Vending machines and traditional wooden kokeshi dolls are both icons of Japanese culture, and a hot spring resort in northeastern Fukushima Prefecture has combined the two. The novelty of being ...

Vending machines are a cornerstone of Japanese culture ... 2020 official Olympic vests to tote bags to sunglasses to mascot dolls to items of cultural significance. But that wasn’t even the ...

Japan has long had a thing for vending machines, with more per capita than any other country. While some rare examples in parts of Tokyo dispense curios like jewelry and collectible toys ...

A Japanese noodle manufacturer has launched the world’s first canned ramen made with wheat noodles which will soon be available in vending machines across the country. Maruyama Seimen’s canned ...

Japan is a vending machine paradise. According to an article in IT Media, while their numbers are slowly dipping as a result of competition from convenience stores and a decreasing population, Japan ...

New yen notes were introduced that won’t be compatible with many machines that businesses like ramen shops rely on. By Kiuko Notoya and John Yoon Kiuko Notoya reported from Tokyo, and John Yoon ...