Sven shot these photos and sent them to me, and I assumed immediately that they were from his recent trip out into the countryside. I was wrong.
After all the fuss we’ve made lately about vending machines dispensing Smart Cars, to our PingMag Vending Machine Extravaganza, it’s actually a bit shocking to see something so basic made available in this way.
Yes, this is a vending machine in Tokyo that dispenses fresh vegetables. Not sure on whether it’s refrigerated or not, but when it’s 3 a.m. and you’re fiending for some broccoli, I doubt you’ll care too much.
Of course, in the end this is all about convenience. Commuters on their way home can grab some fresh goods without stopping by the market, and the prices seem reasonable enough. Once someone figures out how to grow the produce inside from the beginning we’ll be well on our way to vending machine farms dotting the roadways. Perhaps live chickens selling eggs?
Michael is the Editor of JapanTrends.com and Director of the 
Wow! I’m so there, I love vegetables! Where is this?
Wow! I’m so there, I love vegetables! Where is this?
It’s by Sven’s pool in Setagaya-ku! I never would have guessed.
What Japan needs is an anti suicide vending machine. Containing emergency help numbers, addresses of support groups, maybe a Gideons Bible or something like that….
maybe Coke could sponsor it…
Hmm – I could see this replacing the “roadside stand” in the US as the pay on honor produce stands outside most farms have disappeared – mainly because people won’t pay.
So what if there’s no human contact? We order things online all the time, call food delivery services, email business associates, get our news from TV and the web… do you really NEED human contact when buying vegetables? People are complaining non-stop about how we don’t spend time with our family and friends, blah blah blah… if you need human contact, go and bond with them. Technology is the way of the future and there’s no changing that.
The modern version you have pictured is descended from this one in my Tokyo neighborhood:
http://tokyostories.pnn.com/articles/show/15401-vegetables-grow-on-thieves