The small town suddenly became a popular tourist destination thanks to its vintage vending machine.

The small town of Sagamihara has never been a prominent tourist destination in Japan, due to its proximity to Yokohama and Tokyo, two of Japan's most popular tourist spots. Recently, however, tourists have flocked to the town because of the appearance of vending machines dating back to the Showa era (1926-1989). A used tire shop in Sagamihara collected these machines, repaired them, and put them back into service. Now, these "outdated" vending machines even sell popular food items from the previous century.

Du khách thưởng thức các món ăn nóng hổi tại máy bán hàng tự động. — Tourists enjoy hot meals at the vending machine.

Thị trấn nhỏ trở nên nổi tiếng nhờ máy bán hàng. — The small town became famous thanks to its vending machines.

Du khách trải nghiệm chọn món ăn phù hợp. — Tourists can choose dishes that suit their taste.

The man who brought these vintage vending machines to the present day is Mr. Saito, the owner of a tire shop. Mr. Saito explains that this classic collection is called "natsukashii" in Japanese, meaning "nostalgia." The vending machines are placed along two covered walkways next to a dusty parking lot dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.

These vintage vending machines attract customers not only because of their old-fashioned appearance, but also because of the sweets and snacks that were popular decades ago. Besides vending machines, Mr. Saito's collection also includes nostalgic toys such as film cameras, some arcade game consoles, AA batteries, and more.

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For just 280 to 400 yen (approximately 46,000-90,000 VND), customers can enjoy old-fashioned hamburgers or teriyaki dishes served in bright yellow containers, steaming hot bowls of ramen... All served in about 25 seconds.

These old-fashioned vending machines, equipped with red digital countdown timers, inform customers of their waiting time for their order. During the two years of the pandemic, these machines became a weekend pastime for visitors from Tokyo and Yokohama.

Hầu hết các máy bán hàng được sưu tầm từ thời Chiêu Hòa. — Most of these vending machines are collected from the Showa era.

Các loại máy bán hàng đa dạng, nhiều mẫu mã. — There are many types and models of vending machines.

The owner of this collection of vintage machines says he realized that these childhood gadgets are gradually disappearing in Japan because they are difficult to restore or maintain. Saito has been buying old vending machines through online auctions or by asking around. Since 2016, acquiring vending machines has taken up more of his time than running his tire shop. Now, Saito has to hire as many people as he does to change tires as he does for the kitchen and to maintain the vending machines.

To prepare food for the vending machines, Mr. Saito and his staff have to restock regularly every day. Food safety laws require anyone in Japan who owns a vending machine to have the appropriate license and maintain hygiene standards similar to those of restaurants.

Saito, chủ cửa hàng chuyên bán lốp xe nhưng có niềm yêu thích máy bán hàng tự động. — Saito is the owner of a tire shop but has a passion for vending machines.

Du khách đổ xô đến thị trấn nhỏ để trải nghiệm một cảm giác đã mất từ lâu. — Tourists flock to the small town to experience a long-lost feeling.

Saito says he hasn't stopped searching for vintage vending machines to add to his collection. According to the Japan Association of Vending Machine Manufacturers, the heyday of vending machines in Japan was in 1985, with around 250,000 across the country. As of December 2021, that number had dropped to 72,800, including machines that sold frozen foods like ice cream and sweets. Today, vending machines selling hot food are very rare.