The French-born Kangoo assists people in their hobbies and lifestyles. vol.01 Ken Yokomachi / BOTANIZE

A few hours after leaving Tokyo, when the "Kangoo" arrived at its destination market, Mr. Yokomachi greeted the owner and then rushed to the vinyl house at once. Nowadays, he receives offers from select stores for pop-up stores every month, and at the most, he visits the market three times a month to make purchases.

. The most decisive factors are the variety and shape. If there is something rare, I want to pick it up, and for shape, I look for something round. I get information about new arrivals before I head out to the store, but I often find that I don't buy anything when I get there. I have to be satisfied with the plant.

It is a hot season, and the temperature in the greenhouses is also high, but he shows no sign of bitterness; rather, he looks at the plants with the pure eyes of a young boy as he makes his purchases.

. I started this job as a hobby, so buying is simply fun. I am happy to be surrounded by plants I like (laughs). I get so excited when I see a rare variety that I want to buy one for myself.

This time, there seemed to be a bumper crop, and one after another, I picked up and kept the ones I was interested in. Tuberous plants grow in a limited environment overseas. Perhaps it is because they do not come into Japan in such large quantities that they stimulate our purchasing power.

Some varieties of plants grow in crevices in the rocks of cliffs, spreading their roots. . Such plants are expensive, but I still find them fascinating. Also, tuberous root plants have been growing for decades, so I feel the romance of time.

Yokomachi-san found himself keeping a lot of plants. They range from small, cute plants to large, tall varieties. Will he be able to put them all on the "Kangoo"?

. The first time I drove a Kangoo was when I had a baby. I thought it was great because I could put a large baby stroller in it without folding it up. . Then I decided to use a Kangoo as my company car. Anyway, the Kangoo has a lot of cargo capacity, so we can carry a lot of stuff in it, and the high ceiling makes it easy to carry tall plants. It's really easy to use.

As we talked about this, we folded down the back seat of the "Kangoo," widened the loading space, and loaded more and more plants into the car.

Despite the large quantity purchased, the plants were sucked into the car in no time at all, and we were able to load them all safely.

. as one would expect from a Kangoo. I can't get enough of this loading capacity."

After the buying process is over, we move on to "Botanize Shirokane," which was newly established in January this year. In the car, Yokomachi talked about his love of cars.

I don't ride a bicycle or train very often, and when I travel, no matter how short the distance, I always use a car. A car allows me to create my own personal space. I can play my favorite music as loud as I like, and no one will complain if I make loud noises. Isn't it great to be able to move to a room of your choice?

Therefore, he continues, we want to be particular about that space, and it is meaningless if we do not drive a car that we like.

. That's why it's hardest when I have to have my car inspected. I can't drive the car I like. During that time, I spend most of the time at home in a daze (laughs).

Mr. Yokomachi is just as particular about his cars as he is about his plants, but I am curious to know what kind of cars he likes to drive in the first place.

. I like cars that don't look like other people. . It might be similar to the way children like special vehicles such as police cars and fire engines (laughs). . The Kangoo is not a passenger car, but a utility vehicle. That's why I like it. When I think about it, I've never driven a regular sedan. I've mostly driven wagons or one-boxes."

Kangoo" safely arrives at "Botanize Pt. The plants that he has purchased are moved to the greenhouses. Despite having driven all the way there and back in addition to purchasing the plants, Mr. Yokomachi moves briskly without showing any signs of fatigue.

The Kangoo is very easy to drive because of its clear view," he said. My wife even drives it at home. It's easy to turn in small circles, and the fact that I don't feel stressed when I drive it is also an attractive feature.

In addition to that, Yokomachi told us about other attractions.

. and the sliding doors are great, too. . It makes it much easier to get luggage in and out of the car. It is also very helpful when I am buying something, like today, or when I take my pet in the car because I have a dog.

Starting with his first Kangoo, Yokomachi has owned several Renaults, including the Scénic, Avantime, and Megane. When we asked him why he loves Renaults so much, he replied, "I love Renaults.

As I said before, one of the reasons is that I don't wear the same clothes as other people. I also like the design. I also like the design, because it has a form that you don't see in Japanese cars. When I drive a Kangoo, people sometimes ask me, "Why can't you drive a domestic van? But it's not like that. The Kangoo's hatchback design, which looks like a double doors opening, is unique.

I think it also depends on how you drive, but Renault cars have very few problems. I drove the Megane for five years, and in my case, nothing happened. I think the fact that I trust Renault may be one of the reasons I continue to drive a Renault.

He thoroughly pursues his own passion and goes as far as he can go. I feel that we can learn a lot from Yokomachi's way of life, in which he stoically faces life without making any compromises.

The reason I started my own business is because I wanted to do what I love . . Of course, there are sacrifices I have to make in order to do that. . There was a time when I used to get a lot of offers to design, and it was a big job, and the conditions were good for business. But anyway, it was stressful. Then, suddenly, I wondered, "Is this what I wanted to do? . Since then, I have been trying to do work that I enjoy. Since then, I decided to do a job that I could enjoy. Now I am enjoying this job.

Yokomachi's style is based on whether he likes what he does or not, whether it is his job or his choice of car. That is his style.

. "Driving your favorite car to work in the morning and driving a car you don't like at all can completely change the intensity of your day, can't it? . I think it's the same as wearing your favorite pair of sneakers. In the end, it is whether or not it makes you feel good. I think that is the most important thing.