Sapporo ‘vending machine land’ store begins selling insect snacks, other unusual items

Japan’s northernmost prefecture Hokkaido has seen the opening of its first store specializing in selling unusual items including insect snacks from vending machines in its capital Sapporo in late January.

The “Jihanki-Land” store — jihanki being Japanese for vending machine — is located along National Route 12 in Sapporo’s Shiroishi Ward. Nobuyasu Himuro, the 46-year-old president of operator Hacienda International, said he hopes the store won’t just be a novel pursuit, but also “contributive to society” such as by aiming to solve food waste problems.

Insect snacks are the store’s top recommended items. While perhaps bizarre to some, insects have richer proteins and other nutrients than meat and fish.

Mainichi