Vending Machine and others
Vending machine is probably an attraction of its own when you go to Japan. I have to say that they really are convenient and can be found almost everywhere, including in front of some people’s house sometimes. I wonder if they have a say on whether or not they agree to have a vending machine placed in front of their house. Anyway, these vending machines dispenses many thing from normal stuff such as drinks (both hot and cold) and tickets, to something that are a bit unusual such as Ice cream, toys, and camera. I’ve heard about vending machines that dispenses underwear but I haven’t seen one so far.
If you ask me if there are few things that I don’t like about Japan, I’d say that it’ll be the lack of rubbish bin and the Earthquake. It never ceased to amaze me how a country that is as clean as Japan managed to get by with as little rubbish bins on the street as possible. I’d often go and buy a drink from a vending machine only to regret it later on because I’ll have to carry the empty drink bottle for the remainder of the journey until I find a rubbish bin somewhere. Usually I can do nothing but hope that there is a McDonalds or other fast food chain nearby so I can dump the rubbish on their rubbish bin. :P
For me this was a very uncomfortable thing to experience, especially when you have to carry 3 heavy luggages with you at the same time. I was informed that the lack of rubbish bin is mostly because eating and drinking while you walk is not considered a polite behavior here according to some Japanese people. So you’d normally finish your food from where you buy it then dump the rubbish in the nearby rubbish bin. But this becomes problematic when it comes to night festival where you’ll want to buy an oden, for example, and it eat while you look at the other attractions around the festival.
But the worse thing that probably can happen is Earthquake. I got to experience 2 rather big Earthquake moments when I was in Tokyo. There I was just checking my email and hoping that my download of Speed Grapher will be completed as soon as possible when suddenly I felt a bit dizzy. My room felt as if it’s swaying from left, right and back left. But imagine my surprise when I realized that I didn’t have a headache whatsoever. What I experienced at that time was a rather huge Earthquake that is enough to rock the hostel where I stayed left and right.
Of course, since there was no one around to ask (I was too lazy to go down and ask the receptionist) I just shrugged it off. Plus, I got Speed Grapher on download. I was too confused as to what I should do. Well, now that I think about it, I know that I should have unplugged the cable, gathered my stuff, and got out as soon as possible. But my mind wasn’t working properly at that time. Anyway, the Earthquake subsided after 1-2 minutes and later on that day, I asked the receptionist if we indeed had an Earthquake. She confirmed yes and it was a rather huge one. The thing is, she said it in such a casual manner as if this happens on a daily basis. :0
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Earthquakes happen too occasionally in Tokyo that my friend actually slept through (at least) one of them. He woke up knowing that it was an earthquake, but he went back to sleep. His reason was that it was too early in the morning and not worth it to run down the stairs… O_O
They need to start bringin them machines over here to the U.S. Is it true they already got the PS4 over there?
I live in Southern California so I’m used to earthquakes. It’s kind of like they’re not a big deal when you’ve lived with them all your life. But most of the really big ones haven’t been located as close to me as that one was to Tokyo. I am a little afraid of the earthquakes there for when I go in a month.
BTW, have you tried a lot of those drinks from the vending machines yet? Which drinks are your favorites so far?
I enjoy reading this blog as well as the one on Memento! Keep it up! Oh and as for the earthquakes, it’s such a usual thing I guess, you’ll just have to get used to it a lot! :) And my pointless information for the day: I once slept through a bomb exploding in a shop at the first floor of my old block of flats. I woke up because a plastic clock fell on my head :P Ouch! :)
Btw, just wondering, whats like the most advanced hotel or area place over in Japan (like with all the latest and newest stuff.). Have you heard of any new technology over there? (Btw, off topic, but you’ll “hopefully” be glad to know that Gakuen Alice is going to be a 52 episode series ^_^)
Melissa, there is no such thing as PS4 here unless of course, you meant PSP. The most advanced hotel? I don’t really know to be honest. I didn’t have the chance to fully explore Tokyo because it was raining heavily in the last two days I was there. Before I knew it, I already have to leave for Okazaki City.
Tisha, I’ve tried those vending machines many times. Mostly because I get thirsty so easily when I use my bike here. So those vending machines get a lot of my coins. I usually just buy Calpis Water (some kind of lactobacillus drink like Yakult) on the vending machine. But the best one I’ve had was probably the Hot Matcha (powdered green tea).
I’ll remember next time not to take ppl’s word for it (it was probably a joke on how things are so advanced over there (about suposed PS4), my bad again. I’ll save my stupid questions for myself, or try to find out first ^_^U)