see that none are currently offering hot drinks.

There are a small number offering snacks but these are mainly on railway stations and there are a few around & about selling ice creams. In a land of no rubbish bins (you take the rubbish home with you) there are usually bins for bottles & cans next to the venders.

There are, however, vending machines selling cigarettes but to purchase from these you need a TAPSO card or a driving licence so that minors are unable to buy tobacco.

But …. there is new kid in town! A vending machine, set up as a trial between two florists, selling fresh flowers. Hearing about this I had to hot-foot it to Shinjuku Station to see it. There is an inbuilt luck element; put in 500 yen and you may receive a fresh bud, flowers that are a third through in bloom, or a fifth through in bloom, a seventh through in bloom or flowers that are in full bloom. A clever idea because any flowers you receive will definitely fit one of these stages! But along with the flowers comes a fortune with predictions on your life, love, work and personal relationships. What’s not to like?

4 thoughts on “Vending Machines”

  1. Well…vending machines need zero human contact which Japanese appreciate in general. So better than going to a vending machine. Even at the top of Mont Fuji has a vending machine!! About hot drinks, just await for the winter. You will see vending machines selling them.

    1. I had seen hot drinks in vending machines in winter & spring but hadn’t realised they removed all of them in the summer. I’m not sure I have the legs to climb Fuji so I’ll take your word for that one! xx

  2. I took a photo many years ago outsides shrine of three vending machines. One sold coffee, another cigarettes and the third condoms. Gosh I wish I could find that photo now – classic!

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