Although they contain some of our favourite snacks and drinks, vending machines can’t usually be described as ‘fun’. However, in Japan, the vending machine industry is on an entirely different level from what we’re used to here in the UK; there are some truly impressive – and bizarre – vending machines throughout the country and we’re going to take you through some of the best.
Alcohol Vending Machines
Whether you’d like a can of beer or a bottle of the traditional sake beverage when you’re walking down the street, Japan has got you covered. These are more common in hotels and areas that don’t have many shops and other places to buy alcoholic beverages, and they require a special ID card called a Tapso to operate.
Mask Vending Machines
While much of the world is now used to wearing masks on a daily basis due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, mask-wearing has been common in Japan for a long time. They’re used as alternatives to tissues – it’s considered rude to blow your nose in the way we would in the UK, so people wear masks to protect other people from infections and bacteria. If you find yourself with a sniffle but without a mask on your Japan trip, you’ll be able to grab one or two from your friendly local vending machine.
T-shirt Vending Machines
Spilled your coffee? Noticed a pesky stain that you missed when you were getting dressed in the morning? Not to worry – just get a new t-shirt from a vending machine! They can be found all over Japan, with high-street giant Uniqlo selling their affordable, quality garments from a big coin-or-card-operated box. Now there’s no excuse for not wearing fresh clothes!
Flower Vending Machines
Need some flowers as a last-minute gift but all the florists are shut? In Japan, there’s no need to worry – flower vending machines are here! These aren’t paltry bunches of flowers, either – these are beautiful flower baskets.
Umbrella Vending Machines
In most countries, sudden downpours are the scourge of every pedestrian caught without an umbrella – you either have to duck into the nearest shop for shelter or make a run for it and hope you don’t look like you’ve been swimming to your destination. If you’re caught in the rain in Japan, though, you simply need to find your nearest umbrella vending machine, feed it a few coins and enjoy protection from the heavens.
We’ve gone through just five of the many unusual vending machines seen around Japan – there’s so many more that dispense anything from ties to bananas and even underwear (yes, really) – if ever you’re lucky enough to find yourself over there, make sure to hunt down some of these wonders of convenience!
At Nu Vending we don’t do t-shirt vending machines, but we do supply the finest coffee machines, cold drinks machines and snack machines money can buy. From the latest tabletop coffee machines to healthy vending machines, we can provide your workplace with state-of-the-art products and market-leading maintenance services. For more information about our office vending machines in London, simply contact us today and we’ll be happy to help.
