Japan’s Top Vending Machine Drinks and Snacks To Try
Japanese vending machines are legendary for their wide variety of drinks, snacks, and fresh food, offering a delightful experience for both locals and first time travellers to Japan. These machines are found almost everywhere in Japan, from bustling city streets to serene rural landscapes. When I first stumbled upon these vending machines on the street corner near one of the convenience stores, the first thing I noticed was that the variety on offer beats any other vending machine found in other countries, and they seem to go the extra mile with this. They can serve both cold and hot drinks too, it’s incredible! These unique vending machines offer great snacks, too, from a quick bite to full meals that won’t weigh heavy on your bank account. Let’s explore some of the best Japanese vending machine drinks and snacks that have captured the hearts of many. Below are Japan’s top vending machine drinks and snacks to try.
Best Japanese Vending Machine Drinks:
- Green Tea: Traditional green tea is a staple in Japanese vending machines. Often served in cold plastic bottles, it provides a perfect balance of natural sweetness and mild bitterness. It was one of the soft drinks I chose on a regular basis while I was in Japan.
- Coffee: Japan boasts a thriving coffee culture, and you can find various coffee options in vending machines, including canned black coffee, café au lait, and iced coffee. They were like canned coffee served both warm and cold from the beverage machines, and the price range for these drinks was fairly narrow and cheap to buy.
- Calpis: This popular sweet and tangy beverage has a distinctive flavour reminiscent of yoghurt. It’s incredibly refreshing, especially during hot summer days. I didn’t personally like it too much, but my friend loved it, so give it a go and see if you like it or not.
- Ramune: A unique carbonated soft drink that comes in a glass bottle sealed with a marble. To open the bottle, you push down the marble using a special device. Ramune comes in various fruity flavours and is a fun and nostalgic drink for many.
- Milk Tea: Japan’s take on milk tea combines the creamy goodness of milk with the delicate taste of black tea, resulting in a delightful and comforting beverage. This became a regular drink of mine, too, in Japan, and you’ll give in to this drink if you have a sweet tooth like me!
- Sports Drinks: Popular among athletes and those seeking hydration, sports drinks like Pocari Sweat and Aquarius help replenish electrolytes lost during physical activity. I did not really like the taste of Pocari Sweat, particularly this odd aftertaste, but again, my friend didn’t mind it. It might be because I thought it was just water, so I didn’t expect a taste like that to come about when I tried it. But you will often see this drink displayed in most of the vending machines, so give it a go and see what you think; it may just end up being your favourite drink!
I feel like finding the different vending machines and the cold drinks and unique items they had on offer was an attraction in itself- so if you do plan to visit Japan, look out for these wonderful vending machines offering interesting things at reasonably low prices. There are also vending machines selling snacks and meals. Again these can be located anywhere across Japan, from train stations to grocery stores to the middle of nowhere in some places. These particular vending machines offer a great variety of sweet snacks, healthy food (at great prices), hot meals like tasty ramen and other traditional Japanese cuisine. You will be amazed to see the variety on offer, and not all serve Japanese meals (I have even seen some making fresh pizzas!), so take a look when you explore Japan. Below are my favourite choices when I was in Japan.
Vending Machine Snacks:
- Kit Kat Bars: Japan offers a wide array of unique Kit Kat flavours, ranging from matcha (green tea-a popular choice in Japan) and sakura (cherry blossom) to wasabi and sweet potato. Collecting these flavours has become a fun pastime for travellers. Personally, I loved the green tea Kit Kats and brought a bunch home for my family to try, and they loved it too.
- Onigiri: These rice balls are often filled with various delicious ingredients like salmon, pickled plum (umeboshi), or tuna, and they make for a quick and satisfying snack if you are out and about. They are also good for hiking trips or if you plan to go more rurally and want to have something later to snack on.
- Senbei: Traditional Japanese rice crackers come in a myriad of flavours and textures, and this particular vending machine I used had flavours like savoury soy sauce to sweet glazed options. I believe I got the sweet glazed option which came in this fairly large hexagonal box, but it was quite tasty and was just something nice to have in your bag in case you got a little peckish.
- Takoyaki Flavored Snacks: Inspired by the popular street food dish, takoyaki-flavoured snacks often capture the essence of octopus balls with a savoury and slightly tangy taste. I often saw crisps with this flavouring in Osaka and in Tokyo, so I decided to try them, and they were great. The ones I tried were these Takyokai ball crisps, and I would definitely buy them again when I go back.
- Ice cream vending machines: these were great on a hot, humid day. There are quite a few machines like this, so they are not too difficult to find in the main cities like Osaka and Tokyo. They weren’t as good as the ice creams sold in restaurants or on the street, but they were still delicious. Initially, I was sceptical as I was unsure if it would come out cold or lukewarm, but to my surprise, it was solid cold ice cream. It was a great snack to have on a hot day, and I would definitely recommend at least trying this once if you stumble across such a vending machine.
- Pretz: Pretz is thin, savoury biscuit sticks available in an assortment of flavours, including classic salt, pizza, and even dessert-like options.
Japanese vending machines are well-known for their reliability and convenience, offering an authentic taste of Japanese culture in the form of beverages and snacks. Whether you’re exploring the bustling streets of Tokyo or the serene countryside, these vending machines provide a fun and delightful culinary adventure for everyone to enjoy. So, whether you want fresh fruit-flavoured drinks, instant noodles, unique potato chips, or full-on ready-made Japanese cooking, Japan offers it all. Thanks for ready my blog on Japan’s top vending machine drinks and snacks to try. Do you have a favourite Japanese vending machine snack? Comment below and let us know!
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