Vending machine in Hiroshima offers cans of air from the prefecture

A company in Hiroshima Prefecture has started selling a unique souvenir called “Hiroshima Air.” The cans are sold at Shareo Underground Shopping Mall in the Kamiyacho district. The product is a small silver can that supposedly contains the air of Hiroshima. Customers can buy it from a vending machine for ¥500 as a fun souvenir that reminds them of the city.

The idea was created by Fuji Vendor Service, a vending machine maintenance company in Fukuyama. The company opened a vending machine section called Jihanki Base with 25 machines selling local products from businesses in Hiroshima. The canned air was designed mainly to attract tourists and create interest in the vending machines and other local goods.

Although the can contains ordinary, odorless air, the label encourages people to open it and remember Hiroshima. The company says the air is placed and sealed in the cans at its headquarters. While sales are still small, the product has started gaining attention on social media, and the company hopes it will become a popular specialty souvenir from Hiroshima.

Edited using generative AI tools.
Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03/02/japan/hiroshima-canned-air/

Comprehension

What unusual product is being sold in Hiroshima?
Where can people buy the canned “Hiroshima Air”?
Which company created the product?
How much does a can cost?
Why did the company decide to sell canned air?

Discussion

Why do you think tourists might buy something unusual like canned air?
Do you think this product is a clever idea or just a joke? Why?
What kinds of souvenirs are popular in your country or city?
How can creative products help promote tourism?
Would you buy a souvenir like “Hiroshima Air”? Why or why not?
How do social media trends help unusual products become popular?
What other creative souvenirs could represent a city or country?
Do souvenirs need to be useful, or can they just be fun memories?

Vocabulary

Souvenir – something you buy or keep to remember a place or trip.
Vending machine – a machine that sells items automatically when money is inserted.
Bulk purchase – buying many items at one time.
Odorless – having no smell.
Viral – becoming very popular quickly on the internet or social media.