Regular visitors to TBTP know that I am an annoying coffee geek. When I combine my coffee fascination with my love of travel, I can be insufferable. When I found myself up early for a trip to Nagoya from Tokyo Station on the Shinkansen recently, I was thrilled to see a vending machine that sold the legendary Shinkansen brand coffee that is no longer available on the actual bullet trains.
The vending machine offers an extensive range of choices including both hot and cold options. There are three blends, each one named after one of the three Shinkansen that stop at platform 15 of Tokyo Station.
The Shinkansen Kodama Blend is said to have a soft acidity, while the Hikari has a moderate bitterness with a round mouthfeel, and the Nozomi, the fastest train of the three, features a rich nutty body. Since I was traveling on the Hikari, I went with that blend.
After making a selection and pressing the button for his coffee, the brewing process was displayed on the screen at the top of the machine, giving it a nice, live feel. After 90 seconds, the machine delivered a surprisingly good cup of Joe.
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I’m amazed that a vending machine can deliver a decent coffee. They normally represent the lowest of the low (here in the UK anyway).
The Japanese have perfected the use of vending machines to deliver both tasty and fresh beverages and food. I’m a big coffee snob, but actually enjoyed both hot and cold brew from vending machines around Japan.
Good to know! This coffee snob had expected the worst.