No lie, South 2 West 8 product development.
You have been watching "South 2 West 8" in Sapporo for 20 years, how do you feel looking back?
Miura:. In the beginning, many customers were puzzled by the storefront. It was hard to see inside, and since Sapporo gets a lot of snow, the entrance corridor was designed to be long so that people could remove snow from their clothes and shoes.
Did you grow steadily from there?
Miura:I don't know if it can be said that we are doing well, but as in Tokyo and Osaka as well, it is a place that cannot be reached without going to a great deal of trouble, and the exterior does not look like a clothing store at first glance, so we have taken our time to sit back and take things in stride. In that sense, the Tenkara concept has given us a clear identity, and customers have come from all over the world, so I think the brand is now known beyond national borders. As a brand, we have increased our overseas wholesale customers considerably.
Fishing wear and fishing gear have now become a part of fashion, but I think "South 2 West 8" laid the foundation and established a genre of its own.
Miura:I am honestly glad that you think so.
What do you think has actually been so well received by users?
Miura:Until then, the clothes worn by fishermen were often a bit subdued in color and similar in design. However, since we are from the fashion world, we were able to change that. I think this has changed the way people look at fishing.
However, as you can see from the items, we are also pursuing performance in the field. The way in which South2West8 balances functionality and fashion shows its individuality. For example, the standard 3-layer material is completely waterproof, while the outer layer is made of cotton so that it can be enjoyed as it ages.
RIVER TREK JACKET - COTTON RIPSTOP / 3LAYER ¥80,300
. 3 layers with a camo pattern made by cutting out the nature of Hokkaido. A completely waterproof material, yet it can be enjoyed as it ages. It is also highly breathable. Miura: "This is already my most reliable piece of clothing when fishing anywhere, anytime.
I understand that you conduct field tests as if you were an outdoor manufacturer.
Miura:Yes, it is. We need to be able to show functionality even when tenkara fishing, so we actually try it out in mountain streams and update the D-can, pocket position, length, etc. on a daily basis.
TENKARA JACKET - NYLON OXFORD ¥44,000
This jacket has been released since the Tenkara concept began in 2015. It has large pockets , and can hold a lot of fishing tools. It has been field-tested many times and has evolved over the years .
As you said, both fashion and functionality are 100%, and I feel that this is the reason why they are popular both on the street and in the field.
Miura:Since we actually use them both in the city and in the field, we can't compromise on either.
BUSH PARKA - LIGHTWEIGHT MESH ¥40,700
Mesh material is useful for tenkara fishing in midsummer. In addition to being well-ventilated, it is also insect-resistant, making it safe even in mosquito-infested waters. This is also a fun layering piece.
STRING C.S. PANT - POLY JQ. / SKULL&TARGET ¥25,300
Center seam pants in skull-and-target jacquard, a staple of . The design is based on the archives of vintage military pants.
As a director, do you want your customers to wear "South 2 West 8" when they go fishing?
Miura:Of course there is that. We are genuinely very happy that many of our customers have actually started tenkara fishing through our brand and our stores. The fact that people enjoy it both in the field and on the street means that our concept has been embraced by our users, which makes us very happy.
TENKARA ROD "KONGO" / 3.3m ¥39,600 , TENKARA ROD "KONGO" / 3.6m ¥42,900,
TENKARA ROD "KONGO" / 4.5m ¥63,800,
TENKARA ROD "MASURAO" / 4.5m ¥60,280
There are basically four types of rods released by South 2 West 8. Kongo" at 3.3 m, 3.6 m, and 4.5 m, and the 4.5 m "Masurao," which can handle fish in the 60 cm class.
You are now making not only clothes but also rods, aren't you?
Miura:Before the tenkara project began at South2West8, Shimizu used the "Kongo" by Sakurai Fishing Tackle Store, and we decided to collaborate with them because of the great fishing experience we had when we caught a big char (over 30 cm) with that rod. We have repeated field tests on this rod many times, and we are still continuing the trial and error process.
Can you tell us what you think is the appeal of tenkara fishing?
Miura:Tenkara fishing does not use a reel, but only a rod, hook, and line (line), so the distance between you and the fish is very close. In other types of fishing, you use a reel to target fish that are far away, but not in tenkara fishing. Only tenkara fishing allows you to confront wildlife at such a short distance.
You have collaborated with "Supreme" in recent years, and it seems that you are now attracting attention from around the world.
Miura:Indeed, we are receiving daily contacts from brands all over the world, like Reebok and ON, which we have done in the past. Now that the Corona disaster has settled down, it seems that we will accelerate our projects with foreign countries more and more. I would like to continue to activate more brands in order to realize collaborations that will please our users.
You are still working on something under the radar.
Miura:I can't go into details yet, but I have already received several offers. I hope you are looking forward to them.
I guess there are some things that can only be made in Hokkaido.
Miura:. After all, the scale of nature in Japan is outstanding. Even from a global perspective, there are few places in the world with such abundant nature that is so easily accessible. Especially in the field of fishing, Hokkaido has many rivers that are free to fish, as long as you follow certain rules regarding prohibited rivers, prohibited fishing periods, and fish species. The fact that there are so many fishing spots close by, where you can play anytime, is an absolute advantage in terms of manufacturing.
What inspires you to create things?
Miura:Of course, tenkara fishing is one thing, but we can find various inspirations in the nature of Hokkaido, and we would like to continue to broaden our creations, mixing various materials in our own way.
. Finally, I would like to ask you to tell us about your future plans.
Miura:First of all, we have to make sure to incorporate real experience into our manufacturing process. We want to create garments that have specifications that are not pretentious, but are fashionable at the same time. In any case, we would like to continue to make serious wear while keeping in touch with nature.
