There are many reasons to visit the beautiful coastal city of Sagamihara, but this vending machine park tops the list!
A vending machine park? Please explain…
You read that right, this vending machine park is quite literally an open space packed with every type of vending machine you can think of (and many you wouldn’t have!).
Sagamihara’s vending machine park features a plethora of about 100 vending machines lined up in succession. These retro-style machines span the length of a porch at least 100 meters long, and through a parallel indoor corridor of the same length.
Here, you’ll find countless consumable goods such as Japanese snacks, sweets, savory foods, hot meals, soda pops, teas, and coffees. In addition to edible goods, there are vending machines for cool retro toys, accessories, and even cigarette packs (God forbid).
It all began with a tire shop
In truth, the vending machine park is a by-product of Rat Sunrise – a used tire mart located about 5km from Sagamihara station. In the same way that car washes and mechanics provide cafes for customers to wait in, this tire shop decided to invest in vending machines instead.
“May your waiting time be filled with nostalgia and fun” is the Rat Sunrise motto, giving customers the opportunity to indulge in the many retro-style vending machines and take a trip to the 80s. Of course, the by-product of this tire shop has now become its main attraction, and I assure you most of its vending machine dwellers are not here for the tires!
Delicious meals!
For something that came out of a vending machine, the yakisoba noodles I purchased were top-notch. Simply by inserting some coins and pressing a button, the machine dispensed a hot plate of fried noodles ready to eat on the spot.
These vending machines really do look after you, providing napkins and chopsticks for you to use. There are also chairs and tables for you to sit down and eat, though not many.
With the seating-to-person ratio way out of whack, you’ll find most people standing and eating. There’s room to lean on the porch and rest your food down, so it isn’t too bad.
Insanely cheap prices
The best part about Sagamihara’s vending machine park is the ridiculously low prices of its goods. For instance, this hamburger machine sells hot beef or shrimp burgers for 280 yen, that’s just 2 USD!
Ready in a minute, the machine will start preparing your burger once you’ve inserted the money and made a selection.
Once ready, you will be alerted by the sound of a retro arcade tune and a voiceover telling you to collect your food.
The burger itself is presented in a box and the contents are piping hot! For something out of a vending machine, it was honestly a delicious burger.
It may be a little small in size, but for 2 bucks you can easily fill up on two or three of them.
Sophisticated vending machines
They may be retro-style vending machines, but there is nothing outdated about these sophisticated machines. I mean, how often do you see a vending machine that lets you make a cup of noodles?
For just 200 yen, this cup noodles machine dispenses your desired flavor of noodles and provides chopsticks free of charge. Once you’ve added your flavoring sachets, you can place your cup in the little chamber where hot water will be dispensed.
Simply press the red flashing button and wait as your noodles are being prepared before your very eyes.
Once complete, you’ll hear the classic retro arcade theme being played accompanied by a voiceover to prompt you to collect. Give your noodles a good stir and voila! Your delicious cup noodles are ready to eat!
Fancy some breakfast?
In addition to noodles and burgers, you can also opt for some delicious breakfast items. This toastie machine allows you to choose between savory ham & cheese and sweet red bean fillings.
If you crave some protein with your toastie, there is also an option for tuna toast! Ready in just 40 seconds, this tasty treat only costs 200 yen (1.50 USD)!
I would recommend trying the sweet red bean filling as it’s not a common flavor you’d get outside of Japan.
The toasty exterior of the bread combined with the soft filling of the sweet red bean paste is a match made in heaven!
The Sagamihara sunset
The final remark I’d like to make about Sagamihara has nothing to do with the vending machine park. It simply has to be mentioned that the town has one of the best mountain and sunset backgrounds I’ve ever seen.
After indulging at the vending machine park for several hours, the walk back to Sagamihara station was surprisingly serene. The overhead powerlines, horizontal traffic lights, and Japanese billboards combined with the sunset horizon looked like something out of an anime.
Perhaps that’s why Rat Sunrise is named so, though the “rat” part remains a mystery. All-in-all, if you find yourself in Kanagawa or South Tokyo, come on down to Sagamihara and see what this vending machine hype is all about!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!