Panty Vending Machine (via Adventure Rider)
You've probably heard it one time or another, usually when the conversation turns to Japan being weird, wild, wacky or all of the above: "You can buy just about anything from a vending machine in Japan, even used schoolgirl panties!" Gasp! Swoon! (How much? $50 to $100 per pair). It's a safe enough thing to say, given that these conversations take place thousands of miles from ANY Japanese vending machine. Regardless, inquiring minds want to know: what's the skinny on street sales of soiled schoolgirl skivvies?
Panty Vending Machine - New or Used?
We went to the recognized source on urban legends of any persuasion: Snopes. Their verdict? TRUE! Yet the evidence is somewhat circumstantial. In 1993, used panty vending machines were declared to be illegal, so by using circular reasoning they had to exist in the first place, right? Snopes also states that "(since 2001) numerous readers living in Japan have written to say that not only haven't the machines gone away, but that they've themselves seen them." Fine & dandy, but folks living in Scotland regularly write in to Sea Monster Weekly to say they themselves just saw Nessie.
Live Lobster Vending MachineGoogle image search results are also questionable: naming an image "Used Panty Vending Machine" doesn't mean it IS a used panty vending machine. Those boxes in the display windows may contain panties, but are they USED?? Lingerie vending machines are not unusual in Japan, where one can buy frozen meat, hard liquor, even live lobsters from vending machines.
Therefore, Snopes notwithstanding, the jury is still out on Japan's used panty vending machines. They may indeed lurk on shaded corners in questionable neighborhoods, holding out the promise of packaged pungent pleasure to a dedicated segment of society driven by passions beyond the ken of you or I. What about you, Dear Reader, been there? Seen that? Had a close encounter of the silken kind? Confess! (or just leave a comment).
SEE ALSO: 5 Coolest Vending Machines
Steve Levenstein
Japanese Innovations Writer
InventorSpot.com
by Adam (not verified)
In the two years I've been
In the two years I've been here I haven't seen one. I've seen them at porn shops but never in vending machines. Maybe further out in the more perverted countryside they exist.
by Anonymous (not verified)
Has anyone noticed the kid
Has anyone noticed the kid is flashing the "shocker" handsign? One in the pink and one in the stink? A little subliminal message there aye Steve?
by The Manticore (not verified)
it's TWO in the pink, one in
it's TWO in the pink, one in the stink. lol
by Michael (not verified)
I have seen the lobster
I have seen the lobster machine at an arcade in a small coastal town in Maine.
by Andy Pandy (not verified)
The longer story
I know how it went but I have forgotten the details so I will give a rough recount thus: Sometime in the early 90s an "entrepreneur" noticed a market for dirty old business men (who don't get any from their wives) and nerds (who don't get any) so started putting these machines containing supposed used girls panties out around near Tokyo's porn shops, red light areas and nerd areas. When it was discovered the powers that be quickly wanted to put a stop to it, but due to a loophole in an antiques law they were technically legal to sell. It continued for a while in shady places (where foreigners always go and then divulge stories as if all of Japan has/knows of/finds it acceptable) until a law (possibly the law mentioned in this article) was introduced specifically banning it.
Given the general mentality toward alot of "not right, but not right in your face" things in Japan tends to be ignore it and hope it goes away, there might be some around somewhere. If they are, they won't be any normal place.
by sat0shi (not verified)
Translation
The Japanese on the machine in the picture in question actually says "Panties everyone wants their girlfriend to wear: Super high-quality sexy panties."
Well, kind of hard to get the original meaning of the Japanese into English, but that's what it says. It does NOT say "used panties". They are just sexy (and if you have seen panties in Japan, they don't sell very many sexy ones) panties that some pervert (e.g. all guys including myself) would like to see their girlfriend wear. That's it... Mystery solved.
by Anonymous (not verified)
Its two FOR the pink, one
Its two FOR the pink, one FOR the stink. Bah
by Kyo (not verified)
Maybe...
Ive always wanted to take a trip to japan and it would be very intresting to see one of those "Used panty machines" lol
I heared schoolgirls make a quick buck off off there own panties and in return are offered new ones. They can also make their own panties of more value by dirtying them up more, including going on a cycle.
I personally dont see how they are of any value though. Or honestly why any man in his right mind would be into that sort of thing XD
by Anonymous (not verified)
The Myth
I went over to Japan rcently to see plus I wanted to go see some friends. I asked them about them and they saidthe do exist just not in great proportion. So about 20 minutes later I am standing in front of a row of vending machines with all sorts of stuff in them. We eventually walk down the alley way were they pan out and there one was staring me in the face a soiled panties vending machine. I didn't get to take a picture because I didn't have my camera and when I went looking for it agaion I couldn't find that street alltogether because japan is a big place. Well anyways the myth is true i'm not sure where the schoolgirls sell them or where they are bought but I know they exist.
by Anonymous
It is...
Two in the coot, one in the boot. FTW!
by Anonymous
uhhhh
uhhhhhhhhhh 2 in the pink one in the stink?
by Anonymous
get real you want to sell
Gentilly if you want to sell something like that make one for women periods get them put in school bathrooms work places they always need them but then there always the down fall that some of them mite be shy infront other women then there the look at it from a different view there always using there best friends ones too good luck
by Anonymous
2 in the stink
it's one in the stink 2 in the pink
by Anonymous
Hmmm
Going to town with one in the brown.
by Anonymous
the guy in the picture
is a douche
by Anonymous
and by douche
I mean total douche
by Anonymous
as for the last two comments
I concur. pure douchey-ness.
by Anonymous
USED PANTIES
ID LOVE TO HEAR FROM WOMEN ABOUT THERE USED PANTIES. ID LOVE TO RECEIVE THEM ALSO. EMAIL ME SUBJECT COLUMN SAY PANTIES.
RHOPPER98@HOTMAIL.COM
by Anonymous
used panty passion
Why are you so passionate about this? Do you really care that much? Let the people believe in the used panty vending machines! It's like Santa or the Easter Bunny. You gleefully tell children that Santa's a lie too, don't you?
by Anonymous
To Anonymous (above)
Why are *you* so passionate about it? Stop and think why *you* so desperately want to believe it's true. I live in Japan and know it's not true. What is true is people that want to believe in this (and other fantasies) about Japan. It's a bit tiresome.
BTW, do you really equate yourself with a child believing in Santa?
by Anonymous
Yes, it's true.
I speak Japanese, & I live here. I have lived in Osaka, and now near Susukino,
two of the most ill repute places in Japan. I have seen vending machines here in
internet cafes selling panties, but they are not used. Mainly for women who troll the internet too much (there is a shower in the same cafe).
The used ones do exist, but even I have not personally seen any- if you go to the sex shops in big towns, you can find them, though. I mean, you can buy beastiality porn here, and I have seen that in some real sex shops. It's more than likely not in vending machines anymore. But yeah, you can buy anything here if you ask a girl for it, and she's up for money.
Basically, yeah, from what I heard, most of the vending machines were in Tokyo, and they passed a special law banning them. They weren't around very long before being banned.
That's my 2 cents.
by Anonymous
still wont die
unf...you got bad info. Japanese, as well as most asian cultures dont use yes and no the way you might think. In partiular, they will frequently say yes or no even if untrue, because they think any other answer would be rude or embarrassing. Precisely what happened to you at the police station. Never ask a yes or no question in asia.
by Anonymous
RE still wont die
Never ask a yes or no question in asia?????WTF. How about this- Are you retarded? YES. Easy answer.
by Katie Gatto
Lobsters
OK, well I don't care about the panties. After all it seems like a mutually beneficial relationship. Perves get their fun and girls make some extra cash with no physical contact. The lobster machine however is wrong! Not only is it tacky but I am pretty sure it is animal cruely as well.
by Anonymous
Why. WHY?
Why. WHY?
by Anonymous
WTF?!
What's the point of the panties anyway. I would much rather have the girl than a pair of useless old panties. Seems like an odd thing to want to buy. It makes no sense to me at all. But the lobster thing is hilarious. How do you get them home without losing a finger??