Japan outdoor museum of vending machines aims to draw global fans
The site in Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture, displays 38 of the automatic dispensers in a variety of colors across a 6,600-square-meter site. Many of the vending machines are no longer functional and have been repurposed as visual exhibits.
Among them, 28 feature unique designs by creators including local artists, influencers and companies, with motifs sporting homegrown delicacies and even a large cat that appears to emerge from a product window.
"We hope to find new possibilities for vending machines, which Japan takes pride in, and encourage people inside and outside the country to visit and enjoy the place," said Tomohito Kato, the 45-year-old managing director of a local vending machine operator that founded the museum.
According to the Japan Vending System Manufacturers Association, over 2.6 million of the dispensers were in use nationwide at the end of 2024.
"Vending machines have become a part of Japanese culture precisely because it is a safe country and there's a low risk of theft," Kato said.
The museum plans to display as many as 200 vending machines in the future and seek recognition from Guinness World Records. It is also seeking new unique designs for vending machine wrappers from local people who want to give the region a boost.
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