[Updated on 9/30] [OGZ's Yamamachi Exploration Vol. 01] Gunma, Kiryu Edition Do you know? Outdoor Style Convenience Store "Tanaka Shoten"
Written by yans
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OGZ's "Yamamachi Exploration Diary" has just begun. In each episode, we visit unique shops and spots around Japan that are connected to mountains or at the foot of mountains, and introduce them to you
I'm Yan, and I'll be helping out. Please keep me in mind
This time, the editorial team heard that Kiryu in Gunma was apparently a hot city, and thinking, "That would be interesting!", we headed straight for the city of Kiryu
First, we head to Kiryu, then to our first destination, Umeda, a little way from the city center
At first glance, it looks like a typical local independent store, but the reality is quite different; it is a mysterious store that calls itself an "outdoor-style convenience store."
So what exactly is outdoor style? Let's go inside the store and find out for ourselves
This is (excuse me) a stylish and fashionable space that you wouldn't imagine from the outside
It's true that there are various kinds of food products lined up like a convenience store, but..
The counter to the left of the entrance is packed with knives
If you go further to the side of the counter, you will find a lineup of cookware, gas burners, and wood stoves, all carefully selected by the owner
If you look to the right, you'll see rows of fresh produce, including vegetables and eggs. They're all locally grown, no doubt from nearby areas, and they're cheap!
There are also several items sold by weight, which vary depending on the time
The frozen meat section mainly features Kyushu-grown chicken, thanks to a mutual acquaintance of the owner. I'll just say it first: I bought some black pepper-flavored chicken for camping, and it was absolutely delicious
We also have a wide selection of ice cream, a must-have for the coming season
The writer also frequents the freeze-dried foods and seasonings section, so if you forget something when climbing a mountain in the area, you can buy it here
There are also products from Plylet, who are famous for their mountain stoles, which I plan to visit next. They also have a full range of fine cords, and next to them are SOTO products
One of Tanaka Shoten's highlights is the STATIC products, which are only available at two stores in Gunma Prefecture (at the time of the interview). Even in Tokyo, it's rare to find them, so they're quite rare
Sealson, which is currently recommended by the owner Our store first opened in Japan last December. Please see below for a detailed explanation.
There are also some rather niche gears that are a bit interesting
And it's irresistible for alcohol lovers! From commonly seen items
There are some products that I've never seen before that appear to be made overseas, but since I don't drink much alcohol, I'm not very knowledgeable about them, so please forgive me
Now, let's introduce the owner, Mr. Kainose (not Mr. Tanaka!)
First, we asked Q about the history of Tanaka Shoten
A. During the Meiji period, my wife's great-grandmother (Great Grandma Hiihii) opened Tanaka Shoten, a tobacco shop
Later, my great-grandfather's generation made and sold firewood and charcoal, and my grandfather's generation continued the business in line with the times, selling alcohol, groceries, and daily necessities
The grandfather passed away in 2011 and the business closed down
My wife, who I've been dating since the beginning of 2020, heard that a neighbor wanted to use Tanaka Shoten's vacant store to sell surplus vegetables from their home gardens. Having always wanted to own a store, she decided to start by reviving Tanaka Shoten by selling vegetables on consignment
In late autumn 2020, the inside of the store was leaking badly and unusable, so they held an open-air market in the parking lot on weekends only. Since traveling across the United States, they have loved the outdoors, so they sold vegetables using tents, tarps, and campfires
In 2021, the open-air market was visited by cyclists enjoying the nature of Umeda, so in July Tanaka Shoten was renovated and reopened as an outdoor-style convenience store that sells local vegetables and also supports outdoor enthusiasts
The following August, a cafe corner was opened as a place for local residents to take a break before or after activities and relax
In this way, we operate as a shop where local residents can shop, have outdoor activities as a base, and take a break at the cafe
Q: What are your future prospects?
A: As a store, we would like to create an environmentally friendly store.
These include environmentally friendly products and corporate activities such as STATIC, product sales methods, and the spread of Leave No Trace. Because the outdoors exists because of nature, we would like outdoor enthusiasts to consider environmental friendliness in addition to design and functionality
Our shop is located in Umeda-cho, Kiryu City, in a relatively natural setting compared to other outdoor shops, so we would like to hold more events that make use of the natural beauty of Umeda
I hope that in the future, more people will come to enjoy Umeda's natural beauty (such as stand-up paddleboarding and canoeing on Lake Umeda, cycling, and mountain climbing)
Q: Please let us know if you have any recommended products for the future!
A: The products we would like to recommend are as follows:
Hydrascape Stickers are long stickers from Washington State, USA. We were the first to sell them in Japan in February of this year, but they are now available in other stores as well. These stylish stickers are helping to popularize water bottles
Lightheart Gear: We recommend this brand's Silnylon rain jacket. It has zero breathability, but the side zippers are long enough to expose your arms and wear it like a vest. It doesn't have a DWR (durable water repellent) finish, so you don't need to reapply a water repellent coating
Sealson is a Taiwanese backpack brand. Our store debuted in Japan last December. We specialize in ultra-lightweight products that connect the city and the mountains. We also develop our own eco-friendly nylon fabric, Ecoya. We receive the most inquiries about our M2Cross body bag
Rab is a British brand that actively uses recycled materials and features PFC-free water-repellent finishes, making it environmentally friendly. While offering comparable specs to other imported brands, their prices are more affordable and less likely to be found elsewhere, so we receive many inquiries!
It's nice to see that there are so many brands that I'm interested in and that I use
What do you think, Tanaka Shoten?
Wouldn't you like to go? There's a place in Umeda, Kiryu that connects the mountains, shops, and people. Just knowing that makes me excited, and in fact, I've already been there again between the time I was researching and writing this (lol)
For more detailed information about the store, please check out their official website and Instagram
The shop we visited this time was "Outdoor Style Convenience Store Tanaka Shoten"
4-324-1 Umedacho, Kiryu City,
Gunma Prefecture 0277-47-7808
Closed: Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Official website : https://www.tanakashoten2020online.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tanakashoten2020/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@tanakashoten
This time, we were able to secretly use the Tanaka Shoten campsite, which is currently in pre-opening, so we left Tanaka Shoten behind and headed to a location about three minutes away by car, from where we continued our coverage into the city of Kiryu
Please continue to enjoy the Kiryu Travelogue!
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Added 2024/9/29
Since then, Tanaka Shoten has been constantly on the offensive, holding a variety of events
I attended Tanaka Shoten's third solo camping event
We'll bring you the details!
On the way to the solo camping event, I stopped by another public bath in the center of Kiryu
To be honest, I confused Ichinoyu and Kamiyu, which I showed you the first time, and I apologize for causing some inconvenience to Kamiyu
I was glad to have been able to visit with a new understanding. I think it's amazing that there are now two such rare public baths in Kiryu
It is no exaggeration to say that this is the symbol of Kamiyu, but it seems that it was given a makeover for a certain TV program
It had a very nice logo, which was very stylish. The bath was similar to Ichinoyu but not the same, and it was definitely a typical public bath. The Showa-era background music echoed all the way to the bath area, which was strangely comforting and nice. Now let's move on to Tanaka Shoten
Upper Bath
🈺15:15〜21:00
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (open on days ending in 8) / 11 parking spaces / 42°C bath / Weekends are medicinal bath days /
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/uenoyu_kiryunoofuro/
In the evening, we arrived at the store where we were to meet
I have been visiting Tanaka Shoten at fairly regular intervals since then, and each time I go they introduce new brands, and I am always amazed by the many items I don't see anywhere else
They also actively post information about this on Instagram and other platforms, so if you're interested, it's a good idea to check it regularly
Of course, since it's an outdoor-style convenience store, we not only have outdoor goods but also new food items!
Now we will head to the venue with Kainose from Tanaka Shoten
We arrived at the venue, which was located close to the store, and the location was only revealed to participants
The participants have already made a wonderful effort to finish the event. The main banquet hall is already finished, so I personally set it up and it's time for the participants to join in the feast. What bliss!
The specific details are only available to those who participated, so if you're interested and would like to participate, please wait for the fourth event; it's a lot of fun
This is advance information, but we are currently testing a shelter that is a little different from the others, borrowed from a certain garage brand. We will review it once we have used it to the point where we are satisfied, so we hope you will look forward to it; it is amazing
Additional link!
In the morning we returned to the store for a break. In reality, solo camping participants are free to join, but in exchange they are forced the CCC Clean Up & Coffee Club, . However, due to light rain the cleaning part was cancelled and it was just coffee time!
By the way, the participants this time have given their permission to show their faces
Morning Mölkky time in the unexpected light rain!
This was my first time trying it, and it's simple but fun!
It's simple, but as you progress you start to use your brain, and even adults can enjoy it and return to their childhood!
Even though there's nothing that would happen if I won, I was able to get serious about it, and I realized that it's important to have fun like this every once in a while
This concludes the solo camping party!
After the event ended, some of us went to the nearby Umeda Furusato Center, where we heard that Mr. Matsunaga, who also appeared in the previous session, was setting up a stall at the event
Once again, there are so many fascinating tools, it's a real eye-opener in a good way (lol)
Finally, here is a list of events related to Tanaka Shoten in October 2024. Yes, there are a lot of events. Tanaka Shoten's activities will continue in the future, so don't miss them!
We brought you the latest trends!
yans
My love for gears has led me to write for Gearzine. I'm a hardcore gear enthusiast who loves modifying and building things, and I also love outdoor events. I'd like to focus on brand exploration and shop reviews
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