Vending Machines

Japan is well-known as a mecca of technology.  By far, the most interesting result of these advances is the wide-spread use of vending machines, or jidouhanbaiki (roughly translated: self-moving, selling machine).  Everywhere you go in Japan there is a vending machine, or twelve.  They line the streets selling everything from hot and cold drinks, train tickets, ice cream, school supplies, alcohol, pornographic items, clothing, various types of instant food, etc.  It’s very shocking to return to the US and not have a convenient vending machine on every street corner.  Here are some photos of vending machines I found around Hikone.  A normal drink vending machine, a condom vending machine and one selling women’s panties that I found in an area of vending machines devoted to pornographic content.