This series is a fictional podcast where writer Hagiwara, who met them at #WednesdayBudozakaTraining, interviews the three (Nishioka, Yoshida, and Haruka) about all things milestone, delving into the details.

Hagiwara (hereafter, Hagi): The temperatures are soaring these days. So, what's new this month?


・New Tenugui


Nishioka (hereafter, Nishi): We've created a new tenugui. All the stock of the previous "LIGHTING TERADACHO" tenugui sold out, fortunately.

 

Hagiwara (hereafter, Hagi): What! Are they all gone already?

 

Yoshida (hereafter, Yoshi): Yes, they are. They all sold out.

 

Omori (hereafter, Haruka): This time, it's 100% cotton.

 

Nishi: It all started when Minoh Beer, our beer supplier, gave us a tenugui they had made when delivering an order.

 

Haruka: That one was really good.

 

Nishi: I thought, "This is great!" I quickly checked the back and saw the factory name written there. I looked it up and found they made a lot of nice tenugui. I called them right away. I reported it to Minoh Beer later.

 

Haruka: It's a traditional technique, isn't it?

 

Nishi: It's called chusen, a traditional dyeing method originated in Osaka, and I thought it was really good. There are many ways to make tenugui. For example, the BAMBI100 tenugui is inkjet printed for cost reasons, but in that case, the back is white. With chusen, both sides are dyed. For this design, I asked Ban-chan (Mr. Bando) from maunawear. We went to see the factory together, and I was sure this was the right place.

Nishi: The first design that came up was really good, but when we sent the data to the tenugui shop, they said it would require "two-stage dyeing." You dye the base color once, wash off the paste, dry it, then discharge the dye (bassen), and dye it again.

Haruka: Before pouring the liquid dye, you first create a levee. This is key to chusen dyeing, meaning if colors are adjacent, a levee can't be made, so it requires two dyeing processes.

Hagi: So, that's why common traditional tenugui have gaps between patterns, right? Is discharge dyeing like bleaching hair once and then coloring it?

Nishi: Exactly. The cost would go up, so we considered giving up on the two-stage dyeing. We asked Ban-chan to rethink the design several times, but nothing surpassed the initial one (the one requiring two-stage dyeing). So, we decided to go with the one that immediately struck us!

Haruka: When we visited the factory, we asked if there were any traditional tenugui patterns, and they told us about the "tsuma-gara" design, which we adopted.

 

Yoshida (hereafter, Yoshi): They said that a pattern that's diagonally placed in one corner is called that.

 

Haruka: Mr. Bando apparently thought about how to express the difference between what's visible and invisible when illuminated by a light, using the same color, and came up with the idea after a night's sleep.

 

Hagi: It's lovely how it's asymmetrical when you wear it over your head or around your neck.

 

Haruka: The colors are Nagisa and

Yomogi, available in two colors.

Haruka: It will be sold exclusively at milestone TEARADACHO and on the official online store. And I apologize. The price has changed from what was listed in the catalog.

 

Nishi: I apologize. My judgment there was naive. After much deliberation, it will be 3,200 yen plus tax, making it 3,520 yen. It will be a more expensive tenugui, but we put so much effort into it, and I'm confident in selling it.

Yoshi: We haven't made a lot of them, so I hope that those who like it will enjoy using it.

Hagi: Even if the stencil is the same, since it's handmade by artisans, making two colors would genuinely double the effort, wouldn't it?

 

Yoshi: Nishioka-san apparently watched over the factory for six hours.

 

Haruka: And for two days.Nishi: Watching the process continuously, they were working so hard it almost brought tears to my eyes. I was convinced that the cost was justified. Thinking about it that way, perhaps it's even cheap. The dyeing process involves dyeing twenty-five to thirty pieces at a time, then flipping them over and repeating the process of creating the levees. And for two types. Furthermore, it's a two-stage dye.

 

Hagi: So, it's double the effort. That's how both sides are beautifully dyed, right?


 

・Collaboration event & new items

 

Yoshi: Next, an announcement about "Moonstone."

Haruka: This is the second time since it was named Moonstone, but it's the third collaboration event with Moonlight Gear, right?

 

Hagi: What was the trigger for the collaboration?

 

Yoshi: Moonlight Gear is a business partner of ours. They carry our headlamps, but when I joined the company, for some reason, their product lineup only included the MS-i1. I wondered why, given they promote UL (ultralight) hiking. So, I took my personal MS-G4 with me when I went shopping and handed it to Kazuya-kun (Mr. Yoshitani), the manager of the Osaka store, telling him that this one was definitely lighter and better. He loved it, and that's how they started stocking the MS-G4.

* Photo: Left, Kazuya-kun of moonlightgear osaka using MS-G4 / Right, Shinopy using MS-i1

 

Haruka: The MS-G4 is definitely much lighter compared to the MS-i1.

 

Yoshi: At the time, Chura-san (Mr. Nakatsuchi) at the Osaka store and I talked about how great this light was and what we could do with it while running in the mountains of Minoh. The MS-J1 handheld light had just been released, so I shared its development story, and we got excited about doing a night hike event.

Yoshi: And that's how the first event happened. We decided to continue it every year, and in the second year, we walked along Nakahechi for two days and one night, and we held a report meeting at milestone TERADACHO. We wanted to show people that they can embrace the night and have adventures, and that with a light, they can enjoy non-ordinary ways of playing.

Haruka: And the third time is an even greater adventure.

 

Yoshi: This time, we're going to Okuechi, known as the "phantom Kumano Kodo." We'll hold a report session on Friday, June 12th. Special guest DJ High In The Clouds will come from Tokyo, and we'll also have a DJ event. On Saturday, the 13th, we'll have a night hike where customers can participate.

 

Haruka: At Moonlight Gear Osaka store, we will be holding a POP-up for those two days.

 

Yoshi: We thought it would be great if we could also create some products, so we named this event "Moonstone," asked Jerry Ukai to design the logo, and while we made stickers last time, this time we made it into a T-shirt.

Haruka: The T-shirt body is milestone's original canvas T-shirt. We hope you'll wear it for the night hike.

 

Hagi: Just to confirm, what is Moonstone exactly?

 

Nishi: Of course, it's "moon" from moonlight gear and "stone" from milestone (laughs).

 

Yoshi: Not just that, but in the 1990s, there was an outdoor brand in the UK called Moonstone. It came to Japan too, but it's no longer around. Considering that background as well, we conveyed the concept to Jerry-san, and he designed the logo for us. The moon and a stone are the motifs. Since it's from Osaka, there are hidden Osaka elements, but please ask the staff at the store about them.

Hagi: And what is that concept?

 

Yoshi: As a headlamp manufacturer, we resonate with Moonlight Gear's approach of enjoying nature under the moonlight. So, the concept is to transcend company boundaries and include customers as well.

 

Haruka: "Let's Sleep Under The Moon Again," right? (From the words on Moonlight Gear's website)

 

Yoshi: As Nishioka-san says in the podcast, there's a part of our company's philosophy that is inspired by them, and also how all the staff members blend their work and personal lives for fun.

 

Nishi: They're a step above us. Being able to hold events, create products, and go out into the field together is inspiring, and it's truly a valuable opportunity to be able to do this as partners, rather than just business associates. By the time this is broadcast, I think we'll be back from Okuechi, but I'm worried if we'll make it to the finish line (laughs). Well, it's rare to be able to do activities like this together.

 

Yoshi: I guess our vibes just match. It's not just because they're a big, valued client; in fact, they only handle lights, but there's a connection in spirit. We found a lot of common ground at NomaFes at the end of last year too.Haruka: I truly received a lot of inspiration.

 

Nishi: We want this one to be a success too, and we want people to come to the event. We'll also be giving away stickers. We hope people will come and enjoy the special guest DJ's performance.

Yoshi: During the talk event, we'll display the backpacks and gear we brought to Okuechi so you can examine them up close. Click here to register

 

Nishi: Well then, it's almost time to wrap up...

 

Haruka: Wait a minute! There's one more event in June. You haven't forgotten, have you?

 



・3rd Anniversary Festival "RUN+MUSIC Vol.3"



Nishi: No, I haven't forgotten (laughs). On Saturday, June 27th, and Sunday, June 28th, we'll be holding "RUN+MUSIC," an event where you run and listen to music, as the name suggests. It will be milestone TERADACHO's third-anniversary festival. This time, we'll have a guest joining our usual members, making it a four-person DJ set.

Haruka: Professional trail runner Hiroki Ishikawa,

Kei Kuwabara from Run Boys! Run Girls!,

Nishioka-san, and the special guest is?!

Nishi: Jackie Boy Slim from JINDAIJI MOUNTAIN WORKS will be joining us as a DJ. This is going to be a festival! When Jackie-ni comes, it's more like he's there to chat than to DJ. I think he'll talk about "this song is..." (laughs), but we'll let him do whatever he wants.

Hagi: Jackie-san was mainly talking at Jerry-san's talk event in May, wasn't he? He's coming both days?! This is going to be lively (laughs).

 

Nishi: Jerry-san holding an exhibition for us, DJ High In The Clouds coming to DJ for us, I'm really grateful. I think the reason we can maintain such good relationships is because we have a place here in Teradacho where we can gather and hold events. I'm really glad we have this place, milestone TERADACHO.

Haruka: Here are the details for "RUN+MUSIC Vol.3."

 

Saturday, June 27th: DJ Event 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Sunday, June 28th: Group Run 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM, DJ Event 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM

 

Nishi: We're making original event T-shirts again this year. June is packed with exciting events.

So, we'll be waiting for you in Teradacho.

 

Nishi: Well then, everyone, goodbye.

 

Yoshi: Goodbye.

 

Haruka & Hagi: Goodbye.

 

This month, they told us about the new tenugui, the collaboration event, and the anniversary festival.

"RUN+MUSIC" is gaining momentum with each iteration. This year, it's sure to be even more exciting. It's an open event that professional trail runners, trail running shops, gear manufacturers, runners who don't usually listen to much music, and music-loving hikers who don't run can all enjoy on an equal footing.

Past episodes of "Oshi! My" include interviews with guest DJs.

Vol. 18 "What came before RUN" (1st Anniversary Festival)

Vol. 29 "What is with RUN" (2nd Anniversary Festival)

How about reviewing the guest's musical journey to prepare for next month?

Experience live, one-of-a-kind content at milestone TERADACHO that you can't get from podcasts or YouTube.

Text and Composition / Ken Hagiwara