Pokémon vending machine, Pokémon vending machines everywhere in Japan!

Over the past several years, vending machines have advanced significantly, increasing the variety of things they can provide to include items as diverse as hot drinks, kitchen items, and even a whole meal.

Even yet, there are those vending machines that manage to catch us off guard and make us halt in our tracks, as occurred to our reporter Haruka Takagi the other day when she came upon this at the Ashigara Service Area on the outgoing Tomei Expressway in Shizuoka Prefecture.

This peculiar-looking device, also known as a "Pokémon Stand," offers unique things that are typically only sold at a Pokémon Center. This highway stop is not too far from the nearest Pokémon Center, which is probably why they decided to open up shop here so that travelers could make purchases without having to take a detour off the highway.

Ten of these vending machines are presently permanently located around the country, with more ones appearing temporarily during special occasions, according to the official website. The next time you're at Haneda Airport, be sure to look for the machine that purportedly sells limited-edition Pikachu plushies dressed as pilots or cabin personnel!

Additionally, if you're a Pokémon enthusiast searching for a place to stay, these hotel rooms—complete with a huge Snorlax—will make for an experience you won't soon forget.