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Comment by echelon | Hacker News Reader

> Someone mentioned going to Japan and how you could get cold cans of coffee out of vending machines there.

They're everywhere!

In rural Hokkaido, some people even have them outside their home's driveway for people walking by. They have various teas (green, hojicha, jasmine, etc.), Coke and Pepsi products, Pocari Sweat (like Gatorade), iced coffees, and sometimes even hot teas and hot coffees that are heated on demand. They're super convenient and something I miss having in America (we seemed to have more of them here in the 90's and early 2000's).

The only problem is that in Japan there can sometimes be absolutely zero public garbage (or, more correctly, recycling) bins in sight. You have to carry your trash with you, which is a bit annoying and mildly gross if it spills.

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My most bizarre Japanese vending machine experience: I once found one featuring an eduroam [1] sticker.

Incredulously, I tried to connect, and... it worked. I still have no idea what that was all about!

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eduroam

There was a story of someone finding one in the middle of a hike, and following a long cable to an actual settlement.

Profound metaphor for the "uplink" to civilization which we all ultimately depend on.

Pocari Sweat is so good. I always grab a bottle anytime we go to the japanese store outside chicago. I assumed it was a fake anime product like the way they always turn pepsi into bepsi or something, but no it's real and it's delicious.

Pocari Sweat is great. I live in Osaka now and it's hard to resist constantly drinking the stuff. Aquarius also.

TIL there was a real-world inspiration for Tropic Thunder's Booty Sweat.

Aquarius is huge in Catalonia as well.

Aquarius (essentially grapefruit, somewhere between soda and sparkling water) is a bit of an acquired taste. And when my school's Japanese club visited in high school, boy, did we acquire it. Lots of "Pocari Sweat" and "Calpis" double entendres flying around, too.

> You have to carry your trash with you, which is a bit annoying and mildly gross if it spills.

True, but it also means that most people are used to this and don’t even question it. Which means no overflowing garbage bins or the need to service them in the middle of nowhere.

I found they did have bins, but they were either at the vending machine or in the entrance of any store. And there are a lot of convenience stores!

The bins near vending machines are almost always _only_ for cans/plastic bottles.

That accounts for ~80% of the garbage you'll produce, but sometimes you'll have a onigiri wrapper, or a dirty tissue that'd be nice to get rid of, and finding a place to do that can be more difficult (ironically, especially so in heavily touristy areas).

Completely agree. More trying to highlight where you can find them, as many people are just stumped as there's nothing outside.

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