Today's book recommendation: This time, I'd like to introduce "The Adventure Encyclopedia," first published in 1985 by Fukuinkan Shoten.
I first encountered this book when I was in the second grade of elementary school. I begged my mother to buy it for me at a local bookstore. Back then, in the late 1990s, the internet was not yet widespread, parents were just starting to own non-folding cell phones, and shopping was firmly rooted in department store culture.
Back then, whenever I went to a department store, I would always head to the sporting goods section and love looking at pouches, like what we now call sacoches. Tokyu Hands' travel section was especially great.
Older product packaging had a certain sophistication, though perhaps not the refined elegance of adulthood, but it had a certain charm.
It's hard to put into words, but I vividly remember feeling incredibly impressed by the coolness of the tags on SPALDINGS pouches from the 90s, even as an elementary school student.
Some models even had a fireproof pocket where you could put cigarette butts directly, and I always admired them because they looked great against the New York illustration on the tag.
One day, as I was going to the department store near my home as usual, I stopped by the bookstore and found "The Adventure Encyclopedia." Looking inside, this page captivated me.
I was captivated by the illustration of an explorer carrying a backpack, efficiently packed with everything they needed for the day, and equipped with a compass and map to find their way.
Since then, I've developed an inexplicable love for bags, gadgets and gear, and now as an adult, I've grown to love camping and cooking.
Some people say the camping boom is over, but camping is fundamentally about immersing yourself in nature and having a dialogue with yourself. So, for those who truly love the outdoors, I think it's not like a game that you get bored of and give up when the boom is over, but rather something that can become a lifelong hobby.
