Vending machines

1
Vending machines

• Discoveries by Lorita Chiu Steve Tse

2
Table of Contents

• Common and Ordinary Vending Machines
• Suntory Drink Vendor
• Cold Treats Vendor
• Tobacco Vendor
• Toy Vendor (??????)
• Newspaper Vendor
• Train Ticket Dispenser
• Less Common and Interesting Vending Machines
• Food Ticket Vendor
• Camera and Film Dispenser
• Token and Coin Dispenser
• Fortune Dispenser
• Fried Foods Vendor
• Uncommon and Unordinary Vending Machines
• Underwear Vendor
• Palm-reading Fortune Dispenser
• Parking Space Machine

3
Common and Ordinary Vending Machines

• This section deals with machines that you can see
  all over Tokyo they are among the most used and
  popular. These machines have equivalent
  counterparts in Canada, meaning the dispense the
  same type of items but are designed in different
  ways. Canadian vending machines pale in
  comparison when it comes to aesthetics, Japans
  vending machines are more efficient and prettier
  looking.

4
Suntory Drink Vendor
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5 Creativity 1 2 3
4 5 Description Your average
everyday Japanese drink vending machine.
Dispenses a variety of sodas, coffees, sports
drinks and teas most of which are from the same
company. Comments Drink vendor are found
everywhere in Japan in front of stores, along
the streets -mostly in places that attract
crowds. They are by far (along with Tobacco
machines) the most abundant type that exist in
Japan.
We decided to introduce the first machine in
Japan that we used our first 100-yen coin on
Suntory-san as we nicknamed him, he sits in the
lunchroom right here in Kenshukan. Being the
star of the week, we have captured and translated
his contents
5
Cold Treats Vendor
Neither the most useful or exciting machine, this
cold treat dispenser is located right in the
baseball stadium.
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5 Creativity 1 2 3
4 5 Description For all the
baseball fans that want to stray away from all
the greasy fast food sold at the stadium, they
can go for a quick cold treat of an Asian flavor.
this machine offers a cheap and delicious
solution. Comments Ice cream machines are
also pretty abundant in Canada, but they
definitely do not offer lemon ice cream cake!
Trying the lemon cake was a good choice, it was
full of taste and worth the 150 yen. One thing
to note is that unlike the ice cream machines in
Canada that make that loud sucking noise, these
ones are much quieter.
6
Tobacco Vendor
Locatedeverywherewhat a terrible, terrible
machine. These critters are in every corner
where lots of people go.
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5Creativity 1 2 3 4
5Description Pretty self-explanatory.
Dispenses a huge variety of different tobacco
products. There is a large selection of
cigarettes from light to heavy providing smokers
with a lot to experiment with.Comments
Only meant for smokers obviously. Very
convenient for them too as they are littered
everywhere. However, I prefer Canada over Japan
in this case, simply because I despise smoking.
Having machines where young kids can gain easy
access surely doesnt help the problems caused by
smoking.
7
Toy Vendor (??????)
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5Creativity 1 2 3 4
5Description From insects to human body
parts, anime characters to the multitude of
cartoon animals that are popular in Japan,??????
dispenses them all. The prices range from 100
to 300. Also a very popular machine that is
distributed throughout Japan, mostly at places
where kids go. Comments Only meant for
kids and interested parties, very convenient,
hassle-free and smart way of selling a lot of
toys. Unfortunately, it includes a very hard to
manage slot for picking up purchases.
Located in Shinjuku is a store filled with
endless toys. On the 5th floor of this magical
building exists a room stocked entire of toy
vending machines ?????? as we learned
8
Newspaper Vendor
Found in one of the bigger alleyways near
Mukogaoka-Yuen train station, this is the only
newspaper vending machine we have seen thus far
in Japan.

• Usefulness
• 1 2 3 4 5
• Creativity
• 1 2 3 4 5
• Description
• Very useful for places where there is no
  newspaper/magazine store. This machine dispenses
  three different daily newspapers for a cheap 130
  to 140 yen. Best for those in a hurry to get on
  the train and in for a long ride.
• Comments
• Canada has newspaper vending machines as
  well, albeit a lot less stylish, yet a lot more
  space consuming and insecure. Japanese newspaper
  vending machines look a lot nicer and prevent
  theft of additional newspapers, unlike the
  Canadian ones where you can open the gate for a
  dollar and take as many as your greedy heart
  desires.

9
Train Ticket Dispenser
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5 Creativity 1 2 3
4 5 Description Probably the most
useful vending machine in Japan, this baby
dispenses the oh-so-necessary tickets for the
main form of transportation in Japan. There are
many options that these machines come with
being able to buy for 1-3 people, purchasing
round trip fares, Japanese/English mode,
etc. Comments Canada has ticket vending
machines as well so they arent exactly creative
and unique, but unlike Canada, the ones in Japan
are used a lot and are pretty much a part of
everyday Japanese life. Unfortunately, the
amount of money put into these machines in Japan
is also exponential to that of one in Canada.
These machines are placed at every station, with
every different train line providing their own
set of machines. Heavily used and very much a
necessity in Japan.
10
Less Common and InterestingVending Machines

• This section deals with machines that for the
  most part exist in Japan and not in Canada. They
  are less commonly seen in the open, but are
  easily found within their appropriate places.
  These machines serve as prime examples showing
  how much emphasis the Japanese place on
  efficiency, especially with the busy lives that
  they live.

11
Food Ticket Vendor
Located right near the opening of the Cafeteria
in Building 10 of Senshu University, this bad boy
dispenses meal tickets for food
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5Creativity 1 2 3
4 5Description In order to speed up
service, the cafeteria in Senshu University has
applied the use of a machine that dispenses meal
tickets for customers. Exchanging these tickets
for food saves time as you dont have to talk to
workers and pay cashiers. This makes getting
food extremely fast and lining up a lot less
dreadful.Comments Canada could really
use some of theseeven though they have more
people here in Japan, from what weve seen so
far, their service is still faster.
12
Camera and Film Dispenser
This low-quality photo was taken right outside
the elevator on the observatory floor up in Tokyo
Tower.
Usefulness 1 2 3
4 5 Creativity 1 2
3 4 5 Description A
vending machine that dispenses three different
one-time use cameras along with a cartridge of
film. Most expensive to least expensive, these
three cameras vary in terms of zoom and lens size
and quality of film, the most expensive having
the best features. Comments Canada has a
couple of these too so theyre not
Japan-exclusive. It does not take a genius to
figure out that Tokyo Tower is an excellent
location to place one of these machines.
However, we found it rather questionable however
how well these cameras would sell considering how
bad the photos will turn out during night time.
Even our own camera (that is pretty decent, and
costing a whole lot more than 650 yen) failed to
take good shots with the proper settings.
13
Token and Coin Dispensor
Usefulness 1 2 3
4 5 Creativity 1 2
3 4 5 Description This
vending machine vendors four different tokens
that have different images and designs of Tokyo
Tower engraved on them the most popular of
which is the Hello Kitty one. These coins
serve well as souvenirs or just mementoes to
remind one of their visit to the tallest steel
tower in the world. Comments We have yet
to see one in Canada, but we do not doubt that
they exist there too in certain tourist places.
This particular machine however is unlikely to be
found anywhere else because all their coins
feature Tokyo Tower related pictures. This is a
highly specialized vending machine located in a
highly specialized place.
This is yet another low-quality photo of a
machine found in Tokyo Tower, its is located near
the elevators leading back down to the lobby.
14
Fortune Dispenser
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5 Creativity 1 2 3 4
5 Description A fortune vending
machine that is made to look natural in its
environment. With its wooden exterior, it looks
like it fits well with the ancient shrine that
surrounds it. Does not come with any real choice
on the consumers part. Only allowed to press a
button and a random fortune is dispensed. Comments
Not as special as the hand-reading
fortune teller machine, this fortune vendor seems
only useful for those who are in need of a quick
fortune slip, do not like crowded places or
line-ups and are not picky about their choices.
If you dont like dealing with the merchants who
sell these near the temple doors, then this is
definitely the machine for you.
This clash of past and present is located in the
shrine one stop away from Daibutsu.
15
Fried Foods Dispenser
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5 Creativity 1 2 3
4 5 Description A unique machine
that cooks and dispenses fried goods! This
machine is the perfect substitute for a small
24-hour snack stand. Comments Canada may
have a ton of concession and hot dog stands
littered about, but they certainly do not have a
machine that does it all. Saving both manual
labor and space, this hot fried foods vendor
serves as a source of food in a place where there
are no food stands to those whom are interested.
The prices are only a bit higher than that of
their man-made counterparts.
Conveniently located in a bowling alley, this
vending machine supplies hungry bowlers with
quick and easy junk food.
16
Uncommon and UnordinaryVending Machines

• The vending machines included in this section are
  among the most unique and strange that we have
  sought out. They can at times be amazing and
  sometimes outright funny. Regardless of which,
  they are indeed interesting to say the least. By
  nature, these machines are rare and hard to find.
  We have only encountered these by coincidence
  and not when we were purposely looking for them.

17
Underwear Vendor
Located right in the onsen in Odaeba, this unique
machine dispenses packaged underwear.
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5 Creativity 1 2 3 4
5 Description For all those who have
lost or just want a new pair of underwear, this
machine is perfect for them. It comes with a
variety of patterns, colors and sizes to cater to
different individuals. Comments As far as we
have seen, nothing of this sort exists in Canada.
As reserved as the Japanese are, I would say
Canadians are more embarrassed about purchasing
underwear in public. Most unique machine found
for the week!
18
Palm-reading FortuneDispenser
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5 Creativity 1 2 3
4 5 Description Definitely the most
interesting machine weve encountered over the
course of the week, this stone-like carving is
actually a machine where you insert your hand
along with 100 yen and in return it dispenses
your fortune prediction. Comments
Although not entirely useless, its certainly is
something very different. We were personally to
afraid of trying it out, but decided against it
just in case we were cursed with a bad fortune.
This machine is aimed at either fortune fanatics
or those who arent very superstitious and just
want to have some fun. A very unique machine
indeed.
This scary-looking machines is located at the
heart of Enoshima, on the streets leading to the
shrines.
19
Parking Space Machine
Usefulness 1 2 3 4
5 Creativity 1 2 3
4 5 Description It may look simple
on the picture, but what this actually is, is a
giant conveyer belt that cycles parked cars
around in a giant oval. All a person has to do
is park it in the space, insert the required
amount of money and the parking lot will take it
to an appropriate safe place. Comments
So cool that I never thought wed find it. It
was a shame that a security guard was watching
it, or else I would have gotten a closer view.
This is a highly useful machine as it saves space
for cars and parks for people who lack the skill.
One of my all time favorites.
Stumbled across this long-sought-after machine
when we least expected itduring a shopping day
in Shimo-Kitazawa.