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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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I hope that every day of my old man's life will be just a little bit happier.

Oceans" is a men's fashion magazine for men in their late 30s and 40s, with the concept of a "fashion and lifestyle magazine for 37.5-year-olds and up. . In other words, at the heart of the magazine is "males. Of course, this term of endearment is filled with love. I feel that this term is life-size and the highest grade," says Yuji Ota, the editor-in-chief, in a gentle tone of voice. Leaving Tokyo in the early morning, the new Jeep "Compass" headed for an off-road racetrack at the foot of Mt. On the way there, Mr. Ota told us the following story.

Some people may take the word "ossan" unfavorably, but we do not mean it that way. . "Older" is a bit cheeky, and "ojisan" is a bit cute. . "Otona" and "otona" are just tasteless. I think "ossan" is just right without being pretentious.

The main content of Oceans magazine is fashion, but it also covers surfing, cars, housing, and lifestyle in general. As Mr. Ota says, the magazine is "life-size," and the information in it is not something that is far forward, but is filled with what we "want now.

There are many other magazines that propose sharp ideas . What we try to keep in mind with Oceans is that we don't want to be too cool, and of course we don't want to be uncool, but we want to create a magazine that is realistic and makes people yearn for something a little more. In our generation, it is often the small pleasures that bring us joy, because I think there are many people who have given up a lot of things when they reach the age of 40. I make my work with the hope that it will bring even just a little bit of happiness to the daily lives of old men (laughs).

The yearning for manufacturing gradually grew.

Mr. Ota was born in 1972 and is now 45 years old. He did not become an editor immediately after graduating from college ... but originally worked for a tire manufacturer.

. when I was in college, I didn't really plan to look for a job. . I was working as an assistant editor at a publishing company and as a part-time assistant to a freelance broadcaster, and I intended to make those jobs my main career. . But circumstances made it difficult for me to get those jobs. I decided to do something I could only do now, so I applied to work for a tire manufacturer. They had a department called the Overseas Department, and I had always had a strong desire to go overseas.

As he says, "I decided on this job out of curiosity alone," Mr. Ota has always had a yearning for the unknown. Having studied abroad in the U.S. when he was a student, he has never been intimidated by an unfamiliar place.

. not to go on vacation, but to live there and see the local way of life. I would have been happy anywhere if I could have gone abroad. At that tire manufacturer, there were opportunities to work overseas, and I was there until just before that came true, but I quit my job there. I found something else I wanted to do."

Mr. Ota, who was selling tires to companies as a sales representative, says that his desire to create gradually shifted his focus toward manufacturing. His desire to create something led him to his current position as an editor.

You know those trucks the size of buildings that run around mines and dam construction and stuff like that? I was in the business of selling special tires for those trucks. All the tires were custom-made. I gradually became more interested in "making" tires than in "selling" tires. However, I am not a science person, so I couldn't make tires. What could I, a humanities major, do to make something? That's when I thought of editing.

. interact with the article with emotion and curiosity.

After quitting his job at a tire manufacturer, Mr. Ota moved to an editorial production company, where he worked for a year and a half before joining the editorial department of "Leon" magazine, where he was involved in its first issue for four years. . He then launched "Oceans".

For the first few years of the magazine's existence, I was afraid that it might be discontinued at any time. I kept thinking every day about how to make the magazine resonate with readers. I was driven to create the "Street Corner Paparazzi" feature. That was the start of an increase in the number of readers who became aware of the existence of "Oceans". Since then, I have been more conscious of the word "reality" in my magazine production.

With no magazine sales and no budget, we had to come up with a project that could be done without spending a lot of money. The project was a feature article on fashionable people walking around the city. The editorial staff actually went out on the streets and talked to people they liked from one side to the other. Although this is a task that requires a lot of footwork and perseverance, it is a project that allows the reader to experience firsthand the feeling of creating an article (i.e., monozukuri).

For example, there are projects in which we go to overseas fashion weeks and take snapshots of people in the industry. For example, there are projects in which we go to overseas fashion weeks and take snapshots of people in the industry, but they really cut out only a small part of the world and make it real. I have a problem with that. Instead, I think there are fashions in Japan that suit the Japanese, and I wanted to express those fashions as if they were real.

Since then, "Street Corner Paparazzi" has become a popular feature, and is still featured twice a year. If creating a realistic paper is something "Oceans" values, what is it that Mr. Ota values as an editor?

. my life as an editor is only about 17 years old. . There are many things I have noticed and learned in that time. . The most important thing is to put your feelings into it. No matter what kind of article it is, I create it with emotion. By doing so, I can think, "How should I express myself to make it more interesting? and this leads to articles that resonate with readers.

In addition to this, Mr. Ota told us another important thing.

. and I think curiosity is more important than anything else when it comes to creating a magazine. I want to meet them, visit them, and experience them. . Somehow, you have to make that feeling into a project and turn it into an article. Of course, there are many things that don't go so easily, but it is an ideal job to satisfy curiosity. I think it's a very special profession."

. the desire to go abroad and see unfamiliar landscapes. . The work of making things that I wanted to do even if I had to give that up. . and the driving force behind his current work as an editor. The source of all this is the curiosity that lies within Mr. Ota's heart.

I experienced many things at my part-time job when I was a student, and everything was new to me, so it was a lot of fun. I had a great time because everything was new to me, from the people I met to the world I saw. I was taught many things that I would not have been able to know otherwise, and perhaps that is what I am still pursuing today.

Jeep" has transcended the brand to become a genre.

Mr. Ota, with his unshakeable pride as an editor, seriously confronts the events that lie before him. . On the other hand, on weekends, he heads to the ocean in Chiba or Ibaraki to surf. Whether going to the office or to the beach, he always travels by car. I love to drive," he says with a laugh.

It's not so much the driving, but the feeling of being in control of the car. That's what makes it fun. That's why I have a manual car now. The safety features of modern cars have been improved, and they are amazing. Automatic brakes, for example. But with a manual transmission, you have to do everything yourself, from shifting gears to driving the car, right? I like that feeling of being able to enjoy more control.

Mr. Ota currently owns a four-wheel drive car. He says he has always loved four-wheel-drive cars. Four-wheel-drive cars are square and have the image of a toy for men," he said. . and they have specs that allow them to go anywhere when the need arises. That's why I like them. What is Mr. Ota's impression of Jeeps?

If the standard for denim is the Levi's® 501® , then the standard for four-wheel drive is the Jeep. The origin of four-wheel-drive vehicles . That's the image I have. I think Jeep is a brand name, but when you see a big, square car on the road, kids point to it and say, 'Oh, it's a Jeep! . So it is more than a brand name, it is a genre. So it's gone beyond a brand name and become a genre. I think that's a great thing.

It's like outdoor wear that works well as street wear.

This time, Mr. Ota drove the Compass, the newest addition to the Jeep lineup. The "Grand Cherokee" has a smooth and sleek design. The Compass inherits the DNA of the Grand Cherokee, but has been modified to be compact in size. What does Mr. Ota think of this car?

I mentioned earlier that I like square cars, but that is more of an enthusiast's taste. . Most people don't want a car to be square. But I think there are many people who have a yearning for a jeep. The Compass is the car for them. The dynamic body, the seven slots in the front grille, and many other features are typical of Jeep. And yet it is compact and easy to drive. I think it's a car that's suitable for city use."

He continued.

." "Jeeps give the impression of being masculine, and this car is no different. . but I like the fact that the design makes it easy for women to drive as well. It is safe and comfortable to drive. I recommend it as a family car.

Of course, Jeep's unique and powerful driving performance is also impeccable. The Compass Longitude used for this photo shoot is a two-wheel drive vehicle. Despite this, the vehicle performed well off-road, even on rough terrain such as bumpy roads and muddy ground.

. If I were to use an analogy, it would be like outdoor wear that can also be worn on the street. . It has solid functions and specs, but its sophisticated design allows it to blend in easily with the cityscape. I think this car will be useful in a variety of situations.

Words from the heart of Mr. Ota, who is always curious.

Always curious, Mr. Ota has continued to pursue his life as an editor. He says that there have been many fun times in his life, but also many things that went wrong. In the end, he shared with us some words of support that helped him through those times.

When you go to shrines and temples, you see mottoes of great people printed on paper and handed out. One of them was from the monk Ikkyu, who said: 'Don't worry. Don't worry. What will be will be.

It is the words of the famous Zen master Ikkyu, who left them to his disciples as his last will and testament.

Sales of "Oceans" were so tight that I was worried about many things, but I was saved when I came across these words. I felt as if I was being told, "Things will turn out the way they are supposed to. (Laughs.) Ever since then, I have held these words close to my heart.