
Whenever I fly back to L.A., I have a standard ritual I go through. I make sure to get to Narita Airport well ahead of my departure time, check in for my flight, and have a beer or two before take-off. This gets me nice and sleepy, and I usually doze off shortly after we reach our cruising altitude, waking up several hours closer to home.
Since I fly coach, there’s a convenience store inside the terminal where I procure my supplies in canned form. Should I ever find myself with a Qantas business class ticket, though, it’s good to know that the Australian carrier’s business longue not only has draft Asahi, but that it’s perfectly poured by an awesome beer-dispensing machine.
Like many of the premium lounges for fliers at Narita, Qantas’ facility is stocked with refreshments to enjoy while you wait for your flight. In this video, uploaded to YouTube by world traveler Brooke Kollineiser, we can see a selection of wines and crackers, but what’s really special is that small black device on the far left.
Brooke places her glass on the stand, hits the button…
…and out comes a stream of delicious Asahi Super Dry!
Not only does the device know when to automatically stop in order to prevent spills, it even adds an extra bit of foam, complying with what Japan generally considers to be the ideal ratio of 30 percent head to 70 percent beer in the glass.
Sadly, unlike a real bartender, the beer dispenser can’t ask you how your family is doing these days, nor can it send a drink over to that attractive single traveler you’ve spotted sitting by the window. It will, though, patiently listen as you rattle on about the awesome trip you just had to Japan and show it all the great photos you took in Kyoto and from the top of Mt. Fuji, never once rolling its eyes and always ready to give you another perfect pour.





Tokyo police’s lifesaving makeshift water faucet also great as a home beer dispenser
Japanese hotel gives you a beer tap in your room, 10 liters of craft beer to drink for free
Legendary anime Evangelion’s creator and mecha appear in ad for Sapporo Beer【Video】
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Delta Airlines adds first nonstop flight between Japan’s Narita Airport and U.S. in seven years
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Train continues to stop at rural station for lone schoolgirl until she graduates in March
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
Tokyo sweets store has a “350% Pudding Soft Serve”, and people are going wild for it
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
End of a manga era as Weekly Shonen Jump’s circulation drops under one million
Anime fan in Japan arrested for ordering and cancelling over 4.3 billion yen in anime merch
Beautiful Totoro bonsai figure needs no watering, makes soothing rain showers whenever you want
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】