14 votes

Why these old Japanese vending machines are genius

9 comments

  1. [4]
    Comment deleted by author
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    1. [2]
      chocobean
      Link Parent
      seen in a 2000's pub somewhere in boonies UK: shrimp and banana gummy machine..... I wish we had a camera on us that day. It was in a pub. Little pink crescent gummies and yellow crescent gummies....

      seen in a 2000's pub somewhere in boonies UK: shrimp and banana gummy machine..... I wish we had a camera on us that day. It was in a pub. Little pink crescent gummies and yellow crescent gummies. I didn't have the bravery to try them - heaven knows how' long they've been in there. But I always wonder what if....

      2 votes
      1. [2]
        Comment deleted by author
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        1. chocobean
          Link Parent
          I mean....in Hong Kong we often have access to East Asian snacks and seafood flavours are very common. Such as, lobster chips, dried squid, fish shaped and seaweed flavoured crackers etc........

          I mean....in Hong Kong we often have access to East Asian snacks and seafood flavours are very common. Such as, lobster chips, dried squid, fish shaped and seaweed flavoured crackers etc..... Sometimes HK things are similar to UK things for colonialist reason, but....banana is not one pairing I have seen until then or since.

          I just googled them just now and apparently you can buy them from a certain online store now! And it's definitely a UK only thing. O..o ....?!?!

          If I see them in the store....and they look reasonably new......

          The ones I saw back then were in a little corner of a small pub, next to the slot machine and I would imagine having been there since ages ago....if it's brand new in a bag i might try it

          2 votes
    2. Crimson
      Link Parent
      We used to have a kind of vending machine culture in the US in the form of automats, but sadly they fell out of style. I do agree with you though, I wish we had a similar kind of...

      We used to have a kind of vending machine culture in the US in the form of automats, but sadly they fell out of style. I do agree with you though, I wish we had a similar kind of culture/subculture with vending machines here. I don't care too much if the food is healthy, but I like the idea of just being able to pop over to one for a quick snack/simple meal and continuing on my day.

      2 votes
  2. cfabbro
    (edited )
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    Also, if you're a fan of Scotty from Strange Parts, be sure to check out the latest episode of Jet Lag!

    Also, if you're a fan of Scotty from Strange Parts, be sure to check out the latest episode of Jet Lag!

    2 votes
  3. [3]
    TMinfidel
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    I think the vending machine phenomena in Japan is great. It's the perfect blend of obsession with technology and convenience in obtaining drinks and snacks. In the UK it's normally only can/bottle...

    I think the vending machine phenomena in Japan is great. It's the perfect blend of obsession with technology and convenience in obtaining drinks and snacks. In the UK it's normally only can/bottle vending machines, those terrible snack ones where things get stuck halfway, or the eve worse hot drink vending machines that Arthur Dent was so critical of.

    I also think it's simultaneously amazing and weird that people (myself included) would consider travelling halfway around the world to visit another country and culture and want to spend a portion of that time trying vending machines.

    2 votes
    1. [2]
      chocobean
      Link Parent
      You have to rephrase it as, I travelled to Japan to eat udon prepared by robots.

      You have to rephrase it as, I travelled to Japan to eat udon prepared by robots.

      2 votes
      1. TMinfidel
        Link Parent
        Just like my last trip to Diamond city.

        Just like my last trip to Diamond city.

        1 vote
  4. [2]
    chocobean
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    I finally got to see this video, and the companion video too. I wish I go could visit! The most impressive machine to me is the udon...who makes the udon?!?! The burger doesn't look so good but...

    I finally got to see this video, and the companion video too. I wish I go could visit! The most impressive machine to me is the udon...who makes the udon?!?! The burger doesn't look so good but the drinks and ice cream would be really good I think.

    I never even knew such things as pixie tubes existed. They didn't talk about this in Dr Stone (anime) but I can see Kaseki making these long thing vaccum tubes for Science!!

    I recognize a few of these types of machines from my childhood in HK :')

    I hope much of humanity can be preserved like this somehow...... even when the humans maintaining them stop, I hope some kind of machine will preserve their memory for us

    1 vote
    1. cfabbro
      Link Parent
      For the curry rice one, the lady there said they had a kitchen upstairs where they made the fresh rice to restock the machine with. So I imagine its the same for the udon.

      who makes the udon?!?!

      For the curry rice one, the lady there said they had a kitchen upstairs where they made the fresh rice to restock the machine with. So I imagine its the same for the udon.

      1 vote