Used Tire Mart Sagamihara (Retro Vending Machine Museum)

The vending machine area at a used tire store in Sagamihara is home to an enormous number of vintage Japanese vending machines—most of which are fully functional!

We’re not just talking hot and cold drinks here. The tire shop has an amazing array of some of the most innovative, jerry-rigged contraptions you can imagine. You’ll find everything from steaming bowls of udon (these sell out fast) to fortune slips, frozen ramen, candy cigarettes, hot popcorn, glass bottles of Coke, freshly squeezed orange juice, disposable cameras, umbrellas, kids’ toys — and much more.

There is also a retro games corner, complete with old-fashioned crane machines, an arm-wrestling machine, 10-yen coin games, a Japanese jukebox, cycling game and a few others. You’ll find modern toilets in this area, too, as well as a money changing machine, where you can exchange a 1000-yen note for 10 100-yen coins. Be sure to bring a variety of coins along with you, though, as the vending machines can be limited in what they accept.

The retro vending machine “museum” is located about a 25-minute walk from both Harataima and Banda stations on the JR Sagami Line. Although you get to Banda Station first when coming from Hashimoto Station, the facilities are bare-bones and the station is surrounded by dense suburban streets. Instead, we recommend alighting at Haraitama Station and taking the East Exit. Here you also have the option of jumping in a taxi. Buses are also available, but they aren’t much quicker than walking.

An alternative way to access it is by taking a bus for about 30 minutes from Sagamiono Station, a rapid-express stop one station over from Machida. Sagamiono is also a stop for the Romance Car, meaning you could visit the retro vending machine place as a quick detour on your way to Enoshima, Odawara, or even Hakone.