PROFILE
The brain behind "The Mongolian Chops," a company that produces a collection as unique as its shaved head and beard. He and Mr. Yamamoto are fishing freaks who go out to the Yodogawa River in Osaka once a week to catch big bass.
PROFILE
After studying at select stores, he started "The Mongolian Chops" with Mr. Ando in 2013. Mr. Ando coined the term "street basher" as an alternative to "land-based fishing," and is currently working to spread this culture in the city.
PROFILE
Mr. Furuya is a junior colleague of Mr. Yamamoto and Mr. Ando, and they are good friends both in public and private life. Despite his robust physique (193 cm tall), he is a bag enthusiast who explains his products with a soft-spoken tone of voice. His hobby is hand-pushing sumo, and he has never lost more than 100 fights. He is also the director of the bag brand "NUNK.
Fishing bag for natural use in the city .
Old house:I collaborated with [TASF] on this bag, and I think its appeal is that it can be used not only in the fishing field but also in the city without stress. I wanted to prove that, so I decided to take a stroll around Shinsekai. Although I had heard that the number of tourists had decreased due to the Corona disaster , the deep streets are still the same as ever.
Ando:In sophisticated places like Horie or Umeda, shaved heads like ours would stand out and be rejected. But in Shinsekai, there are many more unusual people than shaved heads. It's very easy to camouflage ourselves.
Yamamoto:. It seems that the whole town used to be a theme park called "Luna Park. It is a place that is not afraid of evolution, and it is interesting to see how the atmosphere of the city is constantly changing. The famous Tsutenkaku Tower used to have one of the largest clock faces in Japan, but they changed it to a digital display without hesitation, as if they were following the trends of the times (laughs).
Ando:Also, although the image of smart balls and kushikatsu (skewered pork cutlets) is strong, suddenly a shooting range and an old-fashioned game center have opened. The Mongolian Chops is one of them, and I think it's great that Shinsekai warmly welcomes people who come in from the outside. Let me introduce the current Shinsekai to Mud (Furuya's nickname).
Old house:Thank you very much. Masterpiece" is a brand that will celebrate its 27th year in 2021, and last year, the brand underwent a major transformation with a new logo. Our mission is to provide a richer bag lifestyle to the world, and as part of this project, we are very happy to collaborate with the two members of "The Mongolian Chops," whom we respect and admire.
Yamamoto:Conversely, I am surprised that a long-established and popular brand is working with us on manufacturing.
Ando:Mud, however, was humble and flexible in responding to our requests. We were even mistakenly thinking that we were the ones who had become the "big boys" (laughs). (Laughs) I think working with "Masterpiece" is a status for us based in Osaka.
. The first stop was a game center with retro games.
Old house:I'm having a lot of fun here. All the games are a little nostalgic, not too old .
Ando:Yes, I know, it's all the same old 90's stuff for people in their 30's and older.
Old house:Mr. Yamamoto , carrying a bus bag on his back while holding a gun is surreal (laughs).
Yamamoto:I made it as a clutch bag, but it has a strap so it can be used as a shoulder bag.
Ando:This was inspired by the cheap bus-shaped bags that are often seen in the U.S., and it was interesting to see Masterpiece take a gag-like design and make it for real.
When held as a clutch bag , it looks like you are holding a black bass.
Yamamoto:When I saw an official picture of the B.A.S.S., the premier bass tournament in the U.S., I got a hint from the big bass anglers were holding.
Old house:You were very particular about the shape of the bus, weren't you? We sent out many samples (laughs).
Ando:The largest size is 50 cm, which is considered a lunker size, and the smallest size is called "kobatch," which is often caught. . This is for those who want to feel close to black bass all the time.
Yamamoto:. It's the perfect size to hold the lures I bought at the fishing tackle shop. I think it is an item that symbolizes the world of this collaboration. I want everyone to use this as a starting point to look at the backpacks and shoulder bags.
Ando:Oh, there's some kind of face-framing panel.
Yamamoto:Who will do it? Hon, Kuroda-san (writer in charge), please.
Old house:Let's take a picture . Backpacks and shoulder bags have little pockets for smartphones, right? Thanks to this, I can quickly take it out and take a picture without missing the moment.
Yamamoto:The feature of this pocket is that it has a return. The fishing industry has a serious trash problem, so we made this pocket with the idea that we would like people to at least take back the trash they put out.
Ando:In addition to keeping trash from spilling out, I think it would be good for frequently used items such as a card case as well as a smartphone in everyday life.
Old house:The name tag on the TASF says, "Good fishing and good manners." . Sustainable is also attracting attention in the bag industry, but I think it's good that they aren't just going for the eco-conscious. Sustainable fishing has been attracting attention in the bag industry as well, but I like the fact that they don't go for the eco-conscious approach.
Yamamoto:Wouldn't it stink to say too much there?
Ando:I don't want to say, "Take your trash home with you," but I think it's important that we don't take out our own trash.
Old house:I found that feeling very stimulating.
