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Mountain-side culture created by Teruyuki Hikiji, producer of “Yama no Ie

2023.9.19

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A circle of friends connected by gut touch! The “FIST BUMP” corner of the radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features people who live and enjoy Tokyo in a relay format.

On August 7, we will be joined by Teruyuki Hikiji, story creator of Mountain States Tokyo and producer of TAKAO MOUTAIN HOUSE, a mountain house at the foot of Mount Takao. We asked him about his motivation for focusing on Japan’s mountains and the appeal of mountains.

Transmitting mountain-side culture

Celeina (MC): First of all, let me introduce my profile. She is currently working to create a new value for the mountainside, aiming to make the mountainside a part of Shonan. This year, he was appointed as the brand manager of PARKS PROJECT JAPAN, and is also focusing on the protection of national parks.

Takano (MC): What do you mean by “Shonanization of the mountain side”?

Hikiji: This is an analogy I use when I tell people, but when I say Shonan or “let’s go to the beach,” 90% of people do not mean to go in the ocean.

Celeina: I understand a little when you say it.

Hikiji: In fact, the ocean has a very high location value, and I think the culture of spending time there is deeply rooted. However, I believe that 90% of the people who say, “Let’s go to the mountains,” are doing so for the purpose of climbing mountains.

Takano: There aren’t many places where you can listen to music and drink while looking at the mountains.

Hikiji: That’s right. Conversely, if you don’t climb mountains, you don’t go. I hope that there is a space on the mountain side where the culture and lifestyle of Shonan and the ocean side can be born.

Takano: This is a perspective I had not noticed before. What is it that you are actually doing?

Hikiji: At first, there was art such as photography, which is often found on the ocean side, in the sense of looking at the location. So, as a start, we started “making art on the mountain side.

Takano: Art on the mountain side?

Hikiji: The first project I started was to display mountain-side scenery as art in rooms and stores.

Celeina: Now that you mention it, mountains have not only soil and greenery, but also flowers and water elements such as rivers, so they have various colors.

Hikiji: That’s right. I think that when you decorate it, you can enjoy it as if you are looking out the window.

A mountain house, not a beach house

Celeina: What was it that attracted you to mountains?

Hikichi:I started out working for a company called GREENROOM, doing various activities on the ocean side, but I originally loved nature, and when I quit GREENROOM and came to the mountain side, I felt a gap, so I thought it would be interesting if the mountain side was opened up like the ocean side.

Celeina: And you created a “mountain house” instead of a beach house.

Hikiji: When I went to the ocean, there were beach houses, but there were no mountain houses on the mountain side. There are mountain huts, though.

Takano: They are different in function, aren’t they?

Hikiji: Yes, that’s right. So I wondered if I could create a place where people could enjoy the mountains more and communicate with each other, so I produced and opened Takao Mountain House last October at the foot of Mt.

Takano: By coincidence, I am going to climb Mt. Takao this weekend. I have no choice but to go there now.

Hikiji: It is right in front of the trailhead, just outside of Takaoyamaguchi Station, so please come visit us.

Takano: What kind of things does the TAKAO MOUTAIN HOUSE have to offer?

Hikiji: : We have an outdoor brand Salomon’s store, a deck terrace, and a cafe stand.

Celeina: You can even enjoy a cup of coffee.

Takano: I want to stop by both before and after the climb.

Hikiji: The concept is to have a cup of hand-drip coffee before climbing Mt. Takao, then have a craft beer on the way back and take the train home.

Celeina: Isn’t that the best course? It’s very fulfilling. I don’t go to the mountains much, so I don’t know, but is it hot this time of year?

Hikiji: Mt. Takao is only 599 meters above sea level, so it is hot, but there are some routes that are cooler, such as one with a stream running through it.

Celeina: I see, that sounds great!

Hikiji: Actually, Mt. Takao has the highest number of climbers in the world.

Takano/Celeina: Is that so?

Celeina: Why are there so many people?

Hikiji: Because you can get to the trailhead in 5 minutes after exiting the ticket gate, and it only takes about an hour from Shinjuku Station. I don’t think you can find such a mountain anywhere in the world. Please visit the mountain.

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