mountain rootThat's right. We have many customers from the Kansai region at our store in Tokyo, and when I asked around, I found that many of them were from Kyoto in particular. I asked a friend who lives in Kyoto, and he said, "There are a lot of campers in Kyoto. The main reason for this is that there are not many easy campgrounds from Osaka, and many people from Kyoto go to campgrounds in Shiga. Another thing is that I have always loved the ACE HOTEL, and for a long time it was not available in Asia. But this year, I heard that Japan's first ACE HOTEL will be opened in Kyoto, and I thought that I would like to open a store in Kyoto, too. And it will be 100 meters away from this location in the same row (laughs).

mountain rootWe are an official retail partner of Nordisk, so we have directed our product lineup and space to fit the world view of Nordisk's products and Japanese camping style. So I think you will feel the atmosphere the moment you enter the store. Of course, we carry all of Nordisk's products, but above all, we were particular about the size of the store. The floor space is about 1.5 times larger than the Tokyo store. There are not many stores that can set up three tents. And then there is Mr. Kobayashi's "Mountain Research" corner.

KobayashiI'm glad to hear you say that. But store in store...hmmm...I'm not sure if I'm ready to be called that yet. I think it will be a little while before I can be called that. Until we reach a level that matches the volume of this store, we still don't have much to offer, and at the moment, it's more like the "Mountain Research Corner" (laughs). (Laughs) Once we have a more complete lineup, I hope we can propose a different way of presenting the products.

mountain rootI learned a lot. Since I run the brand "F.C.E.," I really noticed a lot about how Mr. Kobayashi creates his stores, how he presents items, and his way of thinking. So it was more like I was given a chance to see how Mr. Kobayashi works up close, rather than working together with him.

KobayashiNowadays, it is commonplace to shop on the web, isn't it? In such an environment, the necessity to visit an outdoor store is, after all, to have a tent inside the store. In that sense, this store is amazing in that it has the space and ceiling height to do so. And not just one, but three tents. Only Mr. Yamane could build such a store (laughs). Nordisk is a brand for enjoying the outdoors in a relaxed manner, so when I think of it as a tent for a weeklong stay rather than a one-day stay somewhere, it fits my own style, and I have personally been interested in the brand for a long time, so it was a pleasure to work with Mr. Yamane. I am happy to have had the opportunity to work with Mr. Yamane.

KobayashiYes, as Yamane mentioned earlier, I think the most interesting thing about this place is its spaciousness. The space is the most interesting aspect of the shop. There are things we used to be interested in, and things we are interested in now. It's like a very well-made blend of coffee (laughs). That is what I find most interesting about what Mr. Yamane is trying to do with this store. I think there was a real option to have a smaller store. But I think the degree of seriousness with which he didn't do that... and the fact that he gives us a sense of the extraordinary. I think there is no one who wouldn't be thrilled to enter a store with a big tent inside. (Laughs)

mountain rootBut there are surprisingly few outdoor stores with tents, aren't there?

KobayashiAs I said before, many people shop on the web. I feel that if people come here, they will understand what we need to show them in order to get them to go all the way to the store.

mountain rootRather than significance, the first requirement for opening a restaurant was that it have high ceilings and natural light, and that at least three tents could be set up. We checked about 20 properties, but this one was tentatively selected right away. Also, there is a man-made creek outside the door, where the plants are planted, and the water starts flowing around 3:00 p.m. Since this is a shop, most of the business is done with the door open. It is a restaurant, so most of the time the doors are open, but the sound of running water can be heard in the middle of a city like this. I really liked this too. The reason why we are so particular about the size and not the location is that many of our customers in Tokyo have asked us to expand the tents. But you can't expand the biggest model. So I wanted to create a floor here where you could put up the tent poles and see how spacious it is. There is a large atrium space just in front of the plantings, so you can check the actual samples there as well. The other idea was to make the store strike a chord with people who work in creative fields. So, just like the Tokyo store, we have narrowed down the number of brands, targeting people who would choose Macs over Windows if we were using a PC analogy. This is a location for people who go out of their way to visit, and the lineup is designed for that purpose.

KobayashiYes. There are many creative people in Kyoto who are doing core work. I get the impression that they don't go to Osaka or Kobe, but stay in Kyoto. If you are not careful, you might find some extraordinary creators and designers lurking on the street corners!

all of us(Laughter)

KobayashiNordisk" is all about cotton, right? But if you use these in Asia, including Japan, they tend to get moldy due to the high humidity, and they are heavy no matter where in the world you use them. So, I think it is a tent that cannot be used unless there is a very good reason or a strong will to use it. And since no one would use it alone, you would probably need the consent of your family to get one. So I see it as a tool for people who love camping enough to desperately try to convince their families that it is not half as expensive and heavy as they think it is. And as I mentioned earlier, it is also for long-term stays. That's why I think it would be very much in sync with the rugged and sturdy gear made of materials like the wooden lids and metal tableware from "Mountain Research.

mountain rootGetting a Nordisk tent is very similar to buying a car. The price is good, so the father comes to see the tent before buying it. Then later, they bring their family and stay for about three hours. For these families, we have created a slightly larger table for business discussions. This is a system often found in car dealerships (laughs). We also introduced the industry's first VR system, which allows visitors to experience a simulated model of all the tents, so we would be happy if they could see it as well.

mountain rootIt is a place where people can look at the tools, but beyond that, I think there is nothing but fun to be had. Therefore, it is meaningless unless the store is able to properly tell people how to pitch a tent and how to use the equipment so that they can properly enjoy themselves. It is not just an outdoor store, but a camp store.

KobayashiThe name of the restaurant should be "Yamane no Han-ki," or "Yamane's Han-ki" in back (laughs). (Laughs.) That is how much he has in mind for this restaurant. I would like people to visit the restaurant with great expectations.