Snow Peak's new attempt to connect people with rural areas. | feature

Risa Yamai, vice president of Snow Peak, connects all the dots.

There are such interesting people in that area and a rich environment there. The person connecting these dots is Risa Yamai, who was appointed vice president of Snow Peak this year. Here is an interview with Ms. Yamai about this initiative.

Risa Yamai, vice president of Snow Peak. She is the instigator of this initiative.

First of all, please tell us how you came to start the LOCAL WEAR TOURISM.

Yamai:We are a Niigata-based company, so we want to produce as much as possible in Niigata. However, recently, many of the things we used to be able to do are no longer possible. Factories are closing due to aging, craftsmen are retiring, and so on.

So initially, the project was launched to solve the lack of successors to the producers we were asking to work with. It was designed to actually take customers to the factory.

He is the head of the Iwakubi Shoryu terraced rice field, also known as Jiji. He left Sado upon graduation from high school and later returned to Sado to become a farmer.

So from there you began to look at things from a bird's eye view, and that's how you got to where you are today.

Yamai:Yes, it is. Looking around Japan, there are many similar cases. Then I met an old man and learned that the primary industry is also facing a shortage of successors. Sado's rice is really delicious and the terraced rice fields are beautiful. I felt that such a culture should not be extinguished.

I hope that this event will be an opportunity to let people know that these people are making things in this kind of place, and I hope that many people will visit this place in the future.

And now you've added the Inouye Brothers and Chef Alan to the mix.

Yamai:Satoru and Kiyoshi of The Inouye Brothers are like brothers who are not blood related anymore (laughs). (Laughs) We met about three years ago.

We have been good friends ever since, and the last time I visited Sado, I had Satoru and his family join me. In the course of chatting with them, we agreed that it would be perfect if we had the best food in the area, and Satoru introduced me to Alain, saying, "We have the perfect chef.

Satoru of The Inouye Brothers talks about Snow Peak and Alan.

The Inoue Brothers, who have announced a collaboration with Snow Peak and are good friends with Yamai both publicly and privately. Here is an interview with Satoru, the older of the Inoue brothers.

Satoru is a designer at The Inouye Brothers. For more information about The Inouye Brothers, please visitthis way (direction close to the speaker or towards the speaker)The following is a list of the most common problems with the

The Inouye Brothers and Snow Peak seem to have somewhat similar feelings.

Satoru:In English, it's Like Minded. It is true that we are like minded. People like that naturally connect with each other like a magnet. It is what we call "kosei" in Japan. Risa and I are so close that I think we might have been brother and sister in a previous life. From the very first time we met.

I heard that it was Satoru-san who invited Alan-san.

Satoru:Both Alan and I live in Denmark, and we get along so well that every time we have a three-day weekend, we go to Alan's house with his family. We even go on vacation together. I want to be with them as much as possible (laughs).

So why was it Alan? Actually, it is difficult to cook outside. It takes courage and experience to cook in nature. But Alan has mastered it all, and the combination with Snow Peak's concept of "playing in the field" is outstanding. That's why I asked him to come this time.

How did you meet Mr. Alan?

Satoru:He was originally a gardener, and about 15 years ago he started a compact kitchen garden where herbs can be grown in the city. At that time, a mutual acquaintance of ours suggested that Satoru might be the person who best understood Alan's concept, and he connected us. From there, I began to be in charge of graphic design for Alain's company.

Satoru is also in charge of cooking this time as Alan's support.

Satoru:Alan is like a botanical doctor, he has the names of all the plants perfectly inputted, plus he knows all the plants that go with pasta, and the ones that go with pork. He is now an important figure in New Nordic culture.

Satoru: From your point of view, what do you think of Snow Peak's efforts this time?

Satoru:No matter how cool the culture is from the outside or how nice the place is, if the people in the area cannot make a living, there is nothing to be gained from it. However, this project is giving back to the people in the area. It is a good opportunity to increase the number of jobs and to bring money back to the community. Of course, it is done with respect for the community and its people. Snow Peak is really cool and I love the fact that they are sharing this with the world.

The next driving force that familial relationships create.

Sado Island is a place where time is calm and peaceful. The seafood, including shellfish, is abundant.

What I felt most strongly during this tour was the depth of the relationship between each person. I felt more like a family member than a business partner. I am sure that this effort was only the result of working for these families, and business and branding were secondary. I believe that is why this tour was so creative and warm.

Lastly, I would like to share with you some words from Mr. Yamai that impressed me.

I believe that even small actions are worthwhile if they are continued. So we will continue the project in the future. And after that, the happiest thing for me is to be able to eat and drink delicious food with everyone.