14 Cool Vending Machines from Japan

14 Cool Vending Machines from Japan

Japan has the highest number of vending machines per capita, with about one machine for every 23 people.

This post showcases unusual and creative Japanese vending machines.

Coca-Cola Robot Vending Machine

Coca-Cola has giant robot vending machines walking around Tokyo.

Coca-Cola Robot Vending Machine

Eggs Vending Machine

Each small compartment contained a bag of eggs, probably 10 or 12. The eggs are from a nearby farm, and the farmer fills the machine daily with freshly laid eggs.

Eggs Vending Machine

SMART Car Vending Machine

Pushing the button on the vendor won’t exactly pop out a car, but it does dispense a branded tube containing pamphlets on the new models, dealer information, and a sheet of Smart Car stickers.

SMART Car Vending Machine

Ice Vending Machine

In Japan, almost everything is sold in vending machines. This particular machine sells ice.

Ice Vending Machine

Beer Vending Machine

Vending machine dispensing beer and liquor in Kyoto, Japan.

Beer Vending Machine

Umbrella Vending Machine

An umbrella vending machine from Tokyo, Japan.

Umbrella Vending Machine

Pringles Vending Machine

In Japan, there are even vending machines for Pringles chips. They have vending machine franchises for all types of products.

Pringles Vending Machine

Instant Noodles Vending Machine

Nissin instant-noodles vending machine located in Tokyo.

Instant Noodles Vending Machine

Flowers Vending Machine

Forget to get flowers on the way home? No worries as this flower machine can be found in Tokyo’s Shinjuku station.

Flowers Vending Machine

Necktie Vending Machine

Japanese vending machine that sell neckties.

Necktie Vending Machine

Sneaker Vending Machine

Crafty sneaker vending machine created by Japanese sports fashion brand Onitsuka Tiger.

Sneaker Vending Machine

Vegetables Vending Machine

Unique vending machine from Tokyo that dispenses fresh vegetables.

Vegetables Vending Machine

Battery Vending Machine

It is possible to buy batteries from a vending machine in Japan.

Battery Vending Machine

Live Lobsters Vending Machine

This “Sub Marine Catcher” arcade game allows Japanese gamers to try their hand at catching live lobsters.

Live Lobsters Vending Machine

Also check out: 17 Most Unusual Vending Machines

  1. accessoire

    Japan is just crazy I wanna live there :)!

  2. ABY

    hey dis iz kool…….

  3. Skylla

    Is it just me or is there a french fries frying vending machine standing next to the instant noodle soup one? Even more impressive. (I actual saw one when I was in Tokyo, also saw an ice-vending machine).

  4. erwin15155

    japan…oh..japan…japan=instant?

  5. me

    I’m pretty sure that last video says “MAINE lobster game.”

  6. Jessica

    poor lobsters!! what happens to them.. don’t think you actually get them.. they look like tourists.. what would they do with it and how would they keep it til they got home….

    as for the french fries vending machine, I saw one here in Montreal! never did try it though

  7. cheezeflicker

    aww poor lobsters :( and even tho that egg VM is “filled with fresh eggs daily” i would feel that it goes against all my instinkts to buy them…

  8. ephemeross

    @Jessica – You eat them, lol (:

  9. Serge

    That pringles one isn’t technically a vending machine as such. It’s a UFO catcher filled with pringles.

  10. jay

    In Okinawa, I always wondered how some vending machines were powered. They would be out in the middle of no where for some reason.

    I leave Japan tomorrow and am going to truly miss it!

  11. locohama

    Wow! This is the coolest post I’ve seen in a while…including my own! Was this your idea? Suge!

  12. MiNGLED

    Hey, one of those wasn’t in Japan at all. The Onitsuka Tiger was in Carnaby Street, London. Well at least they have one of their shops there.

  13. Beezy

    these are convenient when stores are closed

  14. Iggy

    The Maine Lobster Game isn’t a Japan only thing. Those machines can be found in the United States as well.

    The Maine Lobster Game Bally’s Las Vegas

    http://iggyz.com/?p=5647

  15. Jo

    Nice one, here’s one to add to your post – boardgame vending machine:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lightinglove/3483782246/in/set-72157617454567136/

  16. turbo_girl

    Serge is right, the Pringles one isn’t a vending machine, it’s a crane game like you’d find in an arcade. I never understood some of the prizes in those things…

    I’ve seen flower vending machines here in U.S. airports, haha.

  17. freedomwv

    I have actually played the lobster one before. It is at Kita-Senju in Tokyo.

  18. ju

    why is there an US ufo catcher lobster game in a “vending machines from Japan” entry ????
    and what about the vending machines selling oden or ramen?

    in Japan crazy ufo catchers are commonplace, these deserve a new entry.
    to get you started:
    _ seen not a lobster but a crab ufo catcher in shinjuku few years ago. don’t know if it’s still there.
    _ there’s a famous ufo catcher game center in osaka where you try to grab cakes. pretty easy, got one in 2 attempts and it tasted good.

  19. Yamila

    We have the flower vending machine at the airport in Las Vegas.

  20. Billy

    Great to see all of these weird vending machines on one post!

  21. Nikuman

    Actually the vending machine next to the instant ramen machine is not a french fry vending machine but is a machine set up by the Nichirei Corp. a large frozen food company in Japan. It can be found at many rest stops on the expressways around Tokyo. That machine sells Hot Dogs, Rice Balls and a few other items but as far as I remember no french fries. It’s a story in itself as this is the only machine I’ve ever seen here in Japan that takes frozen food, thaws it and microwaves it & then dispenses pretty good HOT food all from a vending machine! Cool post. You missed the porno vending machines with the reflective screen so passersby can’t see the mag covers without getting close and peeking in holding their hands up to block the light.

  22. Dhiram

    The smart car vending machine is not for real. It is actually an advertisement.

  23. Blair

    Best vending machine I ever saw was in Amsterdam train station 25 years ago – g-string panty dispenser!

  24. John Smith

    @Blair
    They actually used to have vending machines in Japan that dispensed used schoolgirl panties for dirty old men to take home and sniff or do whatever. They all got shut down, though. Apparently there was no law against it, so they had to shut them down using an old antiques dealing law.

  25. atalina08

    wow,….
    why the hell dont we have this in the U.S….?!?

  26. mimi

    Where’s the one in Montreal? i’m curious!?!?!

  27. Van

    A few months ago I saw a flower vending machine in a local super market in paris, totally surprised me when I saw it haha ^^

    The japs have really cool and fun ideas ^^

  28. Izzy

    Makes me hungry looking at all those Pringles…Seriously, why don’t we have cool shizz like that here in the USA? (except for the lobster thing…poor lobsies.)

  29. Martina

    I´m interested to buy flowers vending machine.

  30. case

    what about lomography vending machine?one situated in the centre of milan, it sell not only 35mm and 120mm films but also camera

  31. Rafael

    Those lobsters VM r quite interesting but it doesn`t worth to keep them there for us to have some fun… repugnant.

  32. Fresh

    Why can’t they have more of these in the US???

  33. Mike

    They left out the strangest vending machine in Japan… They have one that is full of used woman’s panties. It also has various adult toys.

  34. Z

    What would thye do with the lobster
    after they caught it, just carry it around?
    Ew lol

  35. Drew designs

    The lobster vending machine in New York City is situated in a sea food restaurant; customers can try their hand at catching a lobster (i think it costs 5 dollars) and if you catch one, the restaurant will boil it for you for free for you to have as your meal. It’s pretty hard to do though.

  36. timmay

    lol i love them all, it would be nice if the smart car vending machine did pop out a car, the weirdest vending machine i ever saw was a tennis ball one.

  37. Mike land

    Saw how they made the french fry machine where it wouldn’t spoil while the machines waited for customers. They borrowed from the cook book of a nuclear submarine that is out for 3-month stints with no supply refills. The machine is loaded with dry potato pellets. When someone orders a batch it rapidly heats up the oil and reconstitutes the potato mix. It then injects the mix into the oil until a proper amount of fries is created. It then times the batch and vends it to a container and spits it it.
    Growing up, I always loved the Canteen machines. Remember the cups that fell, then ice, then syrup and soda water? It was the best. Can’t find them anywhere these days.

  38. Nissei

    I’m so tired of hearing about the used panties! I’m sure a lot of people are probably under the assumption that these were on every corner. During all my stays in Tokyo, I never saw one of these. I’m guessing that they were probably in a sex shop and another post says that they not even allowed anymore. Get over it!

  39. Just For You

    @Nissei

    Have you heard of the used women’s undergarment vending machines? I just can’t get over how crazy those vending machines must be. They must be everywhere throughout Tokyo.

    Feel better now?

  40. Yes ask it of him again

    Yes, I remember it very clearly, I was close to a lake the other day, and suddenly a loch ness monster reared it’s snaky head out the water. It said in a southern accent “Hey boy, you been to Japan?” “I hear they got them used panty machines” I asked it “How much were them used panties?” It then looked away and mumbled “Three Thirty”

  41. brad fidler

    i want oe of them how much are they ???

  42. Andrew

    I think the Onitsuka Tiger machine was just a marketing stunt from two years ago…

  43. emmajane

    Yeah, I”ve been to japan and they have vending machines everywhere. Even by the side of the road in some places in the country side. The Coca cola one is so cool!

  44. aimee

    Wish I lived in japan :-(

  45. jaquan

    wow…..!! that lobster one is too stupid…y would u vend lobsters..??

  46. ChEeSe

    they were mostly all from japan, i wanna go there!!

  47. Kwang

    Wow!!!!
    Great to be in Japan for 6 days. And I will definitely revisit this country again. I am very impressed with all vending machines I found at least 2 vending machines for every 200 to 300 m.during walking by the street.
    I wish I could live in Japan. And I wish Japanese should start speaking English since Japan now is a very popular country for tourists. Life is very difficult when no one speaks English. Lots of non-verbal conversations play a significant role for tourists who can’t speak Japanese to survive.
    But, I love Japan. And I will go back again soonest.
    Sept.27th, 2010

  48. Nikki

    I just moved back from Japan and well this is normal stuff. The frying vendy is kinda good too

  49. Dyohna

    Eggs? Neck ties? Sneakers? Really?

  50. Victoria

    That live lobster vending machine is sooo crazy!!! i think by the time when the lobsters have been played (or abused) for so many times, they would already not be fresh. It looks really entertaining though and definitely brings some money for that place. *animal cruelty!

  51. larissa : )

    OH my god ! this stuff is so kool :) a car in a vending machine hahah thats so koool :) flowers noooodles ? omg what nextt

  52. Sandra M.

    I have seen flower vending machines in some hospitals in the Los Angeles area.

    Also, I would drain my bank account if I had an Onitsuka Tiger vending machine anywhere within walking distance of me.

    Fun post!

  53. Andy

    @John Smith: Sorry but those machines never existed.
    Every time you see a picture of a “used panty machine” it actually just sold fresh pantys. And you can find machines like that also in the US and Europe on most airports. So people can buy a fresh pair of underwear when they have to stay longer than thought.

  54. Sasha

    That is seriously animal cruelty. Lobster tanks are bad enough already.

  55. ginny

    all that and no frozen coke machines..lol )hong kong has them)

  56. peter

    this is nothing new.

    Asians are just to awesome

  57. Debbie

    I bought an umbrella from a vending machine when I was in Tokyo – best umbrella ever

  58. Scotty

    these are really cool can you get them anywhere in the USA

  59. Susan

    Seafood restaurants offer the lobster vending machines–usually, they cook the lobster for free of you catch it.

  60. GUTMAN

    That lobster catcher is such an awesome idea… I want 1… lol

  61. Mich

    A really strange vending machine I saw in a short documentary on Japanese vending machines was for a defibrillator

  62. kieran

    i was just in japan and around tokyo you’ll only find the beer, drink and rarely cup noodle machines. the rest exsist, but are only a few of a kind. the pringles machine above, for instance, is actually a game, see the prize out slot for the pringles chips.

  63. stephenie

    When I lived in Japan (1995-1997,) I actually saw one of the used underwear vending machines, outside in an alley, in a normal part of Tokyo. I suspected it was new underwear, just repackaged but, they were sold as having been used (I speak and read Japanese.) I think the price was 2000Y, about $20 US then.
    Some other VM I have seen; raw rice, dog food and leashes, ice cream, marital aids.
    Natsukashiii na!

  64. illeander

    Italy made a pizza vending machine that makes the pizza from scratch in under 3 minutes. Seriously, from scratch. the machine mixes up the dough and everything.

  65. Phairot

    I actually saw the same Lobster machine in Hawaii.

Subscribe via RSS or Twitter