Synopsis

For four decades, a vending machine has occupied a quiet corner of Akita Port in northern Japan. Even when mid-January snowstorms lash the region, a steady stream of patrons seeks out this weathered machine for its steaming bowls of simple soba and udon noodles. A father and son braving the blizzard; a designated driver returning from work; a cancer patient lost in memories. Despite the machine’s increasing susceptibility to breakdowns that have diminished the soup's flavor, people visit it arou