Yamatomichi has been elusive to us for a long time. An adventure to get hold of, even in Japan. For years you could only find it in a handful of stores there, plus their own two shops in Kamakura and Kyoto. When we first reached out there was just one international stockist in Taipei and we didn't hear back anyway, so we assumed we were out of luck.
We were drawn to Yamatomichi for the obvious reason, the gear is exceptional, but it was the way they do business that really got us. We'd visited their stores, by appointment, calm and beautifully designed, the same restraint running through the whole range and even the packaging, with staff who are experts and know their stuff inside out. Everything about it says this is all considered and that nothing is here by accident.
We finally got a foot in the door when our mutual friend, Sketch, took us to Kamakura to say hello, so we could introduce ourselves and our little community. As it turned out, some of the Yamatomichi team had already been to New Zealand and walked Te Araroa, which felt like a good sign.
The next time we were in Japan they invited us in to meet the team and Akira Natsume, who started Yamatomichi with his wife Yumiko. We talked about Coffee Outdoors, we asked our questions about them, and then it was lunchtime.
This is the part we had a realisation. The whole HQ downed tools and everyone took turns plating up a meal their chef had cooked that day, a laksa and then the most delicious crème caramel. The entire team sat and ate together, chatting and laughing - smiles all round! That was the moment it clicked for us. This wasn't doing business, this was being quietly folded into a family, and these are people who not only care deeply about what they make, but who they make it with!
And isn't that the whole thing. Getting to do this with family.
Their philosophy is as pared back as everything else. Simple is best, so the gear is stripped to what actually makes it work and nothing more. Less is more, because a lighter load lets you move freely and drop into the landscape properly. And know what is enough, because their idea is that most of the extra weight we carry into the hills is anxiety in physical form, a buffer we pack against everything that might go wrong. Pare it back to what you genuinely need and the walking gets lighter in more ways than one. Know your gear, carry less and go further or just enjoy the scenery. It's the idea we opened the shop on, built by people who actually live it.
Yamatomichi arriving at Coffee Outdoors feels like a big moment, like kindred spirits and it’s a brand that we think pulls the philosophy of our little curated store together. Lightweight gear can truly make the journey the reward, allowing us to connect more deeply with nature. Well considered design can help you bring a little bit of that magic beyond the trail. Inside rituals in outside space. Practise this enough and you'll find adventure in everyday life.
Yamatomichi, welcome to the whānau.
