Japanese Vending Machines
Did you know there are over 5 million vending machines in Japan selling everything imaginable? If you have used one, please tell us what is the most unusual thing you bought.
You can buy (this is not to say I have, but I have seen it available) these things through vending machines in Japan and they are all available at the side of a road:
Tea
Soda
Jellatine Drinks
Eggs
Batteries
Pornography
Beer
Sake
Noodles
Coffee
Instant Cameras
Candy (but strangely little sweets in Japanese Vending Machines)
Potted Plants
Cigarettes
Underwear
Umbrellas
Fishing Bait
Rice
Drinking Water
Rice Cleaners
You can see a few of them here:
https://www.photomann.com/japan/machines/
Japan is a very unique place.
When it comes to vending japan has some of the leading edges on it. Having vending machines that will give you what you want right on the spot without having to go to a store to get it makes it better especially if your a shy person. Plus getting beer or hard liquor from a vending machine that does not check your id is great as a teen.
You would probably be shocked to know that there are stands throughout Japan where there are fruits, flowers and vegetables with no one guarding them...just a locked box sitting on the table. It is totally the honor system and very few times are the money or goods stolen. The same goes for these vending machines. Crime is very low in Japan and the machines see very little theft.
That's amazing! They are way ahead on their technology!
I think it's great that they can run a system like this and not have many people abuse the trust.
I'm guessing that plenty of people use these, as it can be very frustrating when you run low on shopping items and there's no stores open, at least you can pop out to one of these vending machines and solve your problems!
I know I'd probably use it if I had that kind of choice!
Oh, you will see a vending machine in the middle of no where in Japan. Nothing will be around it but rice fields and it is just there blazing bright in the middle of the night. I always wonder where the electricity comes from for these because it looks so odd.
Japan's love affair with the vending machine continues
Local Japanese News In English
Though Japan's population is declining, its numbers are holding steady when it comes to vending machines. Over five million are plugged into the grid, about one for every 23 citizens -- the most anywhere.
And these machines vend not only beverages and cigarettes, but also have been known to carry beer, eggs, bananas, rice, video games, adult videos, and one even uses facial recognition to recommend the drink it thinks might be best for you.
Quirkiness aside though, what they have in common as they hum continuously along is all the energy they consume. That's why Coca-Cola System (Coca-Cola Japan plus its domestic bottling partners) has come up with the "Ecoru/Solar," an eco-friendly vending machine with a solar panel on top that uses 40 percent less electricity than regular machines.
(CNN)
Source: cleanup