[2019 Edition] 5 Interesting Vending Machines You Can Find in Japan

Sake is a traditional Japanese rice wine with many different varieties all around the country, which is why vending machines for tasting and comparing sake are a great hit. The vending machines in Ponshu-kan, a tourist facility in JR Echigo-Yuzawa and Niigata Stations in Niigata Prefecture, are particularly famous. The machines are stocked with the signature labels of more than 90 breweries across the prefecture. You can try an ochoko (small ceramic cup) full of sake from one label with each chip that you purchase at the reception. The chip is 500 JPY for 5 (some of the labels require two or more). Sake-tasting vending machines are available elsewhere, such as in Tokyo Shoten near JR Ryogoku Station.

This vending machine is popular for the convenience of snacking on juicy apples. A special process using Vitamin C prevents the apples from discoloration, so they'll last up to 11 days. Each bag has four bite-size apple pieces, with a choice between skin-on and peeled (around 200 JPY). There are also apple packages that come with honey and seasonal fruits available for a limited time. The vending machines can be found in Haneda Airport, Itami Airport, Ikebukuro and Ginza Stations on the Tokyo Metro, and Hankyu Umeda Station in Osaka.

There are also vending machines for dashi (broth), which is used in everything from miso soup to simmered dishes in Japanese cuisine. The bottle looks like a drink bottle, but if you look closely, you'll see that there is a whole grilled ago (flying fish) in it. It is a product called Dashi Douraku with Grilled Ago (700 JPY and up for 500ml) that consists primarily of soy sauce-based dashi made from ago. It is characterized by a delicate and light sweetness and umami (Japanese savory taste) and goes well in hot pot dishes and other foods. The vending machine can be found in front of Mitsui Repark parking lots around the country among other places.