ZAKZAK (Japanese) reports that Otemachi has become a surprising location for the introduction of gashapon which are the ubiquitous capsule toy dispensers (see the picture above and you'll know what they are). The machines are popular with children. They generally cost 100 yen and the capsules contain plastic figurines, cell-phone straps and the like. Otemachi, though, is salaryman central which wouldn't appear to be the most obvious market but Tokyo Metro, who have installed the machines in their station, clearly expect businessmen to revisit their youth and reveal their inner otaku. They explain that they have been looking more at the commercial opportunities on their sites and Bandai, who own the gashapon trademark put forward the proposal as a way to make use of small, unused spaces. The subway operator started them on a trial basis in 2005 and Otemachi is the ninth station with three other locations along the Hanzomon line currently in the pipeline. Bandai benefits because the locations are secure at night and they can escape some of the licence restrictions which they face on street level. The machines require no electricity so Tokyo Metro has no need for any rewiring.
