Ever walk through a subway station and find yourself gripped with a sudden, irrepressible desire for live crab? A company near Nanjing, Jiangsu Province has you covered.

Twin Lakes Crab Company, based in Gaochun county, recently unveiled what appears to be the world's first live crab vending machine.

The machine, installed in the Nanjing subway sells crabs at prices ranging from 15 to 50 yuan ($2-$7), depending on size.

The crustaceans in question are hairy crabs, a regional specialty treasured throughout China and elsewhere for their roe.

And since no one would dare eat hairy crab without ginger-infused vinegar, the bottom shelf offers bottles of that as well.

Not surprisingly, the machine has caught the interest of Japanese media, with one Japanese TV station producing a video that details how it all works.

Wall Street Journal