Japan is famous for vending machines. While most sell soft drinks and coffee, there are some unusual ones selling batteries, umbrellas, and bottles of sake. Add insects to that list.
In Japanese, the word 昆虫食 (konchuushoku) means “insect eating”.
During the past few years, it seems, there has been an increasing number of vending machines selling insect snacks. Keep in mind, these types of vending machines are still are a rarity and there does appear to only be a handful across the country.
But they do exist in a variety of locations, including Nakano Broadway in Tokyo, Akihabara, Sakai in Osaka, Fukuoka, and more.
These snacks are rather expensive, with a can of Armour Tail Scorpion costing 1,500 yen ($20) and Zebra Tarantula reaching 2,600 yen ($34). You can get bug kebabs, crickets, and rhino beetles, as well as more, perhaps, palatable chocolate-covered grasshoppers.
昆虫食自動販売機があった????
タガメ、カブトムシ、ゲンコロウ…食べられるのね????どんな味がするんだろ❓でも、ちょいと高いねぇ～???? pic.twitter.com/5qhxu2ue7T— Bananamaya (@Daniel_masanari) June 3, 2020
Canned mixed bugs. This is my favorite vending machine sighting to date. Spotted in Nakano Broadway. pic.twitter.com/wy6piuuffv
— Matt Alt (@Matt_Alt) August 25, 2020
この昆虫食自販機はアツいな。https://t.co/TaKWcUnpBt
— ムシモアゼルギリコ＠むしくい (@mushikui_net) August 17, 2020
— 奴隷所持者@海道（あまと） (@tyoukyoushis) August 20, 2020
秋葉原にある昆虫食自動販売機を使ってみた！ 本物のカブトムシとコオロギを実食！（閲覧注意） https://t.co/R3aQqWjYbG #getnews #ガジェット通信 pic.twitter.com/rXgNJJmdBq
— ガジェット通信（公式） (@getnewsfeed) December 23, 2019
町中に昆虫食の自動販売機がありました。コオロギ、タガメ、オケラ、カブト虫、竹虫、幼虫蛹ミックスなどなど。意外といいお値段。 pic.twitter.com/od6IzlwDNk
— 関島岳郎 (@sekizima) May 22, 2020
There’s a broth vending machine near my apartment featuring whole fish in a bottle, but this…
This!!!
EDIBLE BUG VENDING MACHINE
???? ???? ????????
Never seen anything like this.
Gross.
Pricey.
Gross! pic.twitter.com/dVcTrp4xg8— Justin Leeper だよ！ (@JustinLeeper_yo) July 31, 2020
YouTubers have been doing tastings.
Yum!
(YouTuber Katsumata Museum did not seem to enjoy this can of bugs, calling eating it “truly a batsu game.”)
This YouTuber, however, said eating his bug was, “Enjoyable.”
知人「上野に昆虫の自販機あるヨ」
僕 「……」行ってきました
買ってきました
食ってみました知人「どうだった？」
僕「動画にしたんで見てください」https://t.co/35c5wTAqpl天下一昆虫食に一番合う調味料武道会を開催したら優勝は〇〇でした‼️#昆虫#昆虫食#昆虫自販機#昆虫すごいぜ pic.twitter.com/lVo8KYSY38
— カジ【まいはんど ちゃんねる】 (@myhandchannel) March 27, 2020
This YouTuber added different condiments.
昆虫食自販機が1Fにありました「おいしい虫さんたち」カルロ・ピノ(著)八重沢なとり (イラスト)、「食べられる虫ハンドブック」@jiyukokuminsha 、「じつは食べられるいきもの事典」宝島社「アタマのなかのアレをたべたい」@ssssskull_03 好評発売中！ #明屋書店 中野ブロードウェイ店 pic.twitter.com/YQQBW9txpP
— 明屋書店中野ブロードウェイ店 (@haruya_nakano) August 23, 2020
Recently, a handful of bugs-as-food books have been released in Japan, so this does seem to be a trend of some sort — albeit as of now, a minor one!
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