Comments on: Japanese Vending Machines: Not disappearing just hiding away

By: Phil Hind

Phil Hind — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 03:16:44 +0000

I work for a Japanese company and would like to get one of these vending machines to put in the office. Do you know how I can go about contacting someone or purchasing one?

By: pete samprass

pete samprass — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:42:54 +0000

amazing…i went to a tennis tournament in japan and saw a vending machine selling animals…alive animals.
I got my self a bull terrier off the vending machine…awesome!

By: soteiguy

soteiguy — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:54:21 +0000

Hi sinung,
It depends on what kind of vending machine you are looking for. Actually the “oku” is very “fukai” when it comes to vending machines in Japan. The design is different for food vs. drink vs. cigarettes vs. magazines vs. other crazy “tools” you can buy. It also differs depending on how high-tech you want it. A simple cash machine is a different story to one that accepts “denshi-money” as is one equipped with PHS communication facility to communicate its inventory back to the head office or receive TV for broadcasting on the main LCD display. Fukai…. very Fukai…

By: sinung

sinung — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 08:45:59 +0000

hi,

I’m from indonesia, I trained in Japan from 1996-1997, I saw a vending machine, and very interest.
Can somebody give me the information, where can I buy a vending machine???

By: pathetic

pathetic — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:58:04 +0000

Vending machines outside Japan are pathetic… Japanes evending machines maker should enter overseas market, they make superior machines I am sure they would make foreigh makers go out of business. Also it is pathetic how often at least in Europe you cannot even be sure the machine will give you back your change…

By: Blandford

Blandford — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 12:22:11 +0000

First time I went to Japan I was very surprised to find vending machines almost in every corner. But what surprised me even more is the fact that they are Hi-tech state of the art machines. I remember finding near Akihabara a jihanki with a TFT screen with comercials of all the selling products. After my surprise a friend that was with me mentioned that it was nothing compared to the new models that conected to internet to ask for more supplies as soon they noticed they were running out of them!! O_o
How will the next jihanki generation be??

By: Anwyn

Anwyn — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 14:46:42 +0000

They do have hot coffee vending machines in Australia and the UK, but it is dispensed in paper cups rather than cans.

By: Mr. Mori

Mr. Mori — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 13:35:31 +0000

Has anyone seen any warm drink vending machines outside of Japan? I find myself looking for a hot canned coffee vending machines these days when I’m o/s (in the winter anyway)

By: Leopold

Leopold — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 18:52:35 +0000

Great article. I find these things fascinating - not just because of their prevalence, but they seem to be part of the japanese collective subconcious. If you understand the Japanese vending machine, you understand Japan.

By: meelis

meelis — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:25:47 +0000

After landing in Japan, feeling sleepy because of jet lag and I saw a vending machine on a train platform.

I inserted my money. A man came out and handed me the green tee bottle!

Apparently I didn’t notice that the door of the vending machine was wide opened and being “refilled”.

I was suprised and he was looking me as a baka gaijin.