Tokyo’s Vending Machines: The Future in a Can
You think you’ve seen vending machines before you’ve pressed a few buttons, got a soda, maybe a bag of chips. Then you arrive in Tokyo, and suddenly the machines are smarter, brighter, and possibly judging your beverage choices.
There’s one on every corner. And I mean every corner. Some streets look like an LED jungle where robots have decided to sell you happiness for 150 yen. Need hot coffee? It’s there. Ice-cold green tea? Of course. Pancakes in a can? Don’t even question it Tokyo’s already three innovation levels ahead of your confusion.
One night, I found a vending machine that sold hot corn soup. Not soup flavored chips. Actual. Hot. Soup. I stood there in disbelief, holding a warm aluminum can of liquid comfort, and thought: “I have seen the future. It’s delicious and slightly weird.”
But it doesn’t stop there. Some machines sell batteries, umbrellas, ramen, flowers, ties, and even fortune slips. Others have glowing touchscreens that greet you by age and gender (creepy? maybe. Impressive? absolutely). And then there are the mystery drink machines you press a random button, and fate decides your beverage. It’s hydration meets gambling.
Tokyo’s vending machine scene is a lifestyle. Locals don’t even blink; tourists like me lose their minds. There’s something oddly comforting about knowing that at 3 a.m., if you suddenly crave hot chocolate or cold tea, a glowing machine somewhere in Shibuya is waiting just for you.
So yes Tokyo’s vending machines deserve their own museum. With exhibits titled “Evolution of the Coffee Can” and “Man vs. Mystery Drink.” I’d go. I’d take photos. I’d probably buy the souvenir from a vending machine too.
