Vending machines in Japan. Edible insect vending machine in Ueno, Tokyo
Photo: Alpgiray Kelem · Japan · 2026-06-11 · Editorial use
Taito, Tokyo, Japan - June 11, 2026: A vending machine sells edible insects in Ueno, in Tokyo's Taito ward. A large Japanese header for edible insects crowns the machine, beside a red speech bubble reading TOKYO and From Ameyoko. On the bottom shelf, containers labeled Cicada, Dubia, Scorpion, Mixed Bugs, Mixed Pupae and Orthoptera Mix sell for 900 to 1500 yen. The middle shelf holds Giant Cricket Cookie at 950 yen and insect snack mixes at 1200 yen, while the top shelf offers mystery cans at 1000 yen, a cricket ramen at 700 yen and a bottle of Tagame Cider at 600 yen. Drawings of insects cover the side panels, and a chart on the lower front compares greenhouse gas emissions and the farmland needed to produce 1 kg of food, with icons of cattle, pigs and chickens. Japan has one of the highest numbers of vending machines in the world.
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