I Love Japan.
I love Japanese vending machines. They are everywhere, and they dispense everything you can imagine and many things you can’t.
I love them, and now apparently, they want to love you back!
This Is A “Love Machine!”
Leave it to the incredible “all things Asian” website SoraNews24.com to have the story – vending machines that not only dispense drinks, but love too!
As they report, this vending machine is color coded for a reason!
“The pink cans represents women seeking companionship, and the beige ones men, each with the individual’s age written on it. The vending machine isn’t anything so vulgar as an anonymous hook-up provider, though, as its inventory is stocked and managed by Matching Advisor Press (which also goes by the acronym MAP), a matchmaking service for singles actively seeking a serious relationship that will hopefully lead to marriage, or konkatsu, as it’s called in Japanese.“
The story goes on to note:
“Each can costs 3,000 yen (US$26), but it doesn’t necessarily guarantee you a date, let alone a spouse. Instead, what you’re purchasing is a voucher for a one-hour interview and advice session with a MAP advisor, whose name is also written on the can, ostensibly to see if you’re an amicable match for the single whose can you bought. If you are, then MAP will arrange a three-hour dinner date for the two of you, with an additional 9,000-yen service fee plus any associated food and drink costs to be paid by you.“
The Reporter says there is one strange element at play here. As they write:
“The matchmaking vending machine’s signage also says that in the happy event that you and the person from the can do end up falling in love and getting married, you’ll be asked to pay an additional 300,000 yen (US$2,608) to MAP as a “successful marriage award payment,” though how the company confirms the marriage or enforces this is unknown. As a final head-scratcher, the machine is powered on and every can is marked as having been sold, but a sign inside the cans’ display case says that MAP won’t be starting operation until March 1.”
It has gotten a lot of attention in Japan, with social media responding with posts like this one:
We’ll see what’s going on here but it’s another example of the greatness of Japanese vending machines, and the greatness of the SoraNews24.com website!
Here’s the link to their entire, fascinating story:
I am long overdue to get back to Tokyo – and check out the latest in vending machines!
On every corner, there are clusters of machines – all ready to take care of your hunger, thirst – or need for a car….
You will find vending machines EVERYWHERE in Japan…but now Singapore is getting into the action!
Singapore’s Mashed Potato Vending Machine!
Taking a walk and suddenly you get the urge for some mashed potatoes? Worry no more! Here are the easy directions:
1. Place the cup under the nozzle.
2. Press the “Mashed Potatoes” button once.
3. Chicken gravy will be dispensed after 2 seconds.
4. Enjoy your mashed potatoes.
Enjoy! Now, back to Tokyo…
Tokyo’s Intuitive Vending Machine!
When the G4 team was in Tokyo in 2010, we checked out this machine – you put in your money and the machine “looks” at you – then recommends what you need – like water, or vitamin water, or medical care…seriously, it told me to get a vitamin water…instead I got COFFEE JELLY!
YES, COFFEE JELLY!
Imagine a jello-like consistency for your iced coffee – that’s what this is – it was pretty good too!
“Hairy Crabs!”
Fork in the Road Beijing correspondent Lillian Chou wrote about a Chinese vending machine that dispensed hairy crabs – I guess it beats going to a supermarket…me, I like my vending machine food HOT and crunchy!
And yes, I shared this story of a vending machine that dispenses clams!
Click here to see where!
Yes, you can get French fries from a machine as well….it’s never ending!
There are so many more, like the one that dispenses flying fish!
Click here to see how and more importantly, why!
And so me great new vending machines are showing up in the US as well:
Yes, a delicious bowl of ramen noodles is waiting to be vended!
See where you can get vending machine ramen by clicking on my story here:
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Categories: Books / Media, Exotic Travel, Food, food blog, Funny Pictures, Japan, Pop Culture, Tokyo!, Travel, Wacky Food, what the Friday
johnrieber 
Unbelievable. I wonder how many cans in the love machine actually get purchased? I’d go for the mashed potatoes!
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I’d settle for the mashed potatoes as well! Thanks for commenting!
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Yum! Best to you, John.
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French fries? Unbelievable what people can do.
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This is one LOVE MACHINE even Jacqueline Susann never imagined. Zowie! I remember an earlier blog of your on Asian vending machines. I’m glad to know their vending creativity is as wild as ever. Cheers
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Now I’m a little embarrassed for matching vending machine🥴 I wonder if some police would do mystery shopping to see there are no prostitution happening there. The twitter screen shot implying to me that the city or public enforcement stops business for a while(or for good🤣)
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We went to Japan mid to late eighties and were surprised the see cans of beer in vending machines on the streets. The hotel where stayed had a beer vending machine by the elevator door. We did not think much about it until the early AM when we assume guys were coming in after late night drinking and before going to their rooms would buy a one liter can of beer to take to their room. The can would hit the bottom of the chute with a loud thud, needless to say we inquired at the next hotels we had reservations on out trip.
During recent trips to Japan we did not see public beer machines.
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I love that Japanese ingenuity, but I don’t think I will ever be dating via vending machine. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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HA! Indeed Pete! Hope you have a great weekend ahead!
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