and wander ONLINE STORE

ライトに歩く、関西エリアの３大低山

「私が山に触れたのは20年前ですが、当初はスキーやスノーボード関係の仕事をしていたことあり雪山ばかりでした。雪のない山のことは素人同然で、リフトを使わず自力で登るなんて、と思っていたくらいです（笑）。それがいざ登ってみるととても気持ち良くて、気づけばどんどん登りたくなっている自分がいました」

山登りの魅力にはまったきっかけを小寺さんはこのように話してくれた。そして、小寺さんが暮らす大阪周辺には、実はアクセスがよく気軽に行ける山が多いことも理由だという。出勤前などの隙間時間でも、ライトなハイキングを楽しむことができるからだ。小寺さんが名前を挙げてくれたのは以下の山々。

「大阪からだと、金剛山（大阪-奈良／標高1125m）が一番近いです。朝、夫と2人で登ることもあるなど、私にとってもとても身近ですね。六甲山（兵庫／標高931m）は、アプローチの仕方は幅広い。ハードな岩場にトライしてみたり、河原をのんびり歩いたり。登頂してそのまま裏側の有馬温泉で温泉に入ってもいい。自分に合った楽しみかたが見つかる山だと思います。自分のレベルを確認したい人には、毎年11月に開催される全山縦走大会に参加するのもいいかも。金剛山すぐ隣の葛城山（大阪-奈良／標高959m）は、5月にはツツジ、秋にはススキに紅葉、一年中楽しめる山です。」

A light walk up the three best “teizan” of Kansai

“I started getting into mountain activities about 20 years ago. At the time I was working in skiing and snowboarding, so I was all about snow covered mountains. If the mountain didn’t have any snow on it, I didn’t have a clue! At the time the very idea of climbing a mountain without a ski lift was alien to me! (laughs) But then when I actually gave hiking a go, it felt so good, and before I knew it, I just wanted to keep on climbing mountains.”

Apart from telling me about how she got into hiking, Ms. Kotera also told me that there are many easily accessible mountains around Osaka where she lives, that are great for enjoying a gentle hike. These mountains are also one of the reasons why she got into hiking because their accessibility means it’s possible to fit in a light hike before going to work, or during other slots of free time during the day. Ms. Kotera mentioned the following mountains during our interview.

“Mount Kongo (Osaka – Nara / elevation 1125m) is the closest to Osaka. It’s a very familiar mountain to me; my husband and I sometimes climb it together in the morning. Mount Rokko (Hyogo – elevation 931m) has a wide range of different approaches. You could try the challenging rocky slope, or take a leisurely walk along the river. You could also climb right up to the top and continue on the other side to Arima-Onsen and take a dip in the hot springs. I think it’s a mountain that everyone can enjoy in their own way. If you want to test your mountaineering level, you could also join the “Mount Rokko cross mountain trail run competition” held every year in November. Mount Katsuragi (Osaka – Nara / elevation 959m), which is just next to Mount Kongo, can be enjoyed all year round, with beautiful Rhododendrons in May and Miscanthus and tinted leaves in the Autumn.”

小寺さんはフラワーデザイナーの経験もあり、山でも植物に目が向かうそう。毎週のように山を登っていると、四季折々の変化に気が付く。若葉から深緑の季節への移ろいを楽しみに歩き、名前のわからない花は写真に残して調べる。秋になるとヤシャブシの実などの木の実を拾って、蔓を編んでリースを作りながら下山する。自然を五感で感じることは癒しである。ハイキングを楽しむことへのアイデアと探究心が尽きない彼女は、休憩時間を充実させることにも余念ない。

「ハンモックにお気に入りのコーヒー豆とハンドドリップのセット、それからコンパクトなホットサンドクッカーを携えていきます。ハムやチーズを挟んだサンドとコーヒー。ハンモックに腰掛けて食べたら最高ですよね。昨年ハマったのはナン作りで、家で捏ねたパン生地をタッパーに入れて山に持っていく。登っている間に、いい感じに発酵した生地を、クッカーで焼けばナンができる。フリーズドライのカレーと一緒にいただけば、それだけでもう御馳走です」

Ms. Kotera also has experience as a flower designer, and enjoys observing the mountain flowers she discovers on her hikes. When she hikes on a weekly basis, she starts to notice the subtle seasonal changes in the mountain scenery. She looks forward to the transition from young new growth in the spring, to the deep lush greenery of the summer. When she comes across a new flower, she takes a picture of it so that she can look up its name later. In Autumn she collects alnus firma and other tree nuts and weaves a wreath from creeper plants as she descends the mountain side. Experiencing nature through our five senses is deeply relaxing. Ms. Kotera is always full of curiosity, endlessly looking for ways to enjoy hiking, and is dedicated to making her leisure time as fun and rewarding as possible.

“I take my hammock, some of my favorite coffee beans, a hand drip coffee set and a compact toasted sandwich-maker with me. Enjoying a coffee and a toasted ham and cheese sandwich while sitting on a hammock - you can’t beat that. Last year I really got into making nans. I’d make the dough at home and put it in a Tupperware, take it with me on the hike and the dough would rise perfectly as I walked. Then all I needed to do was cook the dough on my camping stove. Freshly cooked nan along with some freeze-dried curry, and you’ve got yourself a feast.”

山での経験が、接客にもつながる

お客さんに山って楽しいって思ってもらえる、その入り口になりたかった。そう話す小寺さん。自ら山を登ったことで得た経験や実感、楽しむ心得などはお客さんとのコミュニケーションにもつながっている。

「自分が体感したことをお店でダイレクトに伝えたいんです。フィールドで実際に着ると、汗をかいたときの生地感、張り付き感もわかりますね。今季の一押しは、メッシュ素材で通気性がいいベントシリーズ。ウィンドブレーカーは途中で暑くなって脱ぎ着の回数も多くなったりしますが、このウェアは基本1枚で対応できるのでラクです。休憩のときに汗冷えしないしさらさらで快適ですよ」

今は店舗のスタッフと素材についての勉強会をひらいたり、グループハイキングのイベント企画を思い描きながら、いつかみんなで山頂で淹れたてのコーヒーを囲める日が訪れることを願う日々。これからは小寺店長を中心に、アンドワンダーグランフロント大阪店から関西の山アクティビティのおもしろさを発信していく予定だ。

My experiences of hiking come alive when I’m talking to customers

I want to be the doorway through which our customers can find enjoyment in mountain activities, Ms. Kotera tells me. The experiences and realizations I gained from my mountaineering, as well as the ideas I have about how to enjoy hiking, these all feed into my communication with our customers.

“I want the store to be a place where I can talk about my experiences in-person. You know, the actual sensation of how the material feels and how it stretches, when you wear it and use it. My top recommendation for this season is the breathable Vent Series, made with mesh material. With a windbreaker I find that I often get too hot and need to take it off and put it on again multiple times during a hike, but with this you only need the one layer, it’s so versatile. You don’t have to worry about feeling cold when taking a break after you’ve been sweating, and the material always feels so dry and comfortable.”

Now she spends her time organizing study sessions about different fabrics and materials, along with the store staff, while dreaming of future group hiking events, as she looks forward to a time when we can all enjoy a freshly brewed mountain-top cup of coffee together. Ms. Kotera and the staff at the Grand Front Osaka and wander store will continue to share exciting information about all the fun to be had exploring Kansai’s mountains.