Vending machines are found all over Japan, but one in a fruit orchard in Fukushima City stands out. It is stocked with bottled ciders from across the nation, including such offerings as salt cider and Toyama black cider. It is known far and wide as a "shrine for cider."
　Yoshinori Sato, 58, and his wife Hiromi, 59, set up the machine, but they did not expect they would continue to operate it for such a long time.

　「塩サイダー」「富山ブラックサイダー」―。全国各地の瓶サイダーを売る自動販売機が果樹畑が広がる中で存在感を示している。場所は福島市町庭坂。県内外から瓶サイダーを目当てに多くの人が訪れ、「サイダーの聖地」ともいわれる。仕掛人は佐藤義則さん（５８）とひろみさん（５９）夫妻。「まさかこんなに長い間続くとは」と歩みを振り返る。

　Yoshinori, a vending machine installer, set up a machine in 2010 to sell wild plants that the couple picked in nearby mountains. It was an attempt to advertise the machines he was selling, but the highly perishable wild plants often went bad before they sold.
　Hiromi then came up with the idea of selling bottled cider, which was popular at a restaurant she was running on Mt. Shinobu in the city.

　スタートは２０１０（平成２２）年。自販機設置などを手掛けていた義則さんが自身の扱う自販機をＰＲするため、２人が近くの山で採ってきた山菜などを入れて販売を始めた。日持ちのしない山菜を何度も腐らせた経験から、「それなら」とひろみさんが信夫山で経営していた食堂で人気を集めていた「瓶サイダー」の販売を思い付いた。

　The cider vending machine quickly became popular because of its novelty. Once introduced on TV, it became famous nationwide. But then the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, and people stopped coming to buy cider. Worse, someone stole cider and money from the machine. But, these mishaps didn't stop the couple from their vending efforts, as they "sell ciders we want to drink no matter what."

　物珍しさからすぐに注目が集まり、テレビ番組で紹介されたことをきっかけに知名度は全国区になった。ただ、直後に東日本大震災が発生した。購入者はほぼゼロになった。災難は続き、盗難被害にも遭ったが「自分たちが飲みたいサイダーを選んでいるから楽しい」と２人にやめる選択肢はなかったという。

　Eleven years have passed since the vending machine was installed. Customers from outside the prefecture are increasing now, and sales are gradually recovering. Even so, the couple barely make a profit because they stock rare products from all over the country.
　They say the vending machine is their treasure and they will look after it as if it were a child. It sells two bottles for ¥500.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　設置から１１年がたった。今では県外からの客も増え、売り上げは徐々に戻ってきた。しかし、全国各地から珍しい商品を仕入れているため、利益はほぼないという。
　２人にとってこの自販機は「宝物」。これからも、わが子のように大切に育てていくつもりだ。価格は２本で５００円。

　【　２０２１年８月２１日付・福島民友新聞掲載　】