Akihabara, Tokyo is a popular town known as a mecca of pop culture such as anime and video games, as well as the latest technology such as home appliances and digital equipment. In this town with many niche places, you can also find many unique, and sometimes weird, vending machines. In this article, we would like to introduce slightly unusual vending machines that are entertaining just to look at!

The first one, located about five minutes’ walk from Electric Town Exit of Akihabara Station, is packed tight with quirky vending machines. Housing a dozen or so vending machines, there is something retro and surreal about this place.

The entrance is giving off a mysterious vibe.

Upon getting closer to the vending machines, you will find retro car toys and an insect replica (Hercules beetle) displayed next to familiar beverages and snacks. . . We couldn’t take our eyes off the strange assortment of items.

Some items even have a quirky description—“Play it with someone you like. You mustn’t pour it over Jizo statues.”

As you step further inside, all the vending machines feature a strange assortment of items, such as a large number of bells and a ball, that will make you go, “What the heck are these!?” However, its unique atmosphere and the anticipation of not knowing what you will find make it feel like as if you are exploring a museum.

We even found a popcorn vending machine that we hardly ever see these days! We were a little hungry, so we decided to get one to see if it was really working.

After pushing the purchase button nervously, we heard the sound of corn popping inside! After several tens of seconds, freshly-cooked hot popcorn came out, and we really enjoyed it.

It was nicely salted, and we finished it in no time.

Despite the seemingly mysterious appearance, it is a great place that truly embodies the depth and eccentricity of Akihabara. Be sure to stop by when you are visiting the town.

The next one is about five minutes’ walk from Akihabara Station, located just across the Mansei Bridge. Here you can casually enjoy the taste of “Niku no Mansei,” a famous long-established meat restaurant/butcher that has nearly 70 years of history and that has always been a part of Akihabara’s history.

The vending machine serves four different sandwiches, including the classic Man Katsu Sando (Mansei’s pork cutlet sandwich). It is hard to decide which one to get because they all look delicious, but we decided to go for the popular Man Katsu Sando.

With the first bite, the harmony between the rich, secret sauce-soaked pork cutlet and the fluffy bread fills your mouth with bliss. It is pretty filling, but it is so tasty that it will make you want to go for another one. It is nice that we can enjoy the soul food of the historic Akihabara Station area so easily.

It is perfect for snacking during your stroll in Akihabara (of course when you are starving too), so be sure to stop by if you are interested!

Finally, we would like to introduce the vending machine that sells the famous “oden cans” that we highly recommend that you buy when you visit Akihabara (“oden” is a type of Japanese simmered dish). Ever since they exploded in popularity after they appeared in a Japanese drama series that was set in Akihabara about 20 years ago, oden cans have been one of Akihabara’s famous foods. Each can contain a variety of ingredients such as daikon radish, boiled egg, konjac, and fried fishcake, simmered in savory broth with a gentle flavor.

The vending machine offers both hot and cold oden cans.

These unique vending machines introduced here are just a small sample. The great thing about Akihabara is that you can even have a good time just doing vending machine hopping. Why not add one-of-a-kind vending machine hopping to your plan when visiting Akihabara?

(Information as of September 2025)

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