Pop Japan

One of the first privileges and luxuries you can enjoy while staying in Japan is the fact that you can get food and beverages straight from vending machines. Foods such as ramen, burger, sandwiches, hotdogs; and drinks - chocolates, green tea, coffee, and beer will just pop out their contents by placing a coin or paper money onto their slots.

                                                                        Photo by Yoriko @ocapiiii from Twitter

Another innovation that can bring excitement is the first bowl vending machine that went into service in Tokyo. Matsuya, the country's second-largest Gyudon or beef bowl placed its first vending machine in the canteen of Gree (a mobile game company). The menus include curry, burdock root, ginger pork, beef bowl, and sesame marinade.

The price ranges from 450 to 500 yen or $4.5  to $4.60 USD. The beef bowl is priced at 70 yen that is more expensive than its restaurant price although such a higher price tag brings convenience. An added bonus is that the beef bowl comes with miso soup, a freebie, for every beef bowl.

One Gree employee who had a twitter named @ocapiiii purchased a beef bowl from the vending machine and told that the vending machine beef bowl tastes as good as its restaurant version. Matsuya's vending machine doesn't cook instead its gets its replenishments from the Matsuya branch that deliveries stocks of beef bowl twice a day - one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

What is Gyudon

Gyudon is a dish served in a bowl that consists of rice, topped with simmered onion (flavored with dashi, soy sauce, and mirin)
and beef. It can also include raw egg, poached egg or shirataki noodles.

Tags: Gyudon, beef bowl, dashi, mirin, poached egg, shirataki noodles, matsuya, tokyo