Vending

A taste of Japan's vending culture comes to Eugene, Oregon

Photo: Doublelee - stock.adobe.com

September 3, 2025

A store offering a Japanese-style vending machine experience has opened on Sixth Avenue, in Eugene, Oregon. Since April 2024, Yamada Vending Co. has provided residents with access to snacks, ramen and popular Japanese character items like Hello Kitty and Totoro coin purses, according to a Lookout Eugene-Springfield report.

Store owner Eimi Yamada, who travels to Japan frequently, was familiar with the country's extensive vending machine culture and wanted a flexible business to accommodate her family life. The store's popularity has spread rapidly through social media platforms such as TikTok and Reddit.

https://www.tiktok.com/@yamada.vending.co/video/7492070804620938526?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7532147167085413919

"I needed something that runs itself, except it's not running itself today," Yamada told the news outlet, while she was restocking after a busy weekend.