GK had the honor of visiting montbell Co., Ltd. to speak with company president Isamu Tatsuno. An accomplished mountaineer, kayaker, and adventurer in his own right, he has been able to turn his passion into a successful, household brand that enables millions to get out into the outdoors each year, whether it is scaling alpine peaks or embarking on multi-day treks into the wilderness.
What do you believe is the most unique feature of Japan’s natural environment?
The Japanese environment is truly remarkable, offering access to the ocean, mountains, and rivers. The abundance of outdoor activities is something that people here truly cherish. As the second Japanese climber to ascend the ‘North Face of the Eiger’, I’ve come to understand the value of this experience in a profound way. While the summit may be an achievement for many, my priority has always been to return safely. The Eiger, often seen as a daunting challenge by Westerners, holds a different significance for us as Japanese.
We view mountains as sacred, a place where the gods reside, and thus we approach them with deep respect. This reverence is embodied in the concept of shugen, indicating our disciplined mindset and willingness to sacrifice for a higher purpose. My early inspiration from the book ‘White Spider’ led me to challenge of the Eiger, but as I grow older, I continue to deepen my understanding of the Japanese reverence for mountains and the environment.
How do you believe Japan’s outdoor equipment industry differs from that of other countries, and how did you originally start the company?
When I was younger, at 16 years old, I had a dream to climb the North Face of the Eiger and I committed to that dream. The other dream I had was as an adult, and I wanted to start my own company related to mountaineering. Blending the two visions, first I made an image of what I wanted the company to become, perhaps a mountaineering guide or a small mountain shop. I originally considered having a café, too, where people could come to chat about the subject. With these visions, I lost motivation to go to university and I even told to my father that I would take the entrance exam for Shinshu University in Nagano. I just went climbing instead and later told my father I failed the test.
At that time, I had already found a small sporting shop to work for. After returning to Japan and getting married, I ended up having an argument with the boss and quit. My wife supported the family at that time for around a month. One of the clients of that store turned out to be an alumnus of Kwansei Gakuin University’s mountaineering club and he invited me to work at his place. The company actually was a trading house dealing with various items and I was dispatched to the textiles division. Osaka is sort of the capital of the textile industry in Japan and this presented a good opportunity for me to experience many different kinds of material. I worked for the company for 4-5 years and quit on my 28th birthday, and next day I started Montbell.
What trends are you observing in the types of outdoor activities that people like to pursue, and how are you adjusting your operations to accommodate them?
The market has changed a lot over the years. When we started the company, it was solidly about mountaineering. As you say, the pandemic made a big difference and now the market next year, I expect, will be worth 1.5 billion USD.
In terms of the biggest growth in that market, it is difficult to say. Camping is a strange one for me since I personally would rather stay in a hotel! Camping doesn’t have a purpose and it’s a tool you use out of necessity. Post-pandemic, camping really boomed as a hobby, and sales for camping goods shot up. However, the camping industry itself is struggling here in Japan. We provide tents and sleeping bags and the like, however, what we provide is only a small part of the camping hobby – the tags ‘outdoor’ and ‘camping’ are not synonymous, and the outdoor scene is so much more than camping. For people in my generation, camping is what you needto do before you go climbing or kayaking – it’s a necessity rather than a luxury.
