This was so interesting. Thank you for writing about this. Such a different experience in Tokyo than NYC. Many things I’m sure are the same or similar in both of these huge cosmopolitan cities, but the unique things like the ubiquitous vending machines and what they offer that you’re describing in Tokyo are fascinating. How wonderful!
I wish we had more vending machines of quality here in the States! Especially a pizza making one. My mind is officially blown 🤯. Cannot wait to make my way to Japan! I know my money is just going to be be spent on all the vending machine snacks I can get my hands on 😂.
I have not yet seen the pizza one in person! Tokyo is a massive city but I have a feeling I'll be making a trip especially to visit it with my kiddo who loves pizza the most! There are a few Blue Bottle exclusive coffee vending machines tucked around here and there too. The vending machine with the dashi also had turtle soup on offer ...🐢 When you visit one of the fun things to do is visit the food courts - every department store has basically the entire basement dedicated to them. A famous easy one to visit is Tokyu Food Show in Shibuya (https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/shopping/shibuya-tokyu-foodshow). As you'll probably want to see Shibuya crossing while you're here.
I've lived in Tokyo 29 years. Those honor system vegetable stands are even found in urban areas on little plots of land used as "urban farms" scattered among houses. The idea of "honor system" has now been applied to actual shops that are unmanned here - no staff on the premises. And not the kind of high tech store with video cameras tracking your every move and automatic price scanning. Just a small store selling one or two things, like frozen gyoza or fish. But almost daily the local TV news casts broadcast shop surveillance video of someone walking out without paying. The newscasts mask the faces of the perpetrators. Some thieves steal from the same place multiple times. Some pretend to put money into the cash box or swipe a card or phone. Opening a store with no staff on site and only a security camera seems to me to just be an invitation for people to come in and take something.
Regarding the winter vending machine content change over, the offerings at the convenience store counters change with the seasons too. Nikuman (and my favorite, pizzaman) and oden become available.
Nikuman also shows up at supermarkets during the winter months. Unfortunately nikuman and pizzaman are not commonly found during the summer.
Thank you Mark! Someone else wrote to tell me about the honor boxes in urban areas here in Tokyo and now I'm convinced I must have passed one by and not even registered what I was looking at because it was out of my expectation for context. I need to learn Japanese already. There is so much I miss by my inability to speak and read the language here. I didn't know there were honor system stores here - or anywhere really! They sound like the Free Stores the counterculture folks started back in the '60s in the US. A quick google search tells me they still exist 🤯 I don't know how they stay in business. Is it even a business? 🤔
I imagine free stands can really only work in small communities with low foot (or vehicular traffic) - though all it takes is one person who cannot or will not for whatever reason be honest to mess the whole thing up. I wonder if the addition of the security camera breaks the "feel good circle of trust"... The camera signals to the customer that the owner doesn't trust them. So then stealing feels more like sticking it to the man I guess than as opposed to doing the right thing by a mom and pop shop out in the middle of nowhere.
You're right about the konbinis too - I think, rather I know, my favorite seasonal item is the sweet potato monaka ice cream that shows up late summer. I seriously cannot get enough of it. I need to find a good vegetarian nikuman recipe and more nabemono recipes. Now I all I want to do is eat and cook lol.
Oh I love those vending machines with hot tea. Or hot coffee in the middle of no where! My fav was the miso soup one! Love that on a cold day! I am constantly amazed by the Japanese inventiveness and I wish I had a 5 yen and was standing in front of one now!
I think I’d like winter better if I could get cheap tea from a vending machine! Why can’t we have healthy vending options? Meh
While reading, I was totally wondering if we could have an honor system food stand in Brooklyn. Maybe? I’d like to think so. But realistically, it’s hard for me to imagine how it would work.
Oh but they exist in Brooklyn and throughout the five boroughs in the form of Community Fridges! Though not exactly the same the concept, participating still hits the same. There are refrigerators placed throughout the city (lots in BK) that volunteers individually or with organizations can stock with healthy food for anyone who needs it. So many popped up during COVID’s beginnings. Here is a link to a map of all of the fridges in NYC https://nycfridge.com/ They’re kinda like little free libraries - which I also love!!
And I imagine some of the urban farms/gardens in Redhook and Harlem have some small scale community offerings similar to honor system food stands but I honestly don’t know. Hmmm this sounds like a question for Anne of Cafe Anne https://annekadet.substack.com/ 😁
I feel you on the healthy choices in vending machines. Please do know right next to the unsweetened matcha and herbal tea are all the usual sugary drinks too!
But you’re right, tea in winter makes everything better.
Okay Anne and Jillian, my apologies for the delay but it looks like One Love Community Fridge is a good start. Here is a link to their site. https://www.onelovecommunityfridge.org/
I have a couple friends in Brooklyn who actively post about community fridges on their IG accounts. Let me get details, maybe there is a story in there somewhere. I'll report back.
Oh my goodness! Thank you for all of this information. I feel like such a bad brooklynite! I love the free little libraries and now I'm going to obsessively research the fridges.
And, yes, Anne! Are you reading? I'll be your research assistant :)
Seriously, ZM, thank you for all this information! You've made my NYC life a little bit better from all the way over in Japan. I love Substack.
This was so interesting. Thank you for writing about this. Such a different experience in Tokyo than NYC. Many things I’m sure are the same or similar in both of these huge cosmopolitan cities, but the unique things like the ubiquitous vending machines and what they offer that you’re describing in Tokyo are fascinating. How wonderful!
Thank you for giving us a glimpse and virtual taste of Tokyo. Now I have to plan a visit to Japan within the next two winters.🙌🏽
Thank you for checking out my newsletter Tomi. Yes, Japan is definitely worth a visit- there is so much to learn about, see and do!
I’m glad I did. Many thanks for the plug on Japan. Will plan towards visiting and be back here for tips and insights to prep.
I wish we had more vending machines of quality here in the States! Especially a pizza making one. My mind is officially blown 🤯. Cannot wait to make my way to Japan! I know my money is just going to be be spent on all the vending machine snacks I can get my hands on 😂.
I have not yet seen the pizza one in person! Tokyo is a massive city but I have a feeling I'll be making a trip especially to visit it with my kiddo who loves pizza the most! There are a few Blue Bottle exclusive coffee vending machines tucked around here and there too. The vending machine with the dashi also had turtle soup on offer ...🐢 When you visit one of the fun things to do is visit the food courts - every department store has basically the entire basement dedicated to them. A famous easy one to visit is Tokyu Food Show in Shibuya (https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/shopping/shibuya-tokyu-foodshow). As you'll probably want to see Shibuya crossing while you're here.
I've lived in Tokyo 29 years. Those honor system vegetable stands are even found in urban areas on little plots of land used as "urban farms" scattered among houses. The idea of "honor system" has now been applied to actual shops that are unmanned here - no staff on the premises. And not the kind of high tech store with video cameras tracking your every move and automatic price scanning. Just a small store selling one or two things, like frozen gyoza or fish. But almost daily the local TV news casts broadcast shop surveillance video of someone walking out without paying. The newscasts mask the faces of the perpetrators. Some thieves steal from the same place multiple times. Some pretend to put money into the cash box or swipe a card or phone. Opening a store with no staff on site and only a security camera seems to me to just be an invitation for people to come in and take something.
Regarding the winter vending machine content change over, the offerings at the convenience store counters change with the seasons too. Nikuman (and my favorite, pizzaman) and oden become available.
Nikuman also shows up at supermarkets during the winter months. Unfortunately nikuman and pizzaman are not commonly found during the summer.
Thank you Mark! Someone else wrote to tell me about the honor boxes in urban areas here in Tokyo and now I'm convinced I must have passed one by and not even registered what I was looking at because it was out of my expectation for context. I need to learn Japanese already. There is so much I miss by my inability to speak and read the language here. I didn't know there were honor system stores here - or anywhere really! They sound like the Free Stores the counterculture folks started back in the '60s in the US. A quick google search tells me they still exist 🤯 I don't know how they stay in business. Is it even a business? 🤔
I imagine free stands can really only work in small communities with low foot (or vehicular traffic) - though all it takes is one person who cannot or will not for whatever reason be honest to mess the whole thing up. I wonder if the addition of the security camera breaks the "feel good circle of trust"... The camera signals to the customer that the owner doesn't trust them. So then stealing feels more like sticking it to the man I guess than as opposed to doing the right thing by a mom and pop shop out in the middle of nowhere.
You're right about the konbinis too - I think, rather I know, my favorite seasonal item is the sweet potato monaka ice cream that shows up late summer. I seriously cannot get enough of it. I need to find a good vegetarian nikuman recipe and more nabemono recipes. Now I all I want to do is eat and cook lol.
Oh I love those vending machines with hot tea. Or hot coffee in the middle of no where! My fav was the miso soup one! Love that on a cold day! I am constantly amazed by the Japanese inventiveness and I wish I had a 5 yen and was standing in front of one now!
Oooh I’ve never seen a miso soup one. Corn potage ✅ Even turtle 🐢 soup ✅ But not miso. I’ll be on the lookout now.
Also are you telling me you need change? Cause I’ve got bags of ¥ coins 🙃 The small kind that vending machines don’t take 😩
I think I’d like winter better if I could get cheap tea from a vending machine! Why can’t we have healthy vending options? Meh
While reading, I was totally wondering if we could have an honor system food stand in Brooklyn. Maybe? I’d like to think so. But realistically, it’s hard for me to imagine how it would work.
Oh but they exist in Brooklyn and throughout the five boroughs in the form of Community Fridges! Though not exactly the same the concept, participating still hits the same. There are refrigerators placed throughout the city (lots in BK) that volunteers individually or with organizations can stock with healthy food for anyone who needs it. So many popped up during COVID’s beginnings. Here is a link to a map of all of the fridges in NYC https://nycfridge.com/ They’re kinda like little free libraries - which I also love!!
And I imagine some of the urban farms/gardens in Redhook and Harlem have some small scale community offerings similar to honor system food stands but I honestly don’t know. Hmmm this sounds like a question for Anne of Cafe Anne https://annekadet.substack.com/ 😁
I feel you on the healthy choices in vending machines. Please do know right next to the unsweetened matcha and herbal tea are all the usual sugary drinks too!
But you’re right, tea in winter makes everything better.
I’ve been thinking of doing a story on community fridges. I always peak in when I pass one and it’s usually NOT GOOD.
I'll volunteer to be your research assistant for that story! :D
Jillian that would be super fun!!!
Okay Anne and Jillian, my apologies for the delay but it looks like One Love Community Fridge is a good start. Here is a link to their site. https://www.onelovecommunityfridge.org/
Their founder Asmeret Berhe-Lumax was just profiled in Town & Country: https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a41105056/fighting-food-insecurity-one-fridge-at-a-time/.
Thanks ZM!! We're on it!
I have a couple friends in Brooklyn who actively post about community fridges on their IG accounts. Let me get details, maybe there is a story in there somewhere. I'll report back.
Very cool! Please do!
Oh my goodness! Thank you for all of this information. I feel like such a bad brooklynite! I love the free little libraries and now I'm going to obsessively research the fridges.
And, yes, Anne! Are you reading? I'll be your research assistant :)
Seriously, ZM, thank you for all this information! You've made my NYC life a little bit better from all the way over in Japan. I love Substack.
Reading these are the bright spot in my day.
Awwww thank you Stacy ☺️
definitely could hear the call of the yakiimo cart as I read this ;-)
Best sound ever! And they are so so so tasty! 🍠 ❤️