Today was also the last day of business for the concept store "milestone TERADACHO" for fiscal year 2024. As a company, we finished with a major cleaning on Saturday the 28th, but we are open for two days at the end of the year on a one-man basis for those who are returning home for the New Year, those who are traveling to Osaka, and those who are unable to visit on a regular basis.

Well, there are only a few days left in this year. What kind of year has it been for you?

As always, it's been a busy and fulfilling year for us at milestone, with new product development, events at our concept store milestone TERADACHO, and participating in various races.

In terms of product development, the company released the performance model DooBop T-shirts in January. These T-shirts are great for keeping you dry when you sweat. Taking advantage of this material, sleeveless shirts will also be available in the summer. In 2025, new colors will be added all at once, and a new DooBop Hoody is scheduled to be released around May.

We also released a limited edition sleeping bag in collaboration with NANGA. It has sold out, but we are still receiving many requests for it to be reproduced.

Milestone's new line, the "dayBreak Series," will launch in the summer.

The models for the catalogue shoot were Nava-chan from Heimatberg and Aono-kun from Patagonia Osaka.

Rather than trail running, it was released with a HIKE & BIKE concept. The shirts, pants, and shorts are also great for everyday use, and I love them so much that I wear them almost every day. The promotional video was filmed in the frigid Hira-Hiei mountain range with the cooperation of Masaru from peg. and Ayumi from JMW. If you haven't seen the video yet, click here ↓

New colors have also been added to the classic windshell "Onion Hoody" and the active insulation "Cloud Hoody."

The new headlamp "MS-K1" is also available. This model can be used with both dry batteries and rechargeable batteries, and boasts a maximum brightness of 620 lumens.

Finally, dayBreak MERINO socks have been released. Compared to previous polyester socks, these new merino socks are approximately 5cm longer and perfect for fall and winter.

So, we put a lot of effort into development and have brought a variety of products to market. An important part of development is, of course, field testing. We actually go out into the field and conduct repeated tests to refine materials and shapes. As part of this, we have set aside a day every Wednesday as an "active rest." When we go out into the field, we not only develop products, but also come up with many good ideas as an extension of everyday conversations. We place great importance on this.

The concept store "milestone TERADACHO" is generally closed on weekends. However, it is open on either the Saturday or Sunday once a month. On that day, we held a variety of events, including food and beverage, solo exhibitions, and talk shows. Looking back, it was quite a lot of fun, haha.

In January, we visited the famous cheesecake shop "TenTon." Their cheesecakes, which were so highly-reserved, sold out in a flash. In February, we had a talk show with runtuber Gachio. In March, Momoman, the pork bun maker, set up a booth, and long-trail hiker JUNKI held a talk show. In April, Jerry Ukai's solo exhibition "Did you find a friend?" was held. At the same time, collaborative items went on sale. In May, a talk show was held on the final day of Jerry's solo exhibition. In June, we held milestone TERADACHO's 1st anniversary festival "RUN + MUSIC." Guest DJs included Hiroki Ishikawa and Kei Kuwahara. Masashi also came to talk about his bikepacking trip to Thailand, and we held a 3-day event with moonlight gear Osaka. In July, we held a collaborative shoe exhibition and order event with Pentapetalla. In August, Nigami Spice served curry. In September, we had a visit from Tanakado, a renowned shaved ice shop from Ehime, and a report session by trail runner Ryo Doi, who won the TJAR for the second consecutive year. Then, outdoor-loving Massan hosted a talk show titled "5 Days of American Trails Even a Salaryman Can Do." In October, we had "HIKE ICELAND" by Masaru, who appears on the cover of the milestone catalog, and a talk show by two members of the Great Himalaya Project. In November, "Okamoto," a fresh shiitake mushroom shop, set up a booth and spoke about his feelings toward TJAR. And in December, we had a talk show by Keisuke Ichinose of ATA (Azuma to Adatara). Looking back, there were a lot of events held every month. I'm truly happy that so many people attended milestone TERADACHO in 2024. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved.

The Teradacho Jogging Club, which meets on the third Thursday of every month, has a well-established membership, but also sees a few first-time participants each time, which is very pleasing to us. Unlike a running club, the Teradacho Jogging Club is a relaxed, chat-friendly event that anyone can join without making a reservation. Bring your friends and come for a run! *In January 2025, the event will be held on the fourth Thursday, January 23rd.

And personally, this year I achieved my goal of a sub-3:5 time in my first full marathon, started stream fishing, ran the ASO VOLCANO TRAIL, attempted the Shinetsu Gogaku 100 mile run, and had the fantastic result of all participants completing the BAMBI100, in which we are involved as project members. I too have had busy and enjoyable days both in my personal and professional life.

Now, I'd like to make an announcement. We, the two of us at milestone (Nishioka and Yoshida), will be starting a podcast in 2025. The concept of the weekly program "Weekly Milestone.com" is to be a podcast that conveys the "now" of milestone, a Japanese headlamp manufacturer. Each week, our two brand directors will share their latest activities, things they're interested in, and more. *Have you listened to episode 0? *Currently, it's only available on Spotify.

This does not mean that the column (fictional podcast program) "Tell Me! Milestone," which is currently published on the 25th of every month, will come to an end... but don't worry. As always, Oshi! Mai is a project that delves deep into topics, so it will continue.

Finally, the 2025 milestone catalog is a special edition to commemorate the 10th anniversary.

See you in 2025. Have a great new year everyone!

milestone Shuhei Nishioka