Interview with the staff of float
We spoke with Yohei Yamawaki, the older brother of the denim brothers, Shunsuke Shimada, and Keiko Ikegami, a staff member at float who is part of the regional revitalization cooperation team.
This interview features content from the initial coverage conducted in October 2019.
Why did you decide to establish a base in this location?
Shimada (no honorifics)
Since 2017, I have traveled through all 47 prefectures, meeting people who create and sell products in various production areas.
In reality, it’s more noticeable to sell outside of the production area.
For the locals, it’s too familiar, so they might think, "Oh, it’s Kojima jeans, I know about that," which can actually lessen their interest.
However, the people we met while traveling were creating spaces where locals gathered, while sharing their thoughts on what they were doing and what made them different.
That looked really cool to us.
We also wanted to convey the thoughts of the creators, so the desire to establish a place within the production area began to grow.
So, we decided to have a base in Kojima.
Ikegami (no honorifics)
I felt that there weren’t many places for young people to gather in Kojima, so I wanted to create such a place while working as a member of the regional revitalization cooperation team.
Shimada
The reason we chose this location in Kojima is because of this view.
Among all the places I traveled across the country, I thought this was really nice.
It’s very calm, you can see the full view of the Seto-Ohashi Bridge, islands floating, and you can also see people’s lives.
I thought it would be great to create a place that people would want to come to.
I came to Okayama from university, and my peers told me, "There’s nothing in Okayama."
But I thought there were many good things here.
As one of those, I would be happy if Okayama people could learn about Okayama’s charm through such a beautiful view.
Why did you open a café, hostel, and denim shop?
Yamawaki (no honorifics)
Whether it’s food, accommodation, or denim sales, the thoughts behind them are common.
At float, we provide products that are well-known, including the people involved and the production background.
We want people to enjoy the experience of savoring products born from passion over time—through food and accommodation.
Additionally, we have been welcomed by various people during our travels and have been able to experience many things.
We also want others to have that experience.
Can you tell us about the café menu? What is the Iwakijima lemonade like?
Shimada
Iwakijima Island in Ehime Prefecture, floating in the Seto Inland Sea, is known as the "Blue Lemon Island," and there are many lemon farmers there.
However, many people are involved before the lemons reach consumers, and the farmers' stories and the lemons themselves are not directly conveyed to consumers.
They are often grouped together as "domestic lemons."
With this awareness of the problem, I met a person named Oka who is involved in the procurement and sale of lemons.
We also have a strong desire to "directly convey the thoughts of the creators," so we felt a similar stance.
What are the characteristics of buying from Oka?
Shimada
The lemons themselves are good, but what’s significant is that Oka teaches us a lot about lemons.
The lemonade we are currently serving uses lemons that have surpassed the ripening period from last winter.
We have also purchased early-harvest green lemons from this year (2019), which we haven’t released yet.
Usually, don’t you have the impression that the same lemonade is made with the same lemons at the same store?
After starting the store, I realized that we can’t serve the same thing all year round.
Considering the harvest season, I want to use different lemons for each season and provide lemonade that suits the time.
For example, with wine, it’s not something we can just go and meet each winemaker right away.
We take the stance of buying from trustworthy people who are trying to convey their thoughts.
The amenities are also carefully selected, right?
Shimada
We use items that we have seen being made and thought, "I want to deliver these people’s products."
For example, the towels are made in Imabari, but I don’t want to say, "These are Imabari towels."
Even though there is a good image of the production area, I want to present items that we know well and are satisfied with, such as "These are towels from IKEUCHI ORGANIC, and this is how they are made."
Yamawaki, you usually stay in Tokyo, but do you feel anything when you return to Kurashiki?
Yamawaki
The calmness is incredible! Really, the calmness of the sea is so nice. I think that every time.
I hope that people can imagine their time at float as a relaxing time, and I personally experience that.
Living in an environment with a lot of information, when I come here, I can think things through calmly.
I believe that customers coming from urban areas can feel the same way.
Experience good things at DENIM HOSTEL float
I felt that the comfort of float comes from the sincere attitude of the people involved towards both people and products.
It’s not in a location with good access, but people who resonate with them are visiting float from all over the country.
People who create and deliver products with a strong belief while considering the people involved and the natural environment are really cool.
And using things that you can genuinely think are good feels really nice. That’s what I believe.
The author has visited float and its surroundings multiple times, and the beautiful scenery never gets old.
Why not spend some time at float, gazing at the calm sea and experiencing good things?
Data for DENIM HOSTEL float
| Name | DENIM HOSTEL float |
|---|---|
| Address | 1421-26 Kojima Karakoto-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-477-7620 |
| Parking | Available A free municipal parking lot for about 40 cars is located at the bottom of the hill |
| Business Hours | Restaurant: 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM (Last order at 8:30 PM) Hostel: Check-in: 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM Check-out: 10:00 AM |
| Regular Holidays | None The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservations | Available |
| Seating | Table seats: 12 |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Childcare | No nursing room, but available space can be used. Staff assistance is required |
| Website | DENIM HOSTEL float Instagram |
