Fukushima’s popular dialect T-shirt vending machine gets its first sibling in Iwaki

In the coastal city of Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, a new attraction has debuted at JR Iwaki Station’s S-Pal shopping center—a vending machine that dispenses Fukushima dialect-themed T-shirts. This addition complements the popular machine located at JR Fukushima Station, which has been in operation since the 2011 disaster.

The Fukushima dialect, known as Fukushima-ben, is one of Japan's many regional languages, each with its own unique vocabulary and idioms reflecting the local history and geography. The prefecture is divided into three cultural zones: Hamadori (coast), Nakadori (central valley), and Aizu (western mountains). Each region has its own distinct expressions, which have become the focus of these T-shirts.

The Iwaki vending machine offers a selection of 12 designs, all inspired by local icons and different from the 15 found in Fukushima’s machine. Some of the coastal Hamadori designs include "appatoppa" (a confused or flustered expression with the Futabasaurus), and "koderanni" ("the best" or "can't get enough of it") featuring Shiramizu Amidado, an ancient temple in the Tohoku region.

The machine also showcases four designs highlighting beloved Iwaki icons such as the mehikari (a green-eyed fish), anko (an anglerfish in a traditional hot pot dish), hula dance (which helped save the town after mines closed), and Iwaki Yumoto hot spring.

The vending machine operates like a mystery capsule, dispensing a random design once a size is selected. At 2,000 yen (US$12.69), these T-shirts serve as wearable souvenirs, carrying a piece of Fukushima’s charm and providing a unique conversation starter with local Japanese visitors. Whether travelers explore samurai heritage at Tsuraga Castle, walk through Ouchijuku’s thatched roof village, or enjoy the highlands of Bandai or Iwaki’s Pacific coast, they can now take a slice of Fukushima's dialect culture home with them.