New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform

On August 7, Central Japan Railway Company introduced an innovative vending machine at Shin Osaka Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. This platform machine, located on Platform 27 near Car 6 of incoming trains, sells Rock Ice Glass - a container of ice cubes.

The vending machine is designed to keep drinks cold for extended periods, as Shinkansen rides can take up to two and a half hours from Osaka to Tokyo, or roughly the same time from Osaka to Fukuoka. Passengers can purchase these ice cubes and use them to keep their drinks chilled during the journey.

The Rock Ice Glass, despite its name, comes in a plastic cup, and is already popular at stores and kiosks within Shin Osaka Station, indicating a demand among rail travelers. The ice cubes can be purchased for 220 yen (approximately US$1.40) using cashless methods such as IC transit cards or bar code payments. While slightly more expensive than the drink being poured into the ice, the convenience of having an ice-cold beverage during a busy Japanese summer is hard to match.