[OGZ's Yamamachi Exploration Vol.17] Nagano, Azumino Hotaka Edition: The shining TREKVOGEL in front of the station! [Information on revisited shops included]

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Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Yamatomachi

written by yans

Last time, I visited YAU.

Click here to see the last shop we visited!

It's been a while since the Nagano episode, but here's the next one!

Inside Hei's shop, there was something interesting happening right in front of the shop.

Moving to Matsumoto City, I visited Hey Matsumoto, located just a 10-minute walk from JR Matsumoto Station. This photo is from my first visit last year, and you'll understand the meaning of this photo later. Before visiting the main featured shop, Hey Matsumoto, I also revisited a shop I previously visited on Geargin, so I'd like to share with you what's going on now.

table of contents

LESURES!
Next up is ITOMIZU!
The long-awaited C Matsumoto...!
Head to the outdoor select shop TREKVOGEL in front of Hotaka Station!
Let's go to the second floor.
Return to the 1st floor and make a final sprint!
Ask the owner, Mr. Kobayashi!
Finally, a word of recommendation from the owner, Mr. Kobayashi!

LESURES!

It can now be said that Leisures is the face of Azumino and Akeshina.

From past visits

POY is a portable trash pouch from WKD/ER. The opening is made with a flat spring, the same type used in eyeglass cases, so it opens and closes with a snap, letting you easily dump small trash inside. It's really smart. It's basically a trash can, but you can also use it as an eyeglass case!

Noikoyamaiko's match case series has been selling well recently!

Furthermore, this is another Leisure's original cologne pouch that was recently developed and is selling well!

These gears, known in the area as EDC (Every Day Carry) gear, are small but well thought out! Being able to release original products like these is one of Leisure's strengths. They also have a wide selection of Hyperlite Mountain Gear and MIYAGEN products, so if you're looking for gear, you might find what you're looking for!

LEISURES

・Monolith Trailer House, 5815-4, Akashina Shichiki, Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture

・Regular holidays: Tuesdays (may be closed on other days)

・Business hours: 11:00~19:00

・Parking available

・Official website : https://www.leisures-hcls.com/

・Official Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/leisures_hcls

Next up is ITOMIZU !

The store owner, Mizuno, says that mowing the grass in front of the store is a big job this season.

From past visits

Itomizu has an amazing range of clothing. They even have some of the most popular fashions.

But, when I come here, the first thing I do is sit here!

This location is always spectacular!

I don't feel like moving anymore (laughs).

From there, if you order the iced coffee that is unique to Itomizu, which also runs a cafe, you won't be able to get off your chair! Next to me is a 1g charm that I bought personally.

I can't stop thinking about it, so I take a look around the store . The original tumugi x itomizu set is simple, yet somehow impactful and impressive. First of all, it's stylish.

The display corner is located almost in the center of the store, and is filled with stylish and sparkling accessories!

The ULSUS Bear Paw Gloves, quietly placed on the top shelf, are also nice - a hybrid of Alpha and Octa!

Salomon has a fairly extensive lineup for a privately owned store! Itomizu Mizuno's selection of items that can be used on the mountain and look great in everyday life is something that can only be found at this store.

ITOMIZU

・5261 Matsukawa Village, Kitaazumi District, Nagano Prefecture

・Please refer to Instagram Stories Highlights for opening days/hours, closing days, etc.

・Parking available

・Official Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/itomizu_official/

The long-awaited C Matsumoto...!

Now, let's return to our main shop, Hei Matsumoto. The front of the store is neat and tidy.

Do you remember the very first story? Coincidentally, the Zain Arts headquarters is right in front of the store. When I visited in 2024, it was under construction, but when I asked Matsui-san (not Matsumoto!), the owner of Hei Matsumoto, about it, he told me that it was Zain Arts, which surprised me greatly. So, even if you get lost looking for the store, just head here and you'll find us. ...And that's how I would introduce the store! But due to various circumstances, we can't do that now. However, we do plan to resume introducing the store in the future, so we hope you'll look forward to it.

So, let's move on to the next shop introduction.

Head to the outdoor select shop TREKVOGEL in front of Hotaka Station!

Just past the rotary at JR Hotaka Station, you'll find TREKVOGEL, which we'll be introducing today, in a great location, just a one-minute walk from the station, diagonally to the left of the intersection! Parking is available.

As for the interior of the store, I happened to drop in at a time when it was quite hectic as they were currently changing the layout, so it will likely be different from the current interior. Please note that I will be focusing on introducing selected items and will not be commenting on the interior layout.

The first thing that caught my eye was this collaboration item with Plylet, who helped us out with the Kiryu episode! The original Wading Neck Gaiter, symbolized by TREKVOGEL blue! The vibrant Trek blue color seems to have been very popular, and at the time of this interview it had not yet been released, but due to the above circumstances, it took some time to post, so it may no longer be in stock. Please note.

Of course, we also have the regular version selected by Trek!

From past visits

Outdoor umbrellas, which may now be a necessity in both the mountains and the city, are available in a wide variety from popular retailers.

Trek has a great selection of accessories.

There is a wide selection of pouches, stuff sacks, etc., and they are all very attractive, so it can be hard to decide which one to buy.

All of them are lovely, but I especially like e-couleur, with its unique and exquisite use of colour!

I'm curious to see Kodamaya as I don't see him anywhere else!

They carry bottles such as Nalgene and even Mountain Daisy Products bottles.

There were also a variety of Daisy pouches.

model created in collaboration between RowLowMountainWorks and ski brand BOGEN .

Okara's sacoche-style shoulder bag.

Gossamer Gear waist bags are also very popular right now!

We also stock a wide variety of TMR's exquisite cookware.

The tent lineup is by ARATA.

There were mats, Nemo and Eno hammocks.

In the corner filled with wooden products!

There was NODATE in Aizuwakamatsu.

The layout of the corner on the wall side of the stairs hasn't changed much, and there is a wide selection of small gear.

I choose UL Bento as a freeze-dried product, which seems to be of a much higher quality right now!

The essential gloves for mountain climbing were Axis Queen.

Among the small items, this one caught my eye: the Feather Brush, 3.4g! It's an ultra-lightweight toothbrush, just as it looks, weighing just 1.2g (excluding the included cover). The size is just right.

Let's go to the second floor.

Trek, there's a second floor, so let's go there.

In front of the stairs is a selection of Altra, a popular brand.

When I visited, it was a large backpack section.

I think it's a pretty impressive lineup for a small independent shop. This time, the second floor was just a backpack display, but it sometimes acts as an event space or a pop-up display, and it changes appearance depending on when you visit.

On the way back to the first floor, next to Altra there is a wide selection of mini shoulder bags.

Return to the 1st floor and make a final sprint!

The clothing selection is mainly from Teton Bros. and Static.

Infinity stickers have become more common recently.

The sunglasses were from SOLAIZ.

Most of the hats are standard caps.

Ask the owner, Mr. Kobayashi!

Owner Mr. and Mrs. Kobayashi

Now, let's ask the usual questions to TREKVOGEL owner Kobayashi-san.

-About the owner, Mr. Kobayashi, and TREKVOGEL-

I was born and raised in Osaka City, and from a young age I was introduced to mountain climbing, camping, and outdoor activities through the Boy Scouts. Hoping to live and work in Nagano, I joined a company headquartered in Nagano Prefecture, but spent 20 years transferring there. My dream finally came true, and I worked in the prefecture for about 10 years. I also resumed and became more serious about mountain activities, and retired a little early to start my own business. Personally, I want to stay active for the rest of my life! I want to do what I love for a living, and spend my life connected to the mountains. I've passed the halfway point in my life, and I want to contribute something to the public good... The Northern Alps are a world-class mountain resort, and I hope the towns at their base become a little more lively and develop alongside the customers who visit.

TREKVOGEL is the Dutch word for migratory bird, and just like the migratory bird's flight, we want to create a store that connects people with each other, people with things, and mountains with the city!

-Why did you set up your store in front of Hotaka Station?-

Azumino City is my favorite place and I decided to live in Shinshu permanently, and the area in front of Hotaka Station is the gateway to the Northern Alps, where many climbers come and go. I thought it would be great to work in the mountains for the rest of my life in my favorite place, and I thought my customers would be happy too... That's why I chose this location.

-What kind of store do you want TREKVOGEL to be in the future?

We have three pillars that define what kind of store we want to be. The first is our store concept, "Strolling in the mountains is fun." Through our store activities, we want to enjoy hiking in the mountains with our customers, in a life-sized, natural setting.

Secondly, we are interested in the health of your feet so that you can continue to enjoy hiking. We don't just sell shoes, we want to be a store that can help you keep your feet healthy and continue hiking on your own two feet! We hope to be a place where we can learn and practice these things together with our customers.

Third, I want to be a store that can properly convey to customers the thoughts and ingenuity that the makers put into their products. Additionally, there's an activity I'm currently working on with a little more awareness. I'm taking a small part in STATIC's "No Throw Away Apparel" environmental initiative. Leftover fabric that would otherwise be discarded is reused by a clothing designer in Matsumoto, Azumino, and the Fukushi Support Facility, who recycle it into neck gaiters and mascots for sale. Starting this year, we've donated a portion of our sales to the Azumino Mountain Guard, a volunteer organization that maintains the mountain trails of Mount Nagamine in Azumino. We also hope to use our resources to contribute to a free paper produced primarily by local children.

Upcycled from leftover cuttings from STATIC products.

Finally, a word of recommendation from the owner, Mr. Kobayashi!

Afterglow is a garage brand that is currently gaining attention!

Apparently the backpacks are the best part of the lineup.

The quality is so good that Kobayashi-san is impressed, and this is a brand that will be attracting even more attention in the future!

What did you think of TREKVOGEL? Their activities are diverse, and they hold events from time to time to achieve their goal of "three." Before opening, they climbed Mt. Hikari in Azumino with customers as part of the Higashiyama Hiking Club, held workshops and seminars on foot health, and invited unique craftspeople to interact with customers through their products. They will continue to hold events that will please customers, striving to achieve their goal of "three." If you're interested, why not give TREKVOGEL a try?

TREKVOGEL

・5968-3 Hotaka, Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture ( 1 minute walk from Hotaka Station)

・Business hours: Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 10:00-18:00 / Weekdays 11:00-18:00 (some changes may occur)

・Closed days: see Instagram

・Parking available for 2 cars

・Official Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/trekvogel_azumino/?hl=ja

Yans

A person who has grown into a gear lover and finally ended up writing on Gear Gin. He has been a tough gear enthusiast and loves modifying and making his own gear, and also loves outdoor events. We would like to place emphasis on brand exploration and shop reviews.