This series is a fictional podcast program in which Hagiwara (who runs with them on #WednesdayBudouzakaRen) listens to and delves into the stories of the two people (Nishioka & Yoshida) who created the milestone items.

Nishioka (hereinafter, Nishi): Good evening, everyone. I hope to continue today with a positive attitude. Now, I'd like to talk about June 30th, not the upcoming one.

Yoshida (hereinafter Yoshi): It's Monkey. He's so excited.

Nishi: That's another clever line (laughs). It was milestone TERADACHO's founding anniversary. I'm sure you've seen it on social media, but thanks to you, we've reached our first anniversary.

Nishi: There may be some people who have never been to the store, so just in case, the first floor is a spacious area that can also be used as an event space.

Nishi: The second floor is the merchandise space.

Nishi: Shortly after I joined the company, Yoshida said to me, 'You're opening a store, but why aren't you doing business on the first floor?' and 'That goes against theory!'

Yoshi: If this was Midosuji, the center of Osaka, it probably wouldn't have worked. But because it's a place called "Teradacho," where people don't go out of their way to come, and they come straight to Milestone without being distracted by other things, they went up to the second floor.

Nishi: We work on the second floor, so there's no one on the first floor (laughs).

Yoshi: The biggest obstacle is getting into the store. There's no one there, so we have to get people to come in.

Nishi: We do have security cameras on the second floor, so we can actually see when customers come, so don't worry. We used the space on the first floor to hold a reception party on June 30th last year, and many people from the industry came. Business partners from all over the country and friends also came, so it felt like a wedding reception.

Nishi: It's been a year since then. That was a long introduction, but we were able to hold our first anniversary celebration , "RUN+MUSIC," with the well-known trail runner Hiroki Ishikawa and Kei Kuwahara, president of Tokyo running shop Run boys! Run girls!, as DJs.

Yoshi: It was the first time for both of you to DJ. It was a two-part event with a total of about 100 people attending.

Nishi: It was a happy space. It was our first attempt, so we were actually worried about attracting customers, having problems with the equipment, and getting complaints from the neighbors, but we kept a positive attitude.

Yoshi: A lot of people came from the jogging club the previous evening.

Nishi: Since the event was titled "RUN+MUSIC," we planned to include a run. The largest number of people ever came together, thanks to Hiroki and Kei. It was the first time we had over 30 people. We ran the usual 5km course at Teradacho Jogging Club, taking just under an hour.

We took a group photo at the crossroads below Tsutenkaku Tower, and the foreign tourists clapped and cheered. Afterwards, we went to Shitennoji Temple, which is said to be the oldest temple in Japan and was built by Prince Shotoku.

After the run, we usually all have a beer and have a good time, but Hiroki brought along buckles from past races, a Grand Slam trophy, and a Rarahippari (a traditional ball game played by the Tarahumara people, a Mexican running tribe), so we were able to hear some valuable stories from him.

Kei says that even though Hiroki has a wealth of experience and knowledge, he only speaks about one-fifth of it. But if you push him, he'll let it all out. Because of the relationship between the two of them, Kei would chime in when Hiroki was talking and draw out the conversation.

Yoshi: You've even been to Tarahumara villages with Hiroki. Wherever you go, you've seen the locals calling out "El Dragon!" with respect and affection.

Nishi: I'm glad we invited the two of them. They were a good choice. That night, Hiroki was practicing in the DJ booth with a boyish look on his face (laughs). He said he wanted to check again what kind of records I'd brought. He said he had an event tomorrow so he was going to bed early, but just before 6am when it was still dark, I thought I heard some kind of sound, and I was surprised to see him practicing again. It really shows his true character. He's not going to compromise on the process of completing his mission.

Yoshi: He goes straight for the subject he's looking for. That's what I saw.

Nishi: The three of us have different positions as a manufacturer, retailer, and professional trail runner, so it was a good balance. In terms of music genre, Hiroki likes reggae, Kei likes all genres, and I like hip hop, soul, R&B, jazz, and black music in general. I thought Hiroki would only play heavy reggae, but he also plays some surprisingly lighter stuff.

Yoshi: You watched the customers and adjusted accordingly.

Nishi: The milestone sound library creates Spotify playlists, so I was planning to upload the setlist for the day, but I forgot to record the DJ set that day. I said I'd record the second part, but I got so excited I forgot again, haha. It might be an excuse, but I think it's a privilege for those who came. Even if you listen to the beautiful recordings in order, I don't think it's the same as a live performance.

Yoshi: There was also a rap by Kei and Nishioka in the middle.

Nishi: That's right. There was an audio problem and we couldn't get any sound out. But accidents are inevitable at live shows. The key to success is keeping the atmosphere lively and not letting it cool down, so I knew I had to work hard. It was a song I love too, so I was glad.

↓Some videos can be found here↓

Yoshi: It was really good.

Nishi: I'll tell you right away that this will be a big deal in five years (laughs).

Yoshi: Maybe at Osaka Castle Hall?

Nishi: Castle Hall?! (laughs) Even if it's not that, I'd love to do some outdoor running and music.

Yoshi: Is it a festival? Will there be stalls and food and drink?

Nishi: "Team Trail Running" (laughs). It makes me happy to see everyone's happy faces, so I hope to make it bigger little by little.

Yoshi: I'm looking forward to next year too. Have the dates been decided yet?

Nishi: Saturday, June 28th and Sunday, June 29th, 2025. The venue has already been booked.

Yoshi: Eh! Which one?

Nishi: Milestone TERADACHO (laughs). I think it was a great success for the first time, and if you've read this article or seen it on social media and are interested in attending the next one, please make sure to keep two days free next year.

Yoshi: If there's one thing I'd like to say to the listeners, it's that about 80 to 90 percent of them are people who don't normally listen to that much music. There were only a few people who were really dancing enthusiastically on the floor. Towards the end, the excitement was building and it felt like everyone started dancing spontaneously. I think there were only a handful of people who knew how to dance in a club, or who used to go to clubs a lot in the past.

Nishi: That's right. So what do you mean?

Yoshi: I want to say that not knowing anything about music or being embarrassed to dance are not reasons not to go, you'll be missing out (laughs).

Nishi: Some people came to see Hiroki, Kei's friends came, and even a senior from my hometown came. It's a festival that anyone can come to, whether they run or not, and whether they know a lot about music or not. Maybe we should do some goldfish scooping next year (laughs). I was even thinking of doing a different event if it rains during my jog. I think there are lots of interesting things we can do.

Nishi: Mr. Yamaguchi, who was our photographer, took a lot of great photos.

Nishi: Yamaguchi-san is an extremely skilled photographer who also cooperated as the official cameraman for "BAMBI100." This time, we asked him to take a video as well.

↓Part 2 video can be found here↓

Hagi: I don't know much about music, but I had a feeling this was going to be interesting, so I stayed on the floor for the whole of the first and second parts. The excitement at the end was incredible.

Yoshi: There were some customers at the DJ booth with their arms around Kei's shoulders, getting into the groove (laughs). Hiroki said, "Ah, it's J-POP after all" (laughs). In terms of shaking up the floor, songs that everyone knows are one thing.

Nishi: Looking at the audience on the floor, I feel really happy that we were able to hold this event. That something I had dreamed of has come true. Of course, it's the same with product development, but this time we created an experience from scratch, not a physical object, and the two DJs told me they had a blast. We were able to see the smiles on the audience's faces, and the support members who always help out also enjoyed themselves, so it was a great first anniversary celebration.

Nishi: On the way out, Hiroki said he wanted to buy the event T-shirt, which made me really happy. We still have some event T-shirts available, so you can buy them in the store. Haha

Nishi: The XL size of the event T-shirts were sold out, so we asked Kei to take home a T-shirt from the jogging club. This is also available for limited sale in-store. Haha.

Hagi: The base used to be white, right?

Nishi: It's been updated to the beige color of the original canvas T-shirt. Now, while we're still basking in the memories, let's talk about the product.

Yoshi: Early July "Daybreak Long Pants" is now on sale. In the previous issue, the 17th issue , "Daybreak shorts 8 inch" I've explained it in detail, but here's the long version.

Yoshi: It has a drawstring at the hem and the fabric is very stretchy, so it's great for cycling or hiking.

Nishi: Furthermore, a new product , the MS-K1, will be released between the end of July and early August.

Hagi: It's a new type of headlamp, right?

Nishi: That's right. In the G Series episode (part 7), I mentioned that milestone headlamps are named alphabetically. The latest model is the "MS-J1: Route Finder" handy light. Many of you are using the "MS-i1: Endurance Model" headlamp, and the MS-J1 uses that battery.

Nishi: It's the first model (1) of the new model (K), so we named it MS-K1.

Yoshi: So you're not a fighter or anything (laughs)

Nishi: The brightness is 620 lumens. We started with 20 lumens 10 years ago. That's 31 times more. The most distinctive feature of the MS-K1 is that it's a hybrid model. "What does hybrid mean?" Well, it's a model that can be used with both rechargeable batteries and dry batteries. This time it's sold separately, but when the dedicated battery "MS-LB2+" runs out of charge, it can also be used with three AAA batteries.

Hagi: By the way, have there been hybrid models before?

Nishi: In the milestone headlamp series, there are models called the "MS-H1" and "MS-H2." Surprisingly, there are quite a few people who prefer dry cell batteries. For example, adventure racers and those traveling overseas who don't have the environment to charge their batteries can buy AAA batteries anywhere because they are universal.

Yoshi: Dry batteries have a longer battery life than fully charged batteries, so that's another advantage.

Nishi: Lithium batteries can output a brighter light. Dry batteries last longer. We want customers to decide which is better, so they are sold separately. Of course, one of the reasons we are selling them separately is that the current weak yen has had an extremely difficult time.

Nishi: Up until now, the H series has come with rechargeable batteries, but we didn't sell spare batteries. Until now, the only spare batteries available were dry batteries, but now the MS-LB2+ has been released.

Yoshi: What has a "+" (plus)?

Nishi: By adding the "+" to the MS-LB2, the capacity has increased from 800mmA to 1,000mmA. Also, the USB has been changed from Type B to Type C. The Type C makes fast charging possible. Of course, those who have been using the H1 and H2 can also use it.

Yoshi: That's really exciting (laughs).

Nishi: The price is 3,300 yen (excluding tax).

Hagi: "LB" stands for lithium battery, right?

Nishi: That's right. The lighting pattern is three white lights and one warm white light, and if you press it again it will be a mix of white and warm white.

Yoshi: This looks similar to the MS-i1.

Nishi: It uses the same lens as the i1. It has a lighting system that makes it easy to see on the trail. The i1 has a battery on the back, but this one has an integrated battery on the front. It's not as bright as the i1, but it's not as heavy and it's not too expensive.

Nishi: It's great for races of around 70km, or when you don't need to take the i1 with you. The i1 weighs 175g, but this weighs just 90g, which is about half the weight. It's also about half the price at 6,300 yen (excluding tax).

The second feature is the economy mode. Pressing it once will set the brightness to 30% of the maximum 620 lumens. That's just under 200 lumens. If you burn 620 lumens at full power, it won't last even two hours. To avoid such a simple mistake in the field, it starts at 30%. Pressing and holding it will increase the maximum to 100%. If you turn it off and then turn it back on, it will still be at 30%.

Yoshi: On the other hand, what if you want to keep it below 30%?

Nishi: If you press and hold it, it will start flashing, and if you press and hold it even longer, it will go down to 5%. Milestone thought that 30% of the maximum light output was a good balance of brightness that would allow for long periods of light without waste, so that's how it was set. You can also switch between three white lights and one warm white light. The band is a color inspired by the sunset.

Yoshi: What kind of activities did you have in mind when developing it?

Nishi: This is so well-balanced that it can be used for trail running, hiking, camping, and all sorts of other activities. It's an introductory model, but intermediate and advanced runners can also use it. This 4.5 volt model that uses three AAA batteries is actually available from every headlamp manufacturer. Three AAA batteries allow you to create a lamp with the best balance of brightness, duration, and price range.

Nishi: I have to train for Shinetsu tomorrow, so I guess that's all for today. I hope to be pretty much ready by the time it's released. I'm looking forward to doing my best in September.

Yoshi: When I pace Nishioka in Shinetsu, I think I'll use the MS-K1.

Nishi: It's 60km, so I think it's just right. I might do the same. MS-K1 on my head and MS-i1 on my waist.

Yoshi: That's good too. A moving billboard.

This time, the recording took place two days after " RUN+MUSIC, " while the excitement was still fresh. I'm looking forward to seeing how this event will evolve as it continues.

Summer has finally arrived. While you may be looking forward to your summer vacation and wanting to escape to cooler altitudes, it's important to acclimate to the heat and replenish your fluids and salt intake.

Until next time, stay tuned for the next episode.