Overview
For 40 years, a vending machine has stood in a quiet corner of Akita Port, in northern Japan. Even when a winter snowstorm batters the area in mid-January, a constant trickle of customers is drawn to this time-worn machine that sells plain soba and udon noodles in a steaming-hot soup. A father and son out in the blizzard; a designated driver on his way home from work; and a cancer patient reminiscing about the past. Even though the machine has become prone to breakdowns that have weakened the flavor of its soup, customers come around the clock for a warming bowl of noodles. Why is it so popular? This program reveals why many customers keep coming back.
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3 - 1The Ameyoko International Food Market January 06, 2015 -
3 - 2General Hospital Store: Where Shopping Meets Healing January 13, 2015 -
3 - 3Dreams Along the Yamanote Line April 07, 2015 -
3 - 4Lost and Found in Nagoya: Left Behind on a Holy Night April 21, 2015 -
3 - 5A Discounted Ticket to Happiness May 05, 2015 -
3 - 6A Standing Oden Bar in Tokyo May 19, 2015 -
3 - 7A Taste of Home: A Soba & Udon Vending Machine June 02, 2015 -
3 - 8A Driving School: The Start of Many Journeys June 16, 2015
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3 - 9Tokyo Capsule Hotel: Encapsulating Life July 14, 2015 -
3 - 10A Used Car, A New Life July 21, 2015 -
3 - 11Yakushima: Island of the Mystical Tree August 04, 2015
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3 - 12A Kebab Restaurant in Roppongi September 01, 2015 -
3 - 13A Drive-In Restaurant in Okinawa: Hometown Flavor, American Style September 15, 2015 -
3 - 14The Lucky Cat at the Shopping Street October 06, 2015 -
3 - 15Tonkotsu Ramen Restaurant: Bowls for the Soul October 20, 2015 -
3 - 16Japans Northernmost Bus Stop November 10, 2015 -
3 - 17Voices in Front of the Diet December 01, 2015 -
3 - 18An Iconic Hotel: Until We Meet Again December 15, 2015