Used Tire Market Sagamihara: Japan’s Legendary Retro Vending Machine Corner:

Of all the unusual places a Japan trip can take you, few are as unexpectedly delightful as a used tire shop in the suburbs of Sagamihara, Kanagawa. Attached to Used Tire Market’s Sagamihara store is a sprawling collection of more than 100 working retro vending machines, dating back to Japan’s Showa era, and it’s become a genuine pilgrimage site for both Japanese enthusiasts and a growing number of foreign visitors.

From a Few Machines to a National Attraction

The vending machine corner started almost by accident. The shop’s president had been collecting retro vending machines as a personal hobby, and around 2016 to 2017, he set up just three of them next to the tire shop, originally intended to give customers something to do while waiting for their tires to be serviced. Word spread quickly, customers loved the nostalgic novelty, and the collection kept growing. Today, the corner houses well over 100 working machines, split between an outdoor row along the parking area and an additional indoor section, and it’s been featured repeatedly on Japanese television and across social media, drawing visitors from across the country and increasingly from abroad.

What Makes This Spot So Special

Unlike a typical row of modern vending machines, nearly every machine here is a genuine antique, many dating from the 1960s and 70s, kept in working condition through the shop owner’s own repairs and restoration. The atmosphere leans hard into the nostalgia: old-style wooden utility poles, Showa-era signage, and loud background music playing classic Japanese songs from decades past, all adding to the feeling of stepping into a different era.

The “Big Three” and Other Standout Machines

Udon and soba noodle machines: widely considered the most popular items at the corner, hot noodles are dispensed in about 25 seconds to a minute after payment, and there’s even a shared seasoning station nearby where previous customers have left extra shichimi pepper and other condiments for anyone to use.
Hamburger machine: a genuinely rare find, dispensing a hot, freshly warmed burger in a charmingly retro cardboard box.
Toast sandwich machine: the third of the corner’s beloved “big three” food machines, alongside the noodle and hamburger machines.
Bon Curry rice machine: reportedly the only working vending machine in the country that dispenses a full curry rice meal this way, hot rice topped with retort curry, wrapped in nostalgic Bon Curry-branded packaging, available in mild or spicy.
Ramen machine: one of only three working machines of this specific type left operating in all of Japan.
Kakigori (shaved ice) machine: reportedly the only one of its kind still functioning nationwide, painstakingly revived by the shop.
Glass bottle Coca-Cola machine: dispenses drinks the old-fashioned way, complete with a built-in bottle opener, a novelty for visitors used to cans and plastic bottles.
Popcorn, fortune slip (omikuji), battery, and even camera vending machines round out the collection, alongside capsule toy (gachapon) machines and a small retro game corner with old-fashioned 10-yen arcade games inside the tire shop itself.

Practical Information

Address: 2661-1 Shimomizo, Minami-ku, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Vending machine corner hours: open 24 hours, every day of the year (the tire shop itself operates 10:00am to 7:00pm)
Admission: free to enter and browse; you only pay for what you buy from the machines
Parking: free and available on-site
Phone: 042-714-5333

How to Get There

This location is genuinely built around car access, and getting there by public transportation is inconvenient enough that driving is the recommended option if at all possible.

By car: roughly 10 to 11 minutes from the Sagamihara-Aikawa interchange on the Ken-O Expressway via Route 508.
By train and bus: from JR Sagamihara Station, Odakyu Sagami-Ono Station, or Odakyu-Sagamihara Station, take a Kanagawa Chuo Kotsu bus (roughly 20 to 30 minutes) toward Sagamihara, get off at the “Sagamihara Josuijo” (Sagamihara Water Purification Plant) bus stop, and walk about 3 to 4 minutes to the corner.
On foot from the nearest train station: JR Sagami Line’s Hara-Tamai Station is about a 20 to 24 minute walk away, a reasonable option only if you don’t mind the distance.

Tips for Your Visit

Bring coins. Many of these older machines are coin-only and won’t accept bills or cards, so having a good supply of ¥100 coins on hand matters.
Go earlier in the day if you want to eat. Popular food items, especially the noodle and hamburger machines, can sell out by midday, so arriving in the morning gives you the best chance of trying everything you’re curious about.
Weekdays tend to be quieter than weekends, when the parking lot can fill up entirely given the spot’s popularity with both locals and enthusiasts making a special trip.
Look for the visitor notebook, a message book kept at the corner where past visitors from around the country (and increasingly around the world) have left notes, worth a glance if you want a sense of just how far this small tire shop’s reputation has traveled.
Treat it with the same respect you would any small, family-run business. This started as a personal hobby project attached to a working tire shop, not a purpose-built tourist attraction, and being considerate of the machines, the space, and other visitors helps keep it running for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this really attached to a working tire shop?

Yes, Used Tire Market Sagamihara is a genuine used tire and wheel business, and the vending machine corner started specifically as something for customers to enjoy while waiting for tire service, before growing into its own destination.

Do I need a car to visit?

It’s strongly recommended. Public transportation involves either a lengthy bus ride or a 20-plus minute walk from the nearest train station, so driving (or arranging a taxi) makes for a considerably smoother visit.

Is food available all day, or only certain hours?

The vending machine corner itself is open 24 hours, but individual food items can and do sell out, particularly the popular noodle and hamburger machines, so visiting earlier in the day improves your odds of trying everything.

Is this a good spot for kids?

Generally yes, the retro machines, capsule toys, and old-fashioned arcade games tend to appeal to a wide range of ages, from those with genuine nostalgia for the Showa era to kids simply fascinated by machines they’ve never seen before.

Next Steps

If a rental car or drive is part of your Japan itinerary, particularly if you’re exploring Kanagawa Prefecture beyond central Tokyo, consider building in a stop at Used Tire Market Sagamihara. Go earlier in the day, bring a stock of coins, and come hungry, this is one of the more genuinely unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences you’ll find in the greater Tokyo area.

This post is part of an ongoing series on Japan travel planning. Check back for more guides on unique experiences and things to do beyond the standard sightseeing route.

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Retro Vending Machine Paradise