Short Story Dispensers to Appear Around Japan; Creating Unexpected Encounters with Stories

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, June 29, 2025

Short story dispensers set to be installed at train stations, tourist information centers, event venues and the like will make their debut in Japan as early as this summer.

At the push of a button, short stories that can be read in a few minutes will be printed out on a long receipt-like srip of paper. Although the machines are called “dispensers,” the content is delivered free of charge.

This service, to be launched as part of an initiative to revitalize Japan’s characters and print culture, will be implemented by Tohan Corp., a leading book wholesaler, with the support of the Cultural Affairs Agency.

The aim is to get people who usually do not read books to discover the joy of reading them.

Launched by a French company, the machines, called short story dispensers, have been installed at train stations, airports, hospitals and companies in Europe, the United States and elsewhere.

In Japan, several dispensers are scheduled to be installed in various locations, starting in or around August. The development of Japan-version dispensers is also being considered.

It is envisaged that the stories printed out will be the beginning or part of a story that takes place in the location where the dispenser is installed. Standing in the spot where a memorable scene was created will enable people to feel close to the world of the story.

Another idea under consideration is an excerpt from a fine piece of literature written by a great author who has some connection with the locations.

The number of stories will be increased one by one, with poems, haiku and even newly published works to be added to the list in future.

Multiple stories will be made available at each dispenser. As the content printed out will be chosen at random, people can enjoy an unexpected encounter with a story.

The scheme is also an attempt to encourage people to read the rest of the story in an actual book.

This initiative has recently been selected as a new project implemented by the Cultural Affairs Agency to revitalize Japan’s print culture, to which end the agency is supporting collaborations among bookstores, literary museums and local governments.

The agency will provide approximately ¥6.5 million in support. As the relevant expenses are to be borne by local municipalities and the companies that install the dispensers, the service is to be offered free of charge.

Why take the trouble to install dispensers with stories printed on paper at a time when many stories can be read for free just by searching on a smartphone? Koichi Saito, manager in charge of new businesses at Tohan, said: “We believe that holding a story that comes out by coincidence and reading it at that particular location will create a different value for readers. We want to increase the points of contact between people and books.”