User:Giraffer/Vending machines in Japan

Vending machines are considered to be a significant part of Japanese culture. As of 2022, there were an estimated 3.96 million machines in Japan, with the country having the highest ratio of vending machines per person in the world.

Japanese vending machines are known for selling a much wider range of products than can typically be found in similar machines internationally; machines in Japan have been known to sell food such as ramen, curry, and baked potatoes, as well as convenience items, including SIM cards and face masks.

History
Vending machines are known to have existed in Japan since the late 1800s. The oldest exant model is believed to be a wooden device made by Takashichi Tawaraya in 1904, which featured systems for filtering out counterfeit coins and returning money if the machine's stock was empty. The number and functions of vending machines grew throughout the early 20th century, with machines being used to sell a wide variety of items, such as train tickets, tobacco, and chewing gum.

The first refrigerated vending machine in Japan was a 1957 device that sold fresh juice for 10 yen. The number of these juice machines grew rapidly in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and following the introduction of Coca-Cola vending machines in 1962, the popularity of vending machines boomed nationally; between 1967 and 1973, the number of beverage vending machines increased by an average of 48% anually.

Products sold
Items known to have been sold in vending machines in Japan include:


 * beverages
 * sake
 * fruit
 * curry
 * rice
 * baked potatoes
 * edible insects
 * hamburgers
 * eggs
 * ramen
 * face masks
 * tobacco

Reasons for popularity
The efficiency and convenience of vending machines are widely regarded as the biggest factors contributing to their popularity in Japan. They require little maintenance, and remove the need for human workers, meaning products can be sold at all times of day.

Vending machines also play a role in Japan's natural hazard response. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some vending machines began selling hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and disposable face masks. Several machines in Akō have been designed to release items for free in the event of a natural disaster, and in multiple Japanese cities, vending machines play emergency radio broadcasts.