Today's featured book is "The Adventure Encyclopedia," first published by Fukuinkan Shoten in 1985.
I first encountered this book when I was in the second grade of elementary school, at a local bookstore, and begged my mother to buy it for me. In the late 1990s, the internet was not yet widespread, parents were just starting to carry non-folding cell phones, and department store culture was still deeply rooted in shopping.
Back then, whenever I went to a department store, I always went to the sports equipment section and loved looking at pouches, which would now be called sacoches. Tokyu Hands' travel section, in particular, was the best.
There was a certain stylishness to old product packaging, not exactly a sophisticated adult vibe, but something charming.
It's hard to put into words, but I distinctly remember feeling how cool the tag on a 90s SPALDING'S pouch was, even as an elementary school student.
Some models even had fireproof pockets that could directly hold cigarette butts, and I really admired how well it blended with the New York illustration on the tag.
One day, while visiting a department store near my home as usual, I stopped by the bookstore and found "The Adventure Encyclopedia." I opened it and was immediately captivated by this page.
I was drawn to the illustration of an explorer's bag, efficiently packed with everything needed for the day, and equipped with a compass and map to find the way forward.
Since then, I've developed an insatiable love for bags, gadgets, and gear, and as an adult, I now love camping and cooking.
Some people say the camping boom is over, but camping, at its core, is an act of immersing oneself in nature and having a dialogue with oneself. Therefore, for those who truly love the outdoors, it's not like a game that you get bored of and quit once the boom passes; I believe it can become a lifelong hobby.
