What mountain is this: http://www.spoon-tamago.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Eiji-... It kind of looks like a miniature Fuji-san.
Could be Mount Yōtei, a Hokkaido mountain known for its resemblance to Mount Fuji:
Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
71–80 of 171 posts
Re: Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
#72Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah, there are fresh food vending machines around in a few places... notably in government offices like city hall or ward offices where you might have to wait for a while.
More common are the vending machines that will sell you a ticket for a meal, which you then hand to the person who will make your food and give it to you. I'm not certain if that scheme is done for fraud prevention, or if it is done for convenience in order to have fewer employees.
> I'm not certain if that scheme is done for fraud prevention, or if it is done for convenience in order to have fewer employees.
Well, it sure stops both the indecisive idiots and the morons who can't unweld themselves from their phone.
One of my favorite moments was at a Superdawg in Chicago Midway. The standard, high-maintenance indecisive Californian was at the head of the line: "Well, I don't know. Maybe the but ..."
The enormous lady at the counter brandished a HOLY GODDAMN FUCKING HUGE ladle right under the Californian's nose with a relatively normal volume, but forceful, "Look, ah gots payin' customers lined up. Git outta da line, and come back when ya know what the hell ya want. NEXT!"
I guess you don't have to really shout when you wave around a ladle that big.
It brought tears of joy to my eyes. I wish customer service would do this more often.
Re: Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
#73The attitude is strange with vending machines and other cultures. I saw a vending machine selling 20oz and 1.5l (I think?) bottles of coke for the same price. In America, that would be unheard of, why would anyone buy the 20oz bottle. But in Japan, it seemed like many people just bought what they needed.
It's common for American grocery stores to sell 20 oz bottles for +-20% of the price of 2 liter bottles. The differentiation here is entirely in perception. The smaller bottle is usually chilled and seems like an individual serving. The larger bottle is considered to be a bulk purchase. Often, consumers will purchase both in the same trip, intentionally oblivious to the value differential.
For me, it's preceived carbonation level.
A 2-liter bottle seems like it starts becoming flat remarkably quickly.
So, the average carbonation level of 4 bottles of coke is perceived higher than the carbonation level of 2 liters.
Re: Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
#74Earlier quoted context omitted.
More common are the vending machines that will sell you a ticket for a meal, which you then hand to the person who will make your food and give it to you. I'm not certain if that scheme is done for fraud prevention, or if it is done for convenience in order to have fewer employees.
> I'm not certain if that scheme is done for fraud prevention, or if it is done for convenience in order to have fewer employees. Well, it sure stops both the indecisive idiots and the morons who can't unweld themselves from their phone. One of my favorite moments was at a Superdawg in Chicago Midway. The standard, high-maintenance indecisive Californian was at the head of the line: "Well, I don't know. Maybe the but…
Man, I would love to do that in the middle of about three quarters of the conference calls I've been on.
"No soup for you!"
Re: Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
#75Earlier quoted context omitted.
Oh wow, that's crazy. I've only been to Tokyo, where they weren't out of place, but out in the fields? Sounds like quite the sight.
Can confirm. I live in the countryside. There are vending machines down some roads with ricefields on both sides.
I've not seen that where I live (Kamogawa), but I want to now. Guess I need to search around the rice fields more. :)
haha, I've just realized I know you. Will have to ask you where it is sometime. Small World.
Re: Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wait wait wait, so that photo of the vending machine in the middle of nowhere isn't a set up by the photographer? I thought he put the machine there, along with a generator behind it, just to take the photo!
There are even vending machines at the summit of Mt. Fuji.
An American who climed up Mt Fuji met local youth who carried up snacks and drinks on their back to the top of the mountain. These were to be sold at shops and I guess vending machines at top of the mountain.
I heard that story about 20 years ago.
Re: Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
#77When the story about the Bodega startup[0] came out, it occurred to me that what they were trying to do was essentially what Japan is already doing with vending machines - automate retail at scale. Unfortunately, Bodega tried to undermine, transform and rebrand the local culture in a way that many found offensive, but that aside, I wonder what particular cultural elements make vending machines seem so successful in J…
> I wonder what particular cultural elements make vending machines seem so successful in Japan, but not as much in the US Mostly a lack of, for a better term, conformity. There is very little crime in Japan and people trust each other way more. In the US, those vending machines would get vandalized and probably stripped of their metal in under a week. Even if there was a market demand for them, the cost to service th…
That's why there are upholstered seats in Japanese subways, but typically not in US subways.
Re: Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
#78The odd thing to me about Japan's vending machine situation is that it's largely drinks. Not much in the way of the snack vending machines that one frequently encounters in the U.S. I suppose it's probably due to the Japanese aversion to preservatives / prevalence of convenience stores, but one would think they'd have come up with some tricks like the ones they've perfected with cup noodles.
Walking while eating is considered impolite which is why I suspect vending machine food never took off. Just a cultural thing I think.
Re: Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
#79Are there still machines selling cans of beer? That was one of the highlights of my visit to Tokyo. My host advised me that I must either stand at the machine and drink it or put it away while I walked. No drinking and walking. I was 14.
Beer isn't in 'publicly' accessible vending machines any more as far as I can tell. It is however often available in the foyer of a place that normally sells beer (that might be currently shut.) Ski resorts are my main source of vending-machine beer. Nothing better than cracking a can of Sapporo Classic in your first gondola ride of the day.
It depends where you are in Japan. I haven't seen them around Tokyo (not to say they don't exist though) but other cities have them.
Re: Japanese Vending Machines at Night Juxtaposed with a Wintry Hokkaido Landscape
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's common for American grocery stores to sell 20 oz bottles for +-20% of the price of 2 liter bottles. The differentiation here is entirely in perception. The smaller bottle is usually chilled and seems like an individual serving. The larger bottle is considered to be a bulk purchase. Often, consumers will purchase both in the same trip, intentionally oblivious to the value differential.
For me, it's preceived carbonation level. A 2-liter bottle seems like it starts becoming flat remarkably quickly. So, the average carbonation level of 4 bottles of coke is perceived higher than the carbonation level of 2 liters.
Maybe it's more of a placebo; you're more likely to drink the 20oz bottle quicker than the 2-liter. An open (even re-capped) 2-liter bottle will lose carbonation over N days quicker than a 20oz you drink in maybe an hour or whatever (at least that's how I see it)