Japanese Sake Vending Machines Are Amazing

After a long day, head to the sake vending machines at Niigata Station. For 500 yen, you get five tokens and a small sake cup. You choose which sake you want from over 100 varieties from across Niigata Prefecture, pop your token in, and get your cup. I've been here three or four times and usually pick at random, but this time I'm going to work my way from 1 to 15 along the machine. You can see all the information about the sake, like its type (e.g., 'kuchi' for a spicy aftertaste), acidity, and alcoholic volume (this one is 15%). It's basically like shotting wine – it looks like water but it's very potent, and after just four or five cups, you'll feel it hitting you quickly.