I visited the used tire market Sagamihara store in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It was a different world where the times were distorted and the Showa and Reiwa eras intertwined. Inside a dimly lit warehouse, more than 100 vending machines are casually lined up, standing like mechanical tombstones. However, they do not just wait to decay. Even now, the motor continues to hum quietly, waiting for someone to press the button.
“Clash!”—The sound of a thick iron door opening. Peeking out from there is a somewhat unreliable-looking hamburger wrapper. ""Kuuin..."" - The old soba/udon vending machine turns on, and what comes out is a nostalgic bowl of steaming steam. Although the machines were designed decades ago, they still continue to work faithfully. Used buttons, a sooty display, and a tired body. Even after many years, they continue to move vigorously to fulfill their ``roles''. Those born in the Showa era will feel nostalgic, and to the Reiwa generation, it will seem like a cultural heritage from another country. This is not just a used tire market. This is a ""mechanical paradise"" where time stands still. We hope you will experience Japan's unique vending machine culture through this virtual walk.
The history of vending machines in Japan begins in 1904 with the ``automatic postage stamp postcard vending machine'' invented by Takashi Tawaraya. Time passed, and in 1962, a major American beverage manufacturer introduced beverage vending machines to Japan in earnest. From then on, it evolved at an accelerating pace, and in the 1960s, vending machines that dispensed food such as udon and soba noodles, hamburgers, and toasted sandwiches were created. However, these retro vending machines have disappeared with the passage of time, and even if you search all over Japan, there are only a few left.
However, at this used tire market Sagamihara store, these are still in operation. Machines are usually thrown away when they break. But here it is, fixed, protected, and moving. It's as if the forgotten memories of the Showa era are patiently waiting for someone to remind them.
What we see in front of us is not just an old lump of iron. It is a ``living proof'' that has lasted more than half a century. When you press the button, the atmosphere of the Showa era comes back to life with a ""clack!"" sound. Even though it's a machine, it feels warm somehow. Left out of the hands of others and left behind by the times, they still continue to work single-mindedly. I can't help but be moved by the ""life"" of these vending machines.
This is not just ""nostalgia"". This is another spiritual landscape created by Japan. There's a warmth and individuality here that modern convenience stores and AI don't have. If you want to experience the deep culture of Japan rather than just sightseeing, then you should definitely step into this ""labyrinth of time."" I would like you to quietly listen to the voices of machines living quietly in the gap between the Showa and Reiwa eras.
■Photography date
2024/12/2
■How to get there
Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Take a bus from Sagamihara Station on the JR Yokohama Line and get off at ""Sagamihara Purification Plant"", then walk 3 minutes
MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AjgP6TpTQDfBW3Tn8
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■Photography tools
Osmo Pocket3 DJI
DSC-RX100M3 SONY
*Shot in 4k60p HLG HDR.
*Google Translate is used to translate subtitles for each country.
■Chapter list
00:00 1.Opening
07:13 2.Retro vending machine arrives
■Hashtag
#japantravel#vendingmachine#japanwalk#sagamihara#japantrip#japan