PROFILE
In 1998, he joined the select store BEAMS. After working as a store staff, he was in charge of store interior design and display as a VMD, and MD of "Pilgrim Surf+Supply" as a merchandiser. Through his hobby of fishing, he visited the Nepenthes base in Biei many times, which led him to change jobs. He was involved in the "Flower, Sun & Rain" project, and is active in all aspects of the business, from making beer to directing the store.
PROFILE
Editor-in-Chief of Huinamu. He manages the media with his brain fully revolving to produce hip articles. On the other hand, he is also the head of the "Huinamu Fishing Club. Fishing Club, he is as serious about fishing as he is about his work. After work or fishing, the first drink he orders at a Japanese-style pub is, of course, beer. He is also a fan of Nepenthes, buying several pairs of Needles track pants and other brand items each season.
I like to eat and drink. I want to share that.
Ishii: I look forward to working with you today. First of all, I heard that you have been involved in the "Flower, Sun, Rain" project from the very beginning.
Horizontal groove: That's right. Last June, I was asked if I would like to work with you on this project. I was invited to join "Nepenthes" and joined the company. I used to work at another boutique, but I have always loved fishing, and I used to visit the base Nepenthes had set up in Biei every summer during my previous job. I think that was one of the main reasons I knew about this area.
Ishii: When I heard the news that Nepenthes had created a craft beer, I was very surprised. What made you decide to make it?
Horizontal groove: He had always had the idea of starting a restaurant business. While living in Biei, he came across this place, and the scale was just right, so he decided to "do something" here.
Ishii: It's very spacious.
Horizontal groove: That's right. When I first saw the inside of this facility together with Shimizu, the representative of the company, we had a flash of inspiration for an apparel store with a beer hall, taking advantage of the spaciousness of the space. Then we decided to make our own original craft beer.
Ishii: So it didn't start with beer, but the idea grew from this location.
Horizontal groove: We decided that if we were going to do it, let's make something original.
Ishii: That is this beer. Let's have a toast for now.
Yokomizo & Ishii: Cheers!
Ishii: Yes, it's delicious!
Horizontal groove: Thank you very much. Mr. Ishii is drinking the original "Hana, Taiyo, Ame" (Flower, Sun, Rain). We also have beers made in the image of Needles, South 2 West 8, and Engineered Garments brands. We also have beers made with the image of each brand.
NEPENTHES Original Craft Beer
Available in: NEEDLES, ENGINEERED GARMENTS, SOUTH2 WEST8, FLOWER, SUN, RAIN, each 6-can set ¥5,940, 12-can variety set (4 types x 3 cans)
¥11,880, 24-can variety set (4 types x 6 cans) ¥23,760
*A "Happy Valentine's Day" message card will be sent to all online purchasers from February 1 (Sat.) to February 14 (Fri.).
Ishii: Are you a beer drinker, Yokomizo-san?
Horizontal groove: Yes, I do. But I love to drink, not only beer. I also drink a lot of craft beer. I visit breweries and drink the beer they make. Anyway, I like beer a lot.
Beer is especially delicious in Hokkaido, for some reason. There are various styles of beer, such as winter beer and summer beer, depending on the climate. There are several breweries in Sapporo, and I felt an affinity with them.
Ishii: When did you first have the idea for the restaurant business?
Horizontal groove: That was before the Corona disaster. We had originally planned to do a food truck, but then the pandemic happened and we couldn't talk about it. After a while, we came across this location and the project finally got underway.
Ishii: You said that you wanted to propose not only fashion but also lifestyle in general.
Horizontal groove: We have these feelings, and we all simply like to eat and drink. That is why we fundamentally want to share what we like with our customers.
Ishii: South by West 8 was started out of a love of fishing, and Shiden was started out of a love of motorcycles. So this craft beer is the same way.
Horizontal groove: That's right. Originally, "Nepenthes" was a store that sold items purchased overseas, but we felt that we could do more with ready-made items, and this led to the establishment of our own original brand. This led to the establishment of our original brand. This is still the case today, and it is the same with beer.
Ishii: They want to make the beer they want to drink.
Horizontal groove: We add originality to what we like and brush it up. That is the kind of thinking that Shimizu and all of our staff have.
