Sake Vending Machine

    I found this inside the regional good section of the shops in the newer section of Sendai Station. Just outside a sake shop and for just 100 yen, you too can sample sake from the region, including in this instance selections from Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima.

    When you put in your coin and press an appropriate button, the chosen sake will be pumped up and into your waiting trial cup which can be found to the left of the machine itself. I found the sample portion to be adequate for a 100 yen selection but was frustrated by the placement of the machine. Despite being more or less in the open, I had to all but catch fire to get a lingering woman to dislodge herself from the front of the machine so that I could have access. The rest of the shops nearby open into the same walking area but even for a city as small as Sendai, this traffic flow pattern was less than ideal. That said, in a larger city, there would have been a line to wait in and even more lingerers more than likely.
    A little placard above each sake option reveals the origin (in this case Miyagi prefecture, Tomiya City), name, alcohol content (15-16%) and flavor profile (in this case, high impact). Each selection looked interesting and I enjoyed the one I got to try. I would have liked to try more and perhaps one day I shall.
    I do not condone nor recommend trying this while underage. The shopkeepers of the sake shop attached to the machine do keep a watchful eye out and honestly,it's just a good idea not to break the law in Japan.