Drive in the open air and feel the great outdoors!

One day in August, after the rainy season, the members of "Huinamu Touring Club ♡" headed to Minakami Town in Gunma Prefecture, where Mt. Tanigawa, one of the 100 most famous mountains in Japan, rises in the sky, in their Jeep Wrangler.

The members are Kenichi Taira, stylist, who is the department head, and Jun Nakata (HOUYHNHNM's editorial department), deputy department head, as well as two well-known members of the HOUYHNHNM's blog. Tsuneki Namura, PR director at UNITE NINE showroom, a PR office that handles many domestic and international brands, and Ikue Tadokoro, who is involved in the direction of various brands, have joined the club. This time, the four of us will challenge camping and mountain stream fishing!

After gathering in Tokyo, the club members immediately climbed into the Wrangler and headed for Minakami. To get a taste of the great outdoors, they folded down the top of the soft top and enjoyed the open-air drive.

　

Driving in the open air in nature like this is liberating and very pleasant! Jeeps have a kind of masculine image, but the Wrangler's white coloring makes it attractive even to women.

It's simple and cool. It stands out in the city and looks great in a natural setting, just like a Jeep! I love the fact that I can hear music from the speakers even when driving in the open! (Taira)

The car is very easy to drive. The acceleration is good and the horsepower is strong. The engine is started by inserting the key and turning the key, which is very attractive because you can feel the engine's powerful starting power in your body.

As Nakata says, "It has a high-tech yet analog feel, which I like because it gives it an outdoorsy feel. The interior of the car, however, is of high quality, and the front control panel is designed for the current era, so it is perfect in terms of functionality. Also, the ride is comfortable because of the stability of the vehicle body. I was able to have a good night's sleep thanks to the minimal swaying while driving (laughs).

After arriving in Minakami, I greeted Mr. Fukuyama of Mountain of Moose!

The blue sky, lush green mountains with trees, and clear rivers flowing slowly through the valleys. The members of the group were captivated by the scenery, which they could never experience in the city, while feeling the delicious natural air on their skin. The colors of nature became more and more intense as we approached our destination. While enjoying the great outdoors by car, we arrived at our destination, Minakami Town.

Welcome! Mr. Masakazu Fukuyama, designer of the popular brand "Mountain of Moose," welcomed us with a loud voice. Originally a professional snowboarder, Mr. Fukuyama started his own brand in 2004. In 2014, the brand's 10th anniversary, he moved his atelier from Tokyo to Minakami Town. Currently, he is creating products while reflecting the inspiration he gets from activities such as snowboarding and mountain stream fishing in his designs.

Fukuyama-san, I look forward to working with you this time!" (All together)

'It's nice to meet you too! We're camping today and going mountain stream fishing early tomorrow morning, right? Since it's early in the morning, you should set up your tent site early and relax for the night. I'll get right to it, but let me show you to the campground."

After arriving at the campsite, the group chatted for a while and then headed for the campsite. Mr. Fukuyama was very impressed with the Wrangler as soon as he saw it, saying, "This car looks like it would be good for outdoor activities.

When I think of the outdoors, I think of jeeps. Minakami has a lot of untouched nature, which is its charm. I think the Jeep is a great match for the natural scenery of Minakami.

After a 10-minute drive up a mountain road from Mr. Fukuyama's atelier, we arrived at the Hodaiki Campsite surrounded by many white birches. The club members were working hard to finish setting up the campsite and preparing dinner before sunset. Mr. Fukuyama helped set up the campsite with us.

We listen carefully to Fukuyama-san's story around the campfire.

When the set-up was completed, the food was just about ready to be served. The dinner we were looking forward to was grilled local sweetfish, seafood bouillabaisse, and stuffed chicken, a whole chicken steamed in a Dutch oven.

　

The ayu fish, the bouillabaisse and the stuffed chicken are all excellent! Now I can do my best for tomorrow's mountain stream fishing.

I'm sure that if it were just men, it would look like a big dish, but with Ms. Tadokoro's unique female touch, it looks so gorgeous. And it tastes so delicate and delicious!" (Namura)

It's because we all worked together," he said! It's still nice to see men cooking. Camping is interesting because you get to see the dependable side of men! (Tadokoro)

While eating the finished dishes, the conversation turns to the topic of Mr. Fukuyama's creations. One of the members asked, "Why did you move from Tokyo to Minakami?" Mr. Fukuyama answered with a serious look in his eyes.

I spent my twenties snowboarding in the mountains, but as I got older, I felt more and more that I wanted to spend all my time in the mountains. As I got older, I wanted to spend more time in the mountains. I wanted to ski in the snow and use what I learned in the mountains to make clothes. That's when I found Mt. Tanigawa and thought, "I can make something good here. And now, with the Internet, I can send out information from anywhere and easily catch up with information from the city. I can work without any inconvenience," says Fukuyama.

Tanigawa-dake, one of Japan's 100 most famous mountains. Tanigawa, known as one of Japan's 100 most famous mountains, is so steep and the terrain so complex that Mr. Fukuyama calls it "the most thrilling mountain in Japan.

I have seen mountains all over the world while working as a pro snowboarder, and Tanigawa-dake is at the top of the class. I thought I could get a lot of inspiration from the core "skimono" crowd that gathers here. I moved to this town exactly 10 years after the brand was established.

Although he originally came to Minakami to snowboard in the winter, Mr. Fukuyama has also discovered the joys of summer. What he is trying to hide is that it is mountain stream fishing that is the objective of this trip.

When the meters of snow piled up in the winter melted in the spring, they formed a river and created a large current. I realized that there were vigorous fish there, and that I could enjoy fishing them. That's when I got hooked on mountain stream fishing.

In April 2016, he signed a contract with Megabass, a world-class fishing company, and is now working as a professional. Tanigawa-dake, where activities can be enjoyed in each season, spring, summer, fall, and winter, is where he can create his unique creations.

I think we are now able to create products that are not superficial, but have a core, with Minakamiya and Tanigawa-dake as the backbone, and I myself am seeking more core activities as the years go by. I myself am seeking more core activities as the years go by, so I hope you will watch the quality of the products themselves being updated season after season.

As we sat around the campfire talking, it was getting dark and it was time to go to bed. After dropping Mr. Fukuyama off at his atelier, the members return to their tents and go to sleep.

Finally, the main event! The beginning of hard but fun mountain stream fishing!

At 4:00 in the morning, as the night sky gradually brightened, the members woke up and went to work taking down the camp site. After cleaning up, they meet up with Mr. Fukuyama. After cleaning up, they met up with Mr. Fukuyama and prepared for their activities. This time, the members will try their hand at tenkara fishing, a type of mountain stream fishing suitable for beginners. This style of fishing uses a simple device consisting of a rod, fishing line, and a hair hook (pseudo-bait). The fish will hopefully bite, but that is not always the case in tenkara fishing. Will the members be able to catch a fish?

　

Are you ready, everyone? The mountain paths and streams are very slippery, so watch your step and walk precisely step by step" (Fukuyama)

Equipped with fishing vests, waders, and felt-soled shoes, the members are ready to go. We were ready to go into the mountains. Stepping into the untouched wilderness, the group moves forward, weaving through the vegetation. The ground in its natural state is more uneven than expected, and it is difficult to move forward without putting effort into each step.

　

I had an image of mountain stream fishing as something elegant, but in fact it's very hard work," Tadokoro said.

That's why it's interesting. Simply catching fish is boring. For me, it's also fun to go into the mountains, walk along steep paths, and search for points of interest.

The members are acutely aware of the harshness of nature, but they are also drawn to the mysterious scenery of the mountains. Beyond the lush vegetation, melting snow flows down from the top of the mountain. The water is almost endlessly transparent, and it is heading toward the foot of the mountain, letting gravity take its course.

　

This stream is a 100 percent natural water path created by nature. It feels great to climb up the stream and be one with the beautiful natural flow of the river and the lush green scenery.

After walking along the mountain path for about 30 minutes, we finally arrived at the fishing point. A waterfall was flowing in front of us, and it looked as if there might be river fish. With fishing rods in hand and hooks attached, the members immersed themselves in tenkara fishing, swinging the rods as if they were bending.

　

It's a simple style of fishing with a hook attached to the end of a fishing line, but I feel it has a lot of depth. You have to be aware of the fish's movements and thoughts in order to catch them.

The fish are swimming upstream, so the key is to throw the hook quietly toward the end of the river so they don't notice you. Fish watch our movements more than we think.

Just as he was about to give such advice, Mr. Fukuyama caught an iwana! With this, the club members also began to feel the power of their rods in their hands. After 30 minutes of struggling, Nakata, the deputy manager, felt something on his rod....

　

I'm like, "Oh, wow! I caught it!" (Nakata)

He got an iwana, a small one, but a great one! The deputy manager is very excited about his second hit after Mr. Fukuyama. With a big smile on his face, he gently holds the char in the palm of his hand.

At first I thought the hook was caught on a rock somewhere, but when I pulled up the rod I found a fish! Well, I was very moved. Tenkara fishing in mountain streams is fun! (Nakada)

The further upstream you go, the steeper the trail gets, but the more fish you catch, the easier it is to catch. It was worth the effort to walk upstream, wasn't it? Well done!" (Fukuyama)

The members continued to enjoy mountain stream fishing, and even after catching four iwana, they were still not satisfied with their fun. However, the clock is ticking and it is time to head back to the city. We headed back down the mountain, our hair drawn back by the beautiful river and the green mountain scenery everywhere we looked.

Thank you very much, Fukuyama-san! The summer mountains were very interesting. Please let me come visit you again.

The mountain paths were tough to walk, but with each step we took, we saw and heard different sights and sounds, and it was an extraordinary experience. Camping was a lot of fun, and mountain activities are great.

Thank you very much! I had a great time yesterday and the next two days. Please come visit us again when you have time, and I will show you the new mountain paths! (Fukuyama)

After exchanging parting greetings, the members get into the "Wrangler. Driving safely, they headed back to the city. On the way home, they had a meeting about the next activity! What will they try next time? Stay tuned!