Vending machines are a mainstay of Japanese culture. There are over 5.5 million in the country – one for every 23 people, the highest ratio in the world. They’re ubiquitous and almost always outdoors, ...
TOKYO — The vending machine at Hiroshi Nishitani’s Tokyo ramen restaurant has been reliable for a decade. Customers feed it money, and it prints out their orders while he makes fresh noodles in the ...