Across the street from the Mega Don Quijote near Shibuya Crossing, you’ll find the ‘Amusement Vending Machine Park’ produced by Don Quijote. From instant ramen to Hello Kitty popcorn, this little alcove’s quirky vending machines let you enjoy various bits of Japanese culture all in one location, and then some.
The spot is open 24 hours, so feel free to stop by even on those late-night Shibuya adventures. As an added bonus, there’s a sitting area for you to enjoy your purchase right there in the space.
Here are a few of the machines that caught our eye.
If you’re feeling peckish, grab a bowl of Ichiran ramen for just ¥500 (chopsticks included). Like all instant ramen, the bowl comes with its own flavour packets inside, but the vending machine also offers chilli powder seasoning for an additional ¥800. There’s a hot water station nearby so you can prepare your ramen right there in the area.
Your inner child will be overjoyed to try this one. This machine makes fresh cotton candy right in front of your eyes. Select from over a dozen colourful patterns like flowers and hearts, and the machine will handle the rest. In just a few moments, you’ll have fresh cotton candy for only ¥500.
Despite its name, kuzumochi isn’t technically mochi, but rather a jelly-like dessert made from the starch of kudzu root. Donki’s vending machine puts a spin on the classic treat in two ways: by mixing fruit in and freezing the result.
Each bar has a delightfully chewy texture, and its refreshing frozen fruitiness is perfect for beating the summer heat. Choose from orange, strawberry, grape or soda flavour for ¥350 each or a set of two flavours for ¥700.
With this machine Donki transforms another classic goodie into a frozen treat. Traditionally, tanghulu is a northern Chinese snack of fresh fruit put on a skewer and coated in a crunchy sugar shell, but Donki has taken things further and frozen the whole lot.
The end product keeps the sweetness of the original, but creates a harder candy similar to an ice lolly. Your tanghulu flavours here come in strawberry, orange or sapphire grape for ¥500 each.
This one’s not actually a vending machine, but it’s still worth a mention, as you’re unlikely to find anything like it elsewhere in the city. Using a clever mix of the words gomi (‘rubbish’) and omikuji (‘sacred lot’), this gomikuji station displays your fortune when you throw your rubbish away.
Just toss your waste into the appropriate bin and take a look at the light-up billboard to find out your luck for the day. It’s a fun little way to encourage people to be more responsible with their waste.