Free drinking water at your local supermarket

Are you particular about your drinking water? I sure am and, even though it is generally safe to drink tap water in Japan, I feel the taste isn't that great. It is fine for cooking or making tea, but I found myself unconsciously drinking more green tea and less water just to mask the taste. Luckily, my local supermarket had a very good alternative: free drinking water! Well, almost free. Let's see how that works.

At my supermarket, there is a place near the cashier with these big plastic bottles for 500 yen. They can hold 3,8 litres and are reusable. Not too heavy, they are perfect for carrying just the right amount of water. Once you buy the bottle, you can head to the drinking water machine, usually located near the entrance, which looks something like this:

With this machine, you can only use the reusable bottle sold at the supermarket (other sizes won't fit). You also need the supermarket's point card (depending on the shop, it will be free, or will have a small one-time fee around 50-200 yen). Before inserting the bottle, you have to tap the card and press the button on the screen. Some water will run inside the machine in order to clean it. Then, the door will automatically unlock and you can insert the bottle (unscrewed) and close the door. The machine will wash the bottle and fill if with delicious, fresh water.

Above the part with the glass door, there is a small compartment to store the bottle cap while you are waiting for the bottle to be filled. And that's it! Once it's done, the machine will make a sound and you can pick up the bottle, close it and bring it home.

This system isn't exactly 100% free, but in the long run it helps you to save a lot of money and hundreds of plastic bottles. The trick is to purchase the bottle at a supermarket that is really close and convenient for you, so it isn't a bother to go there every time you run out of water. Also, each shop probably has a slightly different system, so it is good idea to ask the staff how it works.