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This article is a joint project with the radio program "Jeep® CREATIVE GARAGE" on J-WAVE (81.3 FM). AKO and HOUYHNHNM's editor-in-chief Ryo Komuta will be the program navigators, and will delve into the roots and staples of the guests on the theme of "standards" for about an hour on the last Sunday of each month at 10:00 p.m. In addition, using "radiko," a service that allows you to listen to the radio on your computer or smartphone, you can listen to the show in real time or at your own leisure with the time-free function. We hope you will enjoy this new approach to radio and HOUYHNHNM's together!

• Jeep® CREATIVE GARAGE
• Last Sunday of every month 22:00-22:54
• Navigator: AKO, Ryo Komuta (Editor-in-Chief, HOUYHNHNM)
• J-WAVE 81.3FM "Jeep® CREATIVE GARAGE
• www.j-wave.co.jp/original/creativegarage/

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The origin of the mood that flows through "LIFE" and "LIFE son" and life in Italy.

Located between Harajuku and Shinjuku, Yoyogi has a bustling aspect due to its location, but it is also a quiet residential area with a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere. The restaurant "LIFE" in Yoyogihachiman and its second branch, "LIFE son" in Sangubashi, fit the calm mood of Yoyogi. This time we visited LIFE son. The warm interior of the restaurant, with its abundant use of wood, is so cozy that it is hard to believe that it is in the heart of the city.

Originally, there were no restaurants like this in Sangubashi, and I wanted to create a restaurant that was familiar and everyday for people living in the area. I wanted to make it a place that is more closely connected to daily life than a place of luxury. In Italy, there is always a bar (tavern) in each town that is loved by the locals, a place where you can enjoy your morning coffee or a drink after work with friends and family, or sometimes just spend time alone. I wanted LIFE and LIFE son to be places like that.

After graduating from high school, Mr. Higashiwa, a native of Tochigi Prefecture, visited Italy to train as a chef. What he saw, learned, and felt there poured into "LIFE.

My family owned a deli, and I was forced to help out when I was in junior high school. My grades weren't that good, and my father told me to get a job as soon as possible. So I decided to go to Italy right after graduating from high school. Instead of continuing to help my parents, I was told to go and learn somewhere else.

When asked about his father, "He was a very strict father," says Mr. Ichiba. When we ran together, if I didn't run a certain distance faster than my father, he would make me run another lap around the same distance. It was not enough to just do it; he was always expected to set some kind of goal and achieve results.

I think I learned how to enjoy adversity from my father. I didn't find any meaning in such harshness at the time, but now I think he was a good father. When I went to Italy, he supported me financially and took care of me in every way.

At the young age of 18, Mr. Ichiba went to Italy. It was my first time away from home, and the culture and language were different. It was a culture shock," he says, "but my view of life was changed by going to Italy.

I spent my first year as a student working for free in a restaurant, and after two or three years I was able to speak the language and started working in a restaurant where I was paid. Sometimes I went back to Japan to hang out with my classmates, and I remember feeling like they were very childish. I didn't realize it at the time, but now I think that my life in Italy helped me grow up.

We wanted the restaurant to have an intimate atmosphere.

We got into a Jeep Wrangler and headed from Tokyo to a place in Nasu with Mr. Aiba. We spoke with him in the car as well.

After completing his training in Italy, Mr. Higashi worked as a manager at an Italian restaurant in Harajuku for three years. Someone he met in Italy happened to own a restaurant in Tokyo, and this connection brought Mr. Higashi to Tokyo.

I was allowed to work freely for three years at that store. The president of the company was also developing an apparel business, and the store eventually had to close in order for the company to focus on that business, but I got along well with the staff, and when I decided to go independent, they decided to come and work with me.

Mr. Hayashi had decided that sooner or later he would open his own restaurant. He opened "LIFE" in Yoyogihachiman in 2003 with the thought, "If I am going to do business, it should be in Tokyo.

I was 28 years old at the time. To be honest, there was a part of me that was scared. It was my own store, and I was worried about the financial aspect. But my father gave me a push at that time. That's why I was able to start.

As mentioned above, one of the characteristics of "LIFE" and "LIFE son" stores is their cozy space. Its base is influenced by Italian culture.

In Italy, the properties are all old and have a nice atmosphere. The ceilings are high and the kitchens are cute. And there is not a lot of clutter. There are no 100-yen stores like in Japan, so there is no overflow of things. They have a good sense of style from the base of their lives, and they are conscious of enjoying their lives, so wherever they go, they are stylish.

In addition, Mr. Hiba told us about the food culture of the Italians.

Italians are very conscious of making themselves comfortable at home. Instead of eating out, they invite their friends over for dinner. The host cooks and entertains the guests. It feels very intimate and comfortable. I wanted my restaurant to have that kind of atmosphere.

Influenced by such a culture, Mr. Ohashi said he often invited friends and acquaintances to his home.

I would invite them over to my house right away (laughs). (Laughs.) Even after I came back to Japan, I did that, and it sometimes put a burden on my wife.... That's why I think of LIFE and LIFE son as the living room of my house," he said about the store.

It's more like an extension of my room than a store. It's more like an extension of my room than a shop. That's why I arranged the tables and other furniture that I like. I ordered them from a furniture shop in Osaka called TRUCK. The owner, Mr. Kise, makes good use of the expression of wood, and his furniture is gentle and warm. His lifestyle is also very attractive, and I admired it, so I wanted my own store to be like that.

This is the first time I have felt the sensation of a switch being completely turned off.

The coziness felt at "LIFE" and "LIFE son" is directly connected to Mr. Aiba's own lifestyle. The clothes he wears, his personal belongings, and the furniture and sundries in the mountain house we visited this time are all things he likes. The rhythm of his life is also good. He is not too restless, but not too busy either. It is very well-balanced.

I do my best in my work and hobbies. I don't like to compromise. I don't want to save what I want to do today for tomorrow. I spend weekdays the way I want to, and on weekends I cherish the time with my family. You respect your family more than yourself, don't you? Well, I think I do (laughs).

Mr. Aiba purchased a mountain house in Nasu three years ago. He often drives to this mountain house on weekends to spend time with his family.

It's very comfortable. I like surfing, so I thought about moving near the ocean, but it just didn't feel right. That's when I found this mountain house. It was an impulse buy.

With tasteful furniture, a fireplace, and a beautiful view outside the window, one can step out onto the terrace and breathe in the natural air to one's heart's content. Mr. Ichiba calmly says that being away from the city and in this warm and inviting space helps him to reset his mind.

When you travel, you are on the receiving end of services such as hotel check-in, but there is always some interaction with other people. But here we are completely in our own space, and no one interferes with us. I realized that this makes a huge difference. Traveling is fun, but the level of relaxation is much higher in a mountain house.

One change that came with the purchase of the mountain house was the feeling of being completely off the grid.

When I am at home on weekends, I get a call from the store saying, 'Mr. Fat is here for a visit. That makes me want to go to the store even on my days off... (laughs). (Laughs) But when I am in Nasu, I don't get that call. Because we are deep in the mountains, cell phone reception is poor, and my mind is completely turned off. My wife told me that when she drives back to Tokyo, she always says, "I've had a good time this week. I have never wanted to have that kind of time, but perhaps it is a natural desire as I get older.

On weekdays, he enjoys his hobby of surfing, then goes to work, and on weekends he spends relaxing time with his family. And sometimes, when he comes to his mountain home, he switches off even more. This is how Mr. Aiba balances his life.

I think this is an Italian feeling. I have been back in Japan for a long time, but it is still ingrained in me. I think I am very lucky to have such a work style in Japan. I think I am very lucky to have such a work style in Japan.

The Wrangler has good analog elements throughout.

It takes about two and a half hours from Tokyo to Nasu by car. Until then, he had only driven to the beach for his surfing hobby and occasionally for work, but since purchasing the mountain house, he has had more opportunities to drive his car.

I was never very good at driving. I didn't have many opportunities to drive. But recently I've gotten used to it. The first car I ever drove was a four-wheel drive car. Cars are great, aren't they? For boys, they are like toys.

Mr. Yabiba has driven a number of four-wheel-drive cars in his career. Why does he insist on four-wheel drive cars so much?

I have a stereotypical idea of a car as a four-wheel drive vehicle. I think it's probably because it looks good in the mountains. My father drove a four-wheel drive car, and there is a certain style to it.

What image does Mr. Ohashi have of "Jeep"? Mr. Aiba's image of Jeep is "America.

I think of it as America's leading car maker," he said. They have history and style. It is rugged and does not pander to the world, but at the same time it is user-friendly and well thought out. It fits well in the mountains, but it also blends in well with the urban landscape, and I think it has a great balance.

This time, we asked Mr. Ichiba to drive the "Wrangler Unlimited Sport. What did Mr. Aiba think of this car?

It is easy to drive. It is easy to drive and has good torque. The steering wheel is not too light, and it feels solid. The design is also good. It doesn't have a sparkling look to it; it's masculine and cool. Wranglers have been around for a long time, but there must be a reason why they have remained. But I think I understand why after driving it this time."

Continuing, Mr. Ichiba said.

I like that the speedometer and other gauges are analog, and the key is an insert type, not a button type. The key is not a button type, but a plug-in type. I like this type better because I feel that a button type is not enough for me. The side brake is also a firm pull type, and I found the analog elements in many places appealing. Also, I'm glad that the interior space is large enough to carry a lot of luggage.

We want to continue what we are doing now for a long time.

Mr. Hayashi reflects what he likes in his daily life as well as in his store. The culture of fine and rich living that he learned in Italy. Many people are attracted to the way he embodies this culture, and have a certain longing for his good taste. What does standard mean to Mr. Aiba? We asked him this question at the end of the interview.

I think it is important not to grow taller. I don't ask for too much, but live each day to the fullest while making the most of what I have. I have always set goals within my ability, without doing anything unattainable. I will continue to do so in the same way as I have always done.

The person who "gets" the longing remains in his normal, natural state, no matter how far he goes. It is typical of Mr. Aiba, who has never done anything flashy, but has always been sincere in what he loves to do.

I am interested in new things, but I would rather continue what I am doing now for a long time rather than focusing on new things. I want to keep the same distance from the store and the staff. Stress is the worst thing for my health, so I don't want to put too much pressure on myself (laughs). (laughs) After 15 years of running the restaurant, I think it has finally reached a good shape. I want to let it grow slowly without destroying it.