There are many things which we take for granted and we realize that only when we go to some other country. Vending machines are an important part of the modern Japanese culture and are one of those things that I miss when I travel abroad.
Japan has the highest number of vending machines per capita, with almost one machine for every 23 people. In Japanese we call these machines ‘jidohanbaiki‘. These machines are so popular in Japan that they can be found all over the cities, smaller towns and even in the countryside. One reason for their high usage is the low rate of crime and vandalism. Japanese people tend to go for shopping on foot or bicycle and find these vending machines very convenient.
Though mostly Japanese vending machines are used for selling canned and bottled drinks, snacks, and cigarettes, you can also see here vending machines that sell newspapers, flowers, printing photos, rice, french fries, cup noodles, ice creams, telephone cards, charging cellular phones and even pornographic books, condoms and fortune telling !
You can see some interesting vending machines here. If you wish to visit Osaka to attend auto auctions here, I can show you some special types of vending machines here.
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