This series is a fictional podcast show in which writer Hagiwara (who runs #WednesdayBudouzakaRen together with Nishioka and Yoshida), the two people who created milestone items, listens to and delves into the stories of these two people.

Nishioka (hereafter, Nishi): Good evening everyone, this is Nishioka from milestone. The end of the year is fast approaching.

Yoshida (hereinafter Yoshi): Isn't it a little early?

Nishi: We recorded it in late October, but it's scheduled to be released around November 15th.

Hagiwara (hereinafter, Hagi): The release date has been brought forward again (laughs).

Nishi: Today we have a new product for November. Are you familiar with MSS? All milestone products have a part number that goes something like MS. Headlamps are numbered with "MS-" followed by an alphabet, starting with MS-A1 and the latest model being MS-K1. What about hats, for example?

Hagi: Is it B because it's BOUSHI (hats)?

Nishi: Yes, that's incorrect. We are expanding overseas, so the cap is "MSC-".

Yoshi: By the way, does MS refer to the mobile suit in Gundam?

Nishi: No, that's incorrect. It's milestone. That's how we create our product lines by using the letters. The T-shirt is "MST-". So, what about the Onion Hoodie?

Hagi: OH?

Nishi: Yes, that's incorrect. It's a running hoodie, so "MSRH-"

Hagi: That's difficult (laughs)

Nishi: What I want to talk about today is "MSS-". You can guess by now, right?

Hagi: A shirt?

Nishi: No?

Yoshi: Finally, shoes?

Nishi: If shoes are released, they'll be running shoes, so I guess they'll be called "MSRS-".

Yoshi: That would overlap with running shorts.

Nishi: Well, I want to distinguish it from trail running shoes, so maybe it's "MSRRS-" for road running shoes (laughs).

Hagi: It's getting longer and longer and more confusing (laughs).

Nishi: Enough initial talk (laughs). The answer is socks. Socks. We've updated from MSS-001 to 003, and now we're releasing new socks.

The first socks, 001, were designed with a focus on coloring. The 002 socks have reinforced Cordura nylon at the toe and heel.

We also have tabi style socks, number 003. Tabi style socks can be worn with sandals, and are very popular.

Hagi: The 003 now comes in more color variations.

Nishi: For this 004, we've changed the material to merino wool. We've also made the length a little longer. Until now, we've said that the golden size was 10cm from the ankle, but we've made some adjustments and reviewed the material and overall shape.

Yoshi: I think wool socks are generally worn for trekking and hiking. In those cases, the load isn't as high as when running, so you might imagine them to be loosely knitted or fluffy. But we wanted to make something that's wool but can also be used for running, fastpacking, or mountain climbing where you'll be walking and running at a steady pace.

Hagi: I imagine hiking socks to be thick and highly cushioned.

Yoshi: So, I asked the factory to make something similar to the previous MSS-001 to 003 socks, but with a better fit, but out of wool. At first, they said that wool is thicker than the current polyester-nylon yarn, so it wouldn't be possible to make it with the current machines. They said they would use a machine that knits thick wool, but when they came out, they turned out to be typical hiking socks.

Hagi: There was a discrepancy in the image.

Yoshi: This is not what I expected. I asked for a thinner yarn, and they found an ultra-fine merino wool yarn. They said that this could be put through the current knitting machine, so they did it. So the fit is as close as possible to the current one, but it's wool. If you wear polyester for days on end, you're worried about the smell, but wool has a deodorizing effect, so I think the smell won't be a problem.

Hagi: I've used it before, so I'd love to try out the fit of wool.

Yoshi: The shape is tabi-like, and the toes and heels are also made of Cordura nylon to maintain strength.

Nishi: It's got the best of both worlds. It's a must-have for the cold winter. If you look closely, the design is different from anything we've done before.

Hagi: The story about the mountain scenery was introduced in the 5th installment of Oshi! Mai's "What you can see from the train window" (Part 1) . Part 2 is here .

Nishi: This time, we've changed the shape of the mountain a little, and the logo on the outside is now a triangle. When you think of a triangle logo, you probably think of the "daybreak seas" keychain, but it's a sign that it can be used for both hiking and biking. There are two colors. I'll ask Yoshida to explain the names of these colors. Is this the gray one?

Yoshi: It's slate gray. The brown is muddy brown.

Hagi: Muddy means mud, right? What does slate mean?

Yoshi: Apparently slate is a thin slab of clay rock that is used for roofs and ceilings. Slate grey is a dark grey with a bluish tinge. That's interesting. Did you know that?

Nishi: Of course. What are you talking about?

Yoshi: As expected (laughs)

Nishi: The length is about 5cm longer than previous MSS series models, so we hope you will check it out by picking it up at your nearest milestone store.

Hagi: Why did you make it longer? To keep out the cold?

Yoshi: That's right. Milestone has always said that the golden size for socks is 10cm from the ankle, so why did they suddenly add 5cm? There's a good reason for this. Some people wear mid-cut shoes when hiking or trekking. We made the socks longer with that in mind.

Hagi: I see.

Yoshi: By the way, since it's wool, some people may be concerned about its strength and ability to withstand friction.

Hagi: I have the impression that wool is weak against friction.

Yoshi: I wore the sample, which was at the stage where I was ready to make the final product, until it finally tore. Based on that, I changed the knitting method for the area above the heel and the sole of the foot, where friction occurs, because they are under a lot of stress. If you want to make the cushioning work, you inevitably have to knit it loosely, but this wool yarn provides enough cushioning, so instead of knitting it loosely, I knit it tightly to make it flat, which increases its strength. I was very particular about the knitting method. I think it would be great for long hikes too. I'd love for someone to try it out on a long trail.

Nishi: It will keep you warm when you ride your bike in the cold winter, so definitely try it.

Hagi: By the way, how much does this cost?

Yoshi: It will be exactly 3,600 yen (excluding tax).

Nishi: We have now finished the knitting process at the factory and are moving on to the logo embroidery process, so we plan to release the product in early December.

Yoshi: Well, that's all for today.

Nishi: Wait a minute!

Yoshi: Yes, please.

Nishi: This month, Sunday, November 24th, is our one weekend business day of the month. We'll be working even though it's the day after Labor Thanksgiving Day. This time, we'll be having a sale at "Fresh Shiitake Okamoto" from Yoshino, Nara Prefecture, and the son of the shiitake shop, Takashi Okamoto, also known as "Shiitake Taro," will be coming. On the day, he'll also be preparing grilled shiitake mushrooms for everyone to eat on the spot. By the way, have you ever tried Okamoto's shiitake mushrooms?

Hagi: We had it at the BAMBI100 after-party BBQ! It was delicious. The texture of shiitake mushrooms grown on a bed of mushrooms sold at supermarkets is completely different from that of shiitake mushrooms grown on logs.

Nishi: It was delicious. You can see the face of the producer, which gives you a sense of familiarity and makes it safe to eat. Shiitake mushrooms have actually appeared in our milestone catalogue many times, including this year.

Yoshi: He was on the cover of last year's catalogue. There's a big photo of him in the DJ booth on the first floor of milestone TERADACHO.

Nishi: He's a cute little brother who gets along well with me both in private and in public.

Yoshi: He does amazing things, but he also makes big mistakes, which is really cute (laughs). He has the running ability and mountaineering ability to pass the final selection for the Great Traverse of the Japanese Alps and even make it to the lottery, but he started out too fast in the Shinetsu Gogaku 100-mile race and was DNF'd. He also completed the Hiei 50-mile race, but the first time he tried it he ended up sitting cross-legged halfway through.

Nishi: He has a playful side to him. I'd like him to do a talk show instead of just selling his products. What did he prepare for the Alps trek, and where and what kind of training did he do?

Yoshi: This is sudden, but Okamoto-kun is on the phone with you.

(Start call)

Yoshi: Hello?

Okamoto (hereinafter, Oka): Hello, good evening!

Yoshi: We're recording here right now, is it okay if we do it for a bit?

Oka: Huh? Is it "Tell Me! Milestone"?

Yoshi: That's right. Sorry for the sudden request. By the way, you're coming to Terada-cho next time, so I was wondering if Okamocchan could tell us about his attempt at a long traverse of the Alps. Maybe in the form of a talk show.

Oka: I haven't participated in any races (laughs) Is that okay?

Yoshi: I'd like to hear about why you wanted to run the Great Alps, what kind of training did you do to prepare for it, and the process. Doi-chan is a top athlete and is in a league of his own, so I can't really give you any advice, but I'd like to know how Okamoto-chan, a down-to-earth runner, managed to make it to the final draw.

Oka: Okay! Let's do it.

Nishi: So, where did you first meet? I'd like to unravel the connection between milestone and Shiitake-ya.

Oka: Speaking of my involvement with milestone, it all started when I read Nishioka-san's blog about his trip to the Omine Okukage Trail . I was also thinking about going to the Okukage Trail and was checking it out. When I saw that blog, I thought, "There are people like this out there." I asked Toyoda-san at Yosemite (a shop in Nara), and he told me, "I know. You should try the Wednesday Budozaka training once." That's how it went.

Yoshi: That's right. You came all the way from Yoshino and ran Budouzaka with me. You've come by occasionally since then. I'll ask you about it on the day. Thank you.

Oka: Thank you very much.

(Call ends)

Nishi: That's great. I think it would be great if people would stop by to buy some shiitake mushrooms, listen to what we have to say, and then head home. It'll be about an hour long (free of charge) from 4pm.

Yoshi: I think it will be helpful for people who want to try it themselves.

Nishi: Wow, trail running is amazing after all. See you next time.

Nishi, Yoshi, Hagi: Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.

This time, I learned about new socks at a weekend event. It's suddenly gotten cold, so I have high hopes for wool material. The colors are new and I'm happy that they will broaden my color matching options.

Shiitake Taro grew up in Yoshino, moved to the city, but returned to his hometown to take over the family business. He discovered trail running and began running with a big goal in mind. His training and workplace are near the mountains. His life is always connected to the mountains. The talk events held at milestone TERADACHO have become a holiday activity, a long-term journey, and even a lifelong project, and it feels like his connection with mountains and nature has become deeper and stronger.

So, what kind of stories will we hear this weekend? Look forward to it.

Text and composition: Ken Hagiwara