ordinaryMatsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, has recently been experiencing an upsurge in outdoor activities. And it's not just mountain climbing like in the past, but camping as well. Kosugi-san, you also established Zane Arts in Matsumoto, why did you choose this place?

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). I like camping and mountain climbing, so Matsumoto is probably the interchange I use most in my life. . It's not only the outdoor fields, but also the town itself that is attractive. That's why I like to stop by after playing outdoors.

ordinary. The town of Matsumoto is somewhat cultural, isn't it?

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period): Yes, yes. And many of the stores are unique and specialized.There is a balance of great outdoor fields and a cultural town.

ordinaryWhat are some of the advantages of actually creating products here?

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). there are many, but the one that comes to mind quickly is the high percentage of sunny days. We don't get that much snow, and being able to pitch a tent outside even in the winter is a big deal.

ordinary. it's easy to do field tests and so on.

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). Yes, it is. As an outdoor enthusiast, I have yet to find a better place than Matsumoto in Japan. People who think the same way as I do naturally gather here,Matsumoto is getting excited about the outdoors right now.. I think it is.

ordinaryEveryone is vaguely aware that "we are not in Tokyo anymore.

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). That is why I believe that regional cities, including Matsumoto, should not become Little Tokyo. Tokyo is still the top city when it comes to convenience, so we must have value that can replace Tokyo.

ordinaryHow do you think we can create unique value for Matsumoto?

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period): Still, take advantage of the goodness of it as a field,I think it is to attract more and more people who are nature oriented.. for example, to make the city a bicycle-centric place to live like Portland.

ordinary. The central area of Matsumoto itself is large enough to walk around and see, and it seems to have enough potential to do so.

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). We have to pursue convenience to some extent, but we have to include nature in our lifestyle in a well-balanced way. For example, when you ride a bicycle from your house to your office, you can ride through nature as much as possible. There could even be a coffee stand along the way. Furthermore, when you ride your bike to work, you can enjoy the nature as much as possible. Ideally, it would be possible to live in such a way that you don't have to pass cars.It is.

ordinary.: I imagine a kind of greenway stretching all over the city.

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). If we can get there, I think Matsumoto can become even more one-of-a-kind.

ordinary: Despite such good conditions, the only outdoor manufacturer in Matsumoto is Mr. Kosugi's Zane Arts?

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). Yes, that's right. Many manufacturers have their production facilities close by, but for me, I prefer to work in the field. The advantage of having a testing environment is one thing, but the more time I spend in the outdoors, the more ideas for products come to me. I believe that what you really want to create can only come from the field.

ordinaryI think it would be interesting if those brands were to gather in Matsumoto.

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). Even on a global scale, places where outdoor brands are concentrated often have great fields. Matsumoto has the potential to become such a place.From now on, we will firmly establish our roots in Matsumoto.. I hope that this will bring outdoor brands together.

ordinary. not only for Zane Arts, but Mr. Kosugi also designs for Sabbatical. . This is a rather unusual pattern, isn't it?

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period): Yes, that's right. Thankfully, "A&F" gave me this opportunity.

ordinary. was there a concern that the same tents would eat each other? How do you segregate the different brands?

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). It is natural to change the design, but there is also a clear differentiation in the materials. For exampleZane Arts does not use TC (polycotton) in its one-pole shelters, but uses TC in its sabbaticals.

ordinary: I see. . I see. So, if you change the materials, the users will also change. Zane Arts is for people who like lightweight, easy-to-handle tools, and Sabbatical is for people who like to put a wood stove inside their tents, and so on.

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period): And from a design point of view, Zane Arts" wants to create something that is half a step ahead of its time, something that gives a sense of the future. Sabbatical, on the other hand, will incorporate the very elements that are in vogue today.

ordinaryWhat made you decide to work on two brands in the first place?

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period)ZaneArts was started with the intention of creating a stir in the tent industry, but we wanted to throw not one, but two stones. The main reason is that I thought that the more stones we throw, the bigger the ripple effect we can have.

ordinarySpeaking of making a statement, there is a lot of talk about the low price for the quality of the tents that you make.

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period)The biggest thing is,. It is a way of keeping the staff to a small number of elite individuals. . This is a way of lowering prices by minimizing expenses.. This allows us to make the same product at about half the price of a major brand.

ordinary: Because of their pricing, both Zane Arts and Sabbatical are very popular. Some people complain, "I can't afford it!" (laughs).

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period): No, no (laughs). I want to tell you this, but we are still very much affected by the Corona disaster. Not only has manufacturing been hit, but it is also difficult to obtain materials. Moreover, distribution is not going well.

ordinary. all because of the bum in Corona (laughs).

thin Japanese paper (used as tissue during the Edo period). We apologize for the inconvenience, but please understand that this is the situation....