11.26.25: Tokyo Vending Machines

Tokyo vending machines are absurd in the best way. Hundreds of them, glowing like alien obelisks, offering everything from hot coffee in cans to umbrellas, ramen, and batteries. I once found one that sold ties, in case you forgot yours before work. They’re convenience turned into culture. In the West, vending machines feel sketchy, hidden in corners. In Tokyo, they’re part of the city’s pulse. Bright, clean, everywhere. You start to rely on them, until you realize it’s not just the products. It’s the trust. The idea that you can leave a machine full of goods in public, and it survives.