This ephemeral vending machine lets you buy a floral gift right in the heart of the Japanese capital.

Isn’t there something magical about flower shops? Personally, I get a spring put in my step whenever I pass by a florist tending to potted plants and succulents. It’s the kind of everyday delight that you’re likely to see in a Studio Ghibli work. But alas, shops have closing times, and so there are some times where you can’t just satisfy your craving for a petal pick-me-up. But what if it didn’t have to be that way?

Shinjuku Station will temporarily indulge that fantasy with the limited-time vending machine installed in the West Exist Event Space. A collaboration between two florist companies, Hibiya Kadan Style and Landflora, the vending machine will operate at all hours of the day and contains a selection of beautiful blooms priced anywhere between 500 yen (US$4.55) to 3,000 yen (US$27.32).

▼ The vending machine started operations on July 5 and will run until September 30.

The line-up is quite varied, too. The flowers are stocked in beautiful boxed arrangements that are great to take home for yourself or to gift to another to brighten up their day.

▼ Extra useful in a situation where you need a gift in a hurry.

And this vending machine comes with a special bonus—a “flower fortune”, where you can use a 500 yen coin to see if you’ll receive a fresh bud, flowers that are a third-through in bloom, flowers that are a fifth-through their bloom, flowers that are a seventh-through their bloom, or flowers that are in full bloom. Pay 800 yen and your fortune flower will come with a mini-base to display it upon!

Each of these flower fortunes comes with a written advice slip regarding your life, love, work, and your personal relationships. What’s more, if you receive a “full bloom” fortune you can take your new plant over to the nearby Reconnel Odakyu Marche store and exchange it for a seasonal plant!

The flower fortunes come wrapped in a special air-sealed packaging that negates the need for them to be watered. Instead, the plants gain sustenance from the water already within their stems. These air-cushioned packages also allow you to transport them home without damaging the flower, although you should place them in a vase and water them once you find somewhere to keep them.

The vending machine carries a line-up of fresh and dried flowers so you’re bound to find something that tickles your fancy. Note, though, that the actual flowers inside the machine are subject to change as the flowers in season change, and of course that the vending machine will be gone altogether by September 30. Go on, treat yourself! Think of all the cute photos you’ll be able to take!

Images: Press Release
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[ Read in Japanese ]