Tokyo's Vending Machines and Convenience Stores

With a brightly lighted convenience store on practically every corner and a few well-stocked vending machines in between, quick shopping is truly hassle-free in Tokyo—and with items ranging from novel to bizarre, an impulse buy can turn into a journey of discovery.

While vending machines and convenience stores did not originate in Japan, their popularity in the country seems to have no limit. Today Japan has the world’s highest density of vending machines per capita, with one machine for every 23 people. Those looking for a wider selection can head to one of the 40,000 or so convenience stores in the country. Canned drinks, both cold and hot, are the main staple of vending machines, but it is not uncommon to find ones with cigarettes, batteries, snacks, ice-cream cones, toiletries, fresh fruit, customized business cards, or even umbrellas. For North Americans used to convenience stores that sell little more than junk food and magazines, the Japanese equivalent can be a source of amazement, boasting everything from postal and courier services and digital photo printing to full hot meals.

Did You Know?

Vending machines hold a dizzying array of options from water and fruit juice to sugar-laden coffee, colas, and even alcohol. If you need a healthy snack, Dole installed banana dispensers around Shibuya train station, targeting hurried commuters with no time for breakfast. Need something like a quick change for work? Shinjuku Station even has machines selling white business shirts and ties.

Vending Machines

If you visit Tokyo during the hot and humid summer months, you'll quickly understand why there is a machine selling cool drinks on every sidewalk. In winter, hot drinks warm both the stomach and hands. Popular drinks include Pocari Sweat, a noncarbonated sports drink with a mild grapefruit taste; Aquarius, a similar drink by Coca-Cola; and Ito En, a variety of cold green tea in plastic bottles. Machines sell beer and other alcoholic beverages, but you may want to avoid shochu, alcohol sold in glass jars or paper cartons—not only is it fairly strong at typically 20% ABV, but the variety sold in vending machines is usually of very low, throat-burning quality. Coffee—both hot and cold—comes in small cans. You'll see locals buy one, suck it down, and dispose of the can, all during the two-minute wait for the subway. Hot drinks have a red strip below them on the vending machine and cold drinks are marked with blue. If red Japanese text appears below an item, the machine is sold out. Edible items aren’t the only things for sale, as shrines and temples use vending machines to sell omikuji, fortunes written on slips of paper.

Convenience Stores

The first convenience store opened in Japan in 1973, and like so many other imported concepts, the Japanese have embraced the konbini, turning it into something of their own. Beyond the usual products you might expect, Japanese convenience stores also carry bento (boxed meals), basic clothing items, and event tickets. Services available include digital photo printing, faxing, and utility bill payments. Convenience stores are actually a great option for a quick meal, including sandwiches, noodle dishes, fresh fruit, and a variety of salads. Peek into the freezer and Häagen-Dazs tempts you with flavors like matcha green tea. Near the cash register are hot food options, including fried chicken and steamed buns stuffed with meat or a sweet bean paste. Step into a 7-Eleven, Lawson, or Family Mart and see familiar brands with a Japanese twist such as salty watermelon Pepsi or soy sauce Pringles.

Top Buys

Japanese Pringles potato chips have come in flavors such as cheese and bacon and seaweed, and new surprising combinations are rolled out every season. Another international brand that often adds a local twist is Kit Kat, which in the past has released matcha green tea, wasabi, and passion fruit versions of its candy bars. New varieties of Kit Kat debut throughout the year, some only available in certain regions. If you are traveling with children, a fun purchase is Ramune, a carbonated drink sold in a glass bottle sealed with a glass marble held in place by the pressure of the gas—push the marble down with your thumb to break the seal. One convenience store treat you cannot leave Japan without trying at least once is onigiri, a triangular rice ball containing canned tuna with mayonnaise, pickled plum, or other fillings, and wrapped in sheets of dried seaweed.