Vending Machines can be found on every street in Japan! They sell almost anything - from cigarettes, soft drinks and alcohol to hot meals! Unfortunately I have yet to find one that sells chocolate!
The most commoly found vending machines are the soft drinks ones. These sell cans of Coca Cola and similar drinks, but also usually sell cans of tea or coffee, which can be purchased either hot or cold. Hot cans out of a machine! This is wonderful if you are walking home in the cold and need something to warm your hands!
Also popular are the cigarettes and alcohol machines - can you imagine the problems there'd be with underage drinking/smoking if we had them in England!!! The alcohol machines are funny, as not only do they sell cans of beer, but also huge 2l bottles and cans, and miniature bottles of whiskey and sake!
On the platform at JR Tennoji station, we have also found a machine selling hot meals - yakisoba, chips, hotdogs, etc. I have no idea about the quality of this food, but still, it proves how "ultra-convenient" Japan can be!
I have heard rumours of vending machines selling rather more seedy goods in Tokyo, however nobody I know has ever actually found one (let me know if you have please - I want to hear all about it!!!) I did once find a machine on the street in Kyoto selling dirty magazines, but I think that's enough said about that!!!! |
