ARTICLES
Camp&Go," a base for people to seek their own expression and find their next destination amidst people coming and going like at a campground.
In 2019, 10 years after the opening of SPROUT, a new base "Camp&Go" opened next door. Multiple stores and galleries are attached to the site, and each section is called a "site" like a campground. And the people who work there are nicknamed "campers".
Many people come and go, influence or be influenced, and step up their game as they travel to their next destination. We asked Mr. Togega about the background behind the creation of this place that serves as a catalyst for such a journey, as well as his thoughts on the future.
I wanted to live in an environment as close to Alaska as possible.
When he was 20 years old and a student in the Kanto area, he found Michio Hoshino's "Alaska Light and Wind" at a used bookstore, which led him to travel to Alaska. Through experiencing the natural splendor of the area, he gradually began to yearn for a life in the north. He wondered where he could find a place with an environment that was even slightly similar to Alaska, and he ended up in Hokkaido.
Mr. Togega when he was 20 years old visiting Alaska
I had visited Niseko when I was in junior high school because my relatives loved skiing. I never thought I would live there in the future, but the name "Niseko" was always in my mind. After returning to Japan from Alaska, I had job interviews with several companies, but I just didn't feel right. Then I read an outdoor magazine that introduced Niseko Adventure Centre (NAC) and was shocked to see people living and playing in Niseko! I was shocked to see people playing and living in Niseko! I was shocked to see people playing and living in Niseko!
NAC is an adventure center that offers rafting, ski tours, and other activities that allow you to enjoy all that Niseko has to offer. Despite his growing interest in Niseko, Mr. Togega worked for an outdoor manufacturer in the Kanto area after graduating from university, gaining experience as a kayak instructor and guide before finally making the move to Niseko at the age of 24.
While working for NAC, Tougega also discovered the joys of trail running while guiding kayaks in the summer and patrolling ski resorts in the winter. he got married in his second year, and after working for 5 years and retiring, he and his wife decided to move back to the US to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives.
