Japanese salaryman blues?
Defunct Japanese vending machines
Japan is well known for its vending machines. With good reason too, as despite the ever-increasing number of convenience stores, the vending machine is still ubiquitous. Yet seeing one that’s no longer operational, let alone left to rot, is surprisingly rare, so below is a selection of the ones I’ve stumbled upon over the years. Some are still there, some may well be long gone, but in their own decaying way, all of them were oddly interesting.
A dirty look in a grubby little Tokyo bar?
This old punk likes a drink, but he loves The Damned a lot more.
A colourful kimono on a cold and windy day
The blustery weather was absolutely biting, but the colours of this kimono and the late afternoon sun at least offered the suggestion of some warmth.
A misty forest in the far west of Tokyo
Distance-wise, the far west of Tokyo is only a couple of hours or so from the capital’s more central districts, but in contrast to the crossings and crowds the city is famous for, it looks and feels like a completely different world.
