table of contents
- It rivals even the most mediocre outdoor shops! What is the reality of this farm shop?
- Mountain climbing from the area in front of the station?
- Now, let's head to the main castle, the farm shop
- "It" suddenly appears
- Let's go to the reverse shelf
- To the last stronghold, the center corner
- To conclude, I would like to ask you about farm shops
It rivals even the most mediocre outdoor shops! What is the reality of this farm shop?
For this installment of the Yamatomachi series, I took a little trip to Fukushima Prefecture, where in a town called Motomiya, there is apparently a home improvement store with an incredible selection of outdoor equipment. After hearing this rumor, I was overcome with the urge to actually go and check it out
So my wish came true and I was able to visit this farm shop, but what is it all about?
Along the way, we passed Mt. Bandai in Aizu, and it was autumn, with a bit of snow on our heads
I arrived, but I was still skeptical. I also arrived a little early, so I decided to take a walk around Motomiya City
Mountain climbing from the area in front of the station?
JR Motomiya Station is clean and well-organized, and it looks like it has been renovated in recent years
A local FM radio station was broadcasting live from the rotary in front of the station
I'm sorry to say that I was not aware of this, but it seems to be the birthplace of a great singer
I was driving around the station wondering if there was anything there and that's when I ended up here
This is Gankakusan/Gankakuji Temple. At first, I thought it was just a regular, nice looking temple, but then I saw this map. As it's called a mountain, it seems like the whole area is a place of worship
The scale of the mountain was far more overwhelming than I had imagined before climbing
If you want to see everything, it's like hiking, so you'll need sturdy shoes
Near the top of the mountain, you can also tour the womb and make a wish while passing through it
This kind of thing makes your heart race, doesn't it?
I was very happy because I didn't know it was such an amazing place
This brings us back to the store just in time for our appointment
Now, let's head to the main castle, the farm shop
Once again, I have arrived at the site
Yes, the exterior looks like a typical home improvement store, and it doesn't have any particular outdoor vibes, but I wonder if that's really true. I thought the opening hours might change depending on the location or the season, but they're currently open all year round from 9am to 6pm
Let's enter the store!
...Yeah, this is a home improvement store, I personally like it, but..
Yeah, it's a farm shop so they're good at this sort of thing, I think the Husqvarna axe is good
As it is a farm shop, it seems to specialize in that area, but it also has a wide selection of items that are sold at regular home improvement stores, and there is also an outlet corner where you can find great deals
"It" suddenly appears
So, the outdoor section suddenly appears in a corner of a home improvement store. However, the selection is strange (and I mean that as a compliment). It's obvious at a glance that it's not the typical lineup you'd find in a home improvement store
The first thing that catches your eye is the DD Hammock banner, a sight you rarely see in a home improvement store. Let's start with this shelf section
Some products were on sale (at the time of this interview), so it was first come, first served
If you slide your eyes to the side, you'll see a Grivel helmet
Water purifiers are also available
There were also a variety of SOL products and bottle-related products
Mats are from Magic Mountain and Evernew
We've reached the edge of the shelf, products from the currently popular garage brand Ultra Good Luck!
This is something you probably won't see often even in unique outdoor shops, so it's quite rare
Only at a physical store can you see the actual products that you would normally not be able to see
Ultra Good Luck clothing is also available in the sky, which you might miss if you're distracted by what's below!
At the very end there is a collection of clothing that would be useful for camping
Let's go to the reverse shelf
Moving beyond the center display to the reverse shelf corner, EVERNEW products are generally strong! There are a lot of cookware on display here, and generally speaking, each category is neatly arranged in an easy-to-see manner, which is a nice touch
There is TMR too!
From past visits
There are also a variety of lanterns that look great at camp
If you look down, you'll also find military tents that will be irresistible to anyone who is interested
The gas burner is a solid SOTO
These are the so-called "high-tech plastic bags" from Evernew, which were not even available when they were first released. Once you've used them, you'll understand that they're tear-resistant and can shut out water and odors, making them a must-have item for heavy use. I've been using them a lot myself. Recently, perhaps due to their usefulness, they've started appearing everywhere
To the last stronghold, the center corner
An Ortlieb backpack! This is also something you don't see very often
Products from the garage brand MOUNT DOOR are also a nice choice
There were also T-shirts from the same brand up in the sky
The Firebox modular fire pit was on sale, but I wonder if they still have it
Yak wool socks are apparently very warm
LED lanterns/lights are HEXER series and
There's a Red Lenser at my feet
Returning to the top shelf, it's Noikoyamaiko!
Ray's More! This is a series that we've been using at Geargin, and of course both are very popular!
From past visits
There are also LELEKA hammocks made in Ukraine
Bear repellent products are a big seller these days, as expected. The bear horn is so popular that it seems to sell out as soon as it arrives . It's such a popular item that they only have samples available, but they seem to get new stock regularly, so it's best to check regularly. There were also spray products available when I visited, but they're currently out of stock, which shows just how times are.
Finally, here is a dish that I thought was perfect for a farm shop
This vacuum-packed rice is carefully selected by Sansan's contracted farmers! It has a shelf life of about a year, making it a very convenient product to have on hand. It's also great for storing food and taking camping trips to the mountains
To conclude, I would like to ask you about farm shops
Now let's ask SATO, who is in charge of the outdoor section, some questions
-When did the outdoor section start in earnest?-
It wasn't started because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but rather just before it started. At the time, we were selling chainsaw-related products, and Husqvarna seemed to be incredibly popular, so we thought it would be interesting to stock some outdoor products
At first, I didn't do any outdoor activities like camping, so I asked a friend who was knowledgeable about outdoor activities, and he suggested that I try using a DD hammock. I think he was probably only joking and didn't think I'd actually use one (lol)
From there, we communicated directly with the manufacturers and they gave us the OK, so we were able to stock their products, and that was the beginning of our outdoor corner. We were grateful to get the OK when we were starting from scratch. This incident served as a catalyst for us to contact each manufacturer over and over again... and that's how it ended up (laughs). I think they were interested in having their products stocked in a store like this
-What are your priorities when it comes to the products in your lineup?
At first, I was getting advice from an acquaintance who was dealing in camping equipment, and he was using a UL + military tent style, so I just took that at face value (wry smile). So when I asked him what kind of equipment I should put in there, like a cooker, he said Evernew would be good, so I got in touch right away. Since then, I'd say my selection has shifted more towards mountain gear
When it comes to the items we stock, we try to offer a lineup that is as unlikely to overlap with that of major companies
-What kind of place is Motomiya City?-
It's located right in the center of Fukushima Prefecture, so it's sometimes called the "navel town." There's a highway interchange and a JR station, so it's relatively easy to access. The town is quite large, and you only need to get off the interchange and go down one street from the main road, so even people from far away can easily get here by car
-What is Sansan as a home improvement store?-
It's just one store, just like a regular home improvement store, but as it's called a farm store, the lineup seems to be more geared towards farmers. There are a lot of farmers in the town, too. Of course, we also stock items that can be used in the general household
-Do you have a favorite item for this season?-
The yak socks mentioned above are great for this time of year. They're made in Mongolia and are very warm, but the wool tends to shed easily, so they're best for home or camping. We also specialize in EVERNEW products, so we'd love for you to come and check them out. We also highly recommend each of the garage brands!
What did you think of Nouka no Mise-san? I don't think there are many home improvement stores that are as passionate about the outdoors as this one, and I envy those who live within easy reach. I think that just going to see the cutting-edge lineup is an irresistible experience for any outdoor enthusiast, and I hope that they continue to forge ahead on their own unique path
And! Since we've come all the way to Fukushima, our expedition isn't over yet, so next time we'll be setting the stage in a town a little further west. Please look forward to the sequel!
Farm Shop Sansan
・207-1 Mansei, Motomiya City, Fukushima Prefecture
・0243-34-3125
・Business hours: 9:00-18:00
・Closed: New Year's holiday and Obon
Farm Shop Sansan official website https://sansan.shopselect.net/
Official Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/sansan_3125/
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Yans
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