A circle of friends connected by goof-touch! The “FIST BUMP” corner of the radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features people who live and enjoy Tokyo in a relay format.
On July 10, Kenichi Taira, a stylist and outdoor professional, will appear. He has been camping since his childhood and has been camping for 37 years. We asked him about his outdoor brands and his favorite summer festivals.
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Education for the Gifted in the Outdoors
Celeina (MC): Kenichi Taira was born in Yamagata Prefecture in 1980, graduated from Bunka Fashion College in 2001 as a stylist, and started his own business in 2007. He has a deep knowledge of the outdoors and has been camping for 37 years. In 2021, he launched the outdoor brand “T SPEC GEAR. Currently, he is involved in styling for magazine advertisements and artists, as well as branding and producing collaborative products.
Takano (MC): When did you start camping 37 years ago?
Taira: My father took me camping for the first time when I was in the first grade of elementary school. It was more of an encampment than a camp.
Takano: What is camping?
Taira: I went to the mountains where there was really nothing to do but pitch a tent, build a kiln, and cook rice in a rice pot.
Takano: That sounds more serious than camping.
Taira: Yes, it is. My father likes to fish, so we would catch fish and eat them.
Takano: It’s a gifted education for outdoor activities (laughs).
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Fashion Changes at Summer Festivals
Celeina: And speaking of this time of year, there are summer festivals. You go to “Fuji Rock” every year, don’t you?
Taira: Yes, I do. I go there for work and also for private use. I will visit this year as well.
Celeina: I think festival fashion is becoming more diverse. Do you have any recent trends or fashion recommendations, especially for “Fuji Rock”?
Taira: Festivals are really diversifying. I went to “GREENROOM CAMP” yesterday, and there were many surfers there. Before that, “GREENROOM FESTIVAL” at Akarenga is in the city, so there are many people who don’t wear outdoor brands.
Takano: Is it the same at “Fuji Rock”?
Taira: Fuji Rock” is surprisingly all-genre. Some people wear regular sneakers, some wear riders, some look like hippies, some like rock music, and some are all wrapped up in outdoor fashion. It’s really fun to see all genres. There are also people who look like cosplayers.
Takano: I get the impression that they are very colorful.
Taira: Yes, it is. When you go there, you feel as if you are in a different world. I think that’s what makes everyone’s fashion style so unique.
Takano: It’s nice to go dressed differently than you usually do.
Celeina: But Fuji Rock is in the mountains. The weather can change, and there are some must-have items, right?
Taira: Yes, I do. A backpack, water bottle, and poncho. It would also be useful to have some high-function clothing.
Celeina: You just mentioned ponchos. Are ponchos the best type of rain gear?
Taira: Ponchos are more convenient. With rain gear, you have to wear a top layer, but with a poncho, you can quickly put it on over your head, so it is easier. You should also bring boots, but I prefer trekking boots. I also bring sandals.
Takano: The weather really changes quickly, so it’s a matter of using them differently. Sandals are easier to move in when the weather is nice.
Celeina: It’s a good learning experience. This will be my second time attending “Fuji Rock,” and the first time I went on a wild goose chase and didn’t bring rain gear. It just so happened that there was a staff member there who had two rain coats, so I only brought one. Listeners who are going to Fuji Rock, don’t underestimate it just because you are only going for one day. You definitely need a poncho.
Taira: It can get cold all of a sudden. It is also good for protection against the cold. If you are drenched in the rain, you will lose your energy.
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Going to summer festivals empty-handed
Celeina: But Taira-san basically goes to festivals empty-handed (laughs).
Taira: I usually go empty-handed. I wear pants like the ones I’m wearing today, which have lots of pockets and are made of a material that absorbs water and dries quickly. For “Fuji Rock,” I carry a bag, but for other festivals, I can go with just this.
Takano: It is important to have lots of pockets.
Taira: Both a satchel and a backpack are convenient. It is really convenient to carry various things in a backpack. A chair, a water bottle, a towel, and a change of clothes.
Celeina: There are a lot of things you need, aren’t there (laughs).
Taira: But there are times when I don’t bring anything at all. I get things locally, or I just manage to bring a piece of high-function rainwear.
Takano: By the way, how many pockets do the pants you are wearing have?
Taira: About eight or nine.
Celeina: But they are short pants, right?
Takano: And they are pretty big.
Taira: There is also a place for a cell phone. It’s very easy to put my cell phone in there, and it doesn’t interfere when I walk around. I can easily put my wallet and other things in it.
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From playing outside to working
Celeina: You are in charge of about 100 outdoor-related jobs and sites each year.
Taira: I would say that SUP (Stand Up Paddleboarding) has been quite popular around me for the past couple of years. In the summer, it is more popular to do it on a lake than in the ocean.
Takano: You stand up on something like a boat, right?
Taira: There are versions that can accommodate six people, and there are also versions that are pedaled by bicycles.
Takano: What do you mean? I guess it’s a bicycle version of the duck boat.
Taira: It’s a bicycle version, but it’s a SUP, so you stand up.
Takano: I want to try it!
Taira: If you go to Lake Saiko in Yamanashi Prefecture, you can do it.
Celeina: How did you get into the outdoors in the first place? Was it your father?
Taira: Well, 37 years ago, the word “outdoors” didn’t exist, so it was just playing outside.
Celeina: So you are saying that your work is connected to your outdoor activities.
Takano: Now, I asked Taira-san to choose a song that he would like everyone to listen to together on the radio at this time.
Taira: It will be “Tea” by UA. I am wearing a T-shirt today.
Takano: Why did you choose this song?
Taira: I have seen UA live more than 30 times since I was 18 years old, and I have also had the opportunity to listen to her music at various festivals. I was able to listen to it at the “Greenroom Festival” the other week. I’ve been listening to it a lot.
Takano: I am looking forward to this year’s festival. Let’s listen to the music.
