The Driving Force Behind a New Business Created by Integrating Products and Experiences, Discussed by Two Mountaineering Tour ExpertsGoldwin Voices

I initially took this job simply because I loved mountains and could visit them for work, but as I spent more time in the field, I came to realize the weight of responsibility it carried. It hit me that organizing mountaineering tours meant being entrusted with customers’ lives.

When I was a kid, my parents would take me mountain climbing, and in high school, I joined the mountaineering club, so nature has always been part of my life. This experience inspired me to pursue working in nature, prompting me to take this job. Working professionally in the mountains, the real shift in my mindset came when I became certified as a mountaineering guide. Since then, I have always been conscious of how I should design safety protocols as a professional.

Some even say that the origin of the word “travel” is “trouble.” Tours involve encountering and overcoming a series of unexpected incidents—participants may get injured, or we may not be able to climb the mountain because of bad weather. Even in such situations, Kitajima showed the meticulousness that I lacked and would think ahead to ensure safety. I found this very reassuring.

Mr. Fujimura would captivate customers and lead them forward with great energy. I admired this because it was something I could not do.

The one I remember most is the tour I organized as a marketing initiative around 2000. On this tour, we hiked the John Muir Trail in Yosemite National Park with Noriyoshi Kato (d. 2013), a leading figure in Japan’s long trail community. In 2000, THE NORTH FACE launched the Summit Series, a collection designed for extreme mountain environments. The collection’s inner down jacket, which I bought to guide this tour, has accompanied me on mountain trips around the world for over 20 years, and I treasure it to this day.

I have fond memories of each day tour I planned at THE NORTH FACE stores. I organized tours under various themes, such as “visiting water sources” and “how to read maps.” My experience in the field gave me an opportunity to understand the message Goldwin wanted to deliver to its customers.

With the components of the earth (land, water, wind, sky, and fire) serving as the theme, innovative playground equipment designed by artists was installed in the park. We planned immersive workshops and events that would engage children’s curiosity and imagination, encouraging them to think about their relationship with nature in the city while interacting with this equipment. This was a big project where our team handled everything all the way through to day-of operations.

Another memorable aspect was that not only our team but also many employees from various departments were involved in the project’s operation, allowing us to share a sense of accomplishment in the field. This experience also taught me what it is like to make a project successful by making the most of vertical and horizontal ties across the company. That sense of accomplishment felt across departments became a major driving force as we moved forward with fully developing the experience-based business.

I agree. I feel that by seeing the children’s radiant smiles, we all came to share a genuine—not just theoretical—understanding of safety management, the most important aspect of kotozukuri.

Hazards are inherent in events and tours in natural environments such as mountains and rivers. As organizers, we have an even greater responsibility. Therefore, to ensure that our customers can participate comfortably and safely, we decided to create guidelines for our experience-based business. Since April 2025, we have been organizing field events where activities are carried out following these guidelines at pilot stores designated by our Sales Headquarters. At our stores, we sell not only products but also experiences. As organizers, we can accumulate data on events and tour participants, allowing us to develop business strategies that combine products and experiences.

Ultimately, stores should not just be a place for selling products but also serve as hubs for connecting people with nature. Specifically, stores should understand the local nature and environment, connect with local guides, tourism operators, and residents, and serve as gathering places for fans of outdoor activities. Customers who initially visit our stores looking for products such as fashion items or gear can learn about trekking events organized by the store. For those interested in mountaineering but hesitant to take the first step alone, we can provide that encouragement. This is why it’s crucial for our stores to take the initiative in organizing events—to create opportunities for customers to begin their mountaineering journey. To plan events, we need to be fully familiar with the area. In addition, if our store staff personally participate in the events they organize, gaining more field experience, they will become more knowledgeable about nature and mountains. This allows them to provide the best advice, for example, to customers visiting the store for mountaineering shoes. We believe that this is the ideal way to combine our product-based business and experience-based business.