Goldwin has expanded by pursuing aesthetics and performance through monozukuri (the art of making things), using rigorously selected materials. Building on this track record, we are now venturing into kotozukuri (creating values) and kankyozukuri (creating places and opportunities) to explore ways to enrich both humanity and nature. As our first kankyozukuri initiative, we are currently developing Play Earth Park Naturing Forest in Toyama Prefecture, Goldwin’s birthplace, with the aim of opening in early summer 2027. This two-part article series features Kazuya Nomura, Senior Managing Director, and Hiroshi Saito, Director and General Manager of the Business Division and General Manager of the Administration Department, PLAY EARTH PARK Inc., who share their thoughts, challenges, and breakthroughs in building this place from the ground up.
In Part 2, we delve into Nomura and Saito’s initiatives in building Play Earth Park Naturing Forest from scratch, while focusing on specific programs such as moth workshops and the on-the-ground work of place-making.
Click here for “Why a Monozukuri Company Is Driving Hard Toward Kankyozukuri: Goldwin’s Strategy to Remain a Brand of Choice 10 and 30 Years from Now,” Part 1 of this article series focusing on the pair’s careers and values, and exploring the heart of Play Earth Park Naturing Forest.
Restoring Forests as a Cradle of Life
About two-thirds of Japan’s total land area is covered by forests, roughly 40% of which are planted forests. This means that areas once covered by natural forests were developed by humans, with flatter land converted into rice paddies and farmland. As Japan’s population continues to age, the number of forestry and agricultural workers has declined, leading to a nationwide increase in abandoned farmland and neglected planted forests that are no longer thinned or properly maintained. The roughly 40 hectares of land in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture—where construction of Play Earth Park Naturing Forest is currently underway—is no exception. “I want to restore land that was converted into planted forests and farmland for people’s livelihoods back into forests that serve as habitats for diverse creatures,” Nomura says with enthusiasm.
Play Earth Park Naturing Forest is designed around playful architectural structures created by eight internationally acclaimed designers. The site will feature a garden inspired by nature where a wide variety of creatures live in harmony, along with adjacent villas and camping sites. The “Plaza” building, planned as the central gathering hub, will also house shops offering outdoor apparel and gear as well as locally sourced food products. Play Earth Park Naturing Forest will be far more than a mere leisure facility.
“Children will be amazed as they discover insects they’ve never seen before, while adults will experience firsthand how their daily lives affect nature, rather than placing human life at the center of everything.” (Nomura)
At Sea or in the Mountains, Experience Is Where the Brand Meets Customers
Our experiential programs will also serve as an opportunity to connect people with our various brands.
“For example, we could offer a program that makes use of HELLY HANSEN life jackets in waterside areas such as wetlands and ponds. Canoeing, of course, requires life jackets for safety. Supporting aquatic activities is precisely where HELLY HANSEN’s monozukuri excels. If people come to appreciate the quality and safety of the brand’s products through firsthand experience, they may start saying things like, ‘Next time we go to the sea, let’s use that life jacket,’ or ‘Let’s stop by a HELLY HANSEN store.’ That’s the kind of touchpoint I want to create.” (Nomura)
When we offer settings where customers can actually use our new products, we are able to hear their genuine reactions. Feeding those insights back into our monozukuri helps us develop products that address hidden needs. Rather than focusing only on existing products, we think about what kinds of tools—such as furniture that allows people to sit comfortably in nature or settle in with a book—might enrich the time we spend outdoors. Through these experiences, people naturally begin to reflect on their own lifestyles. If the company has a place dedicated to environmental conservation, employees will be more likely to engage with the natural environment with a sense of ownership.
“We want to design this place so that visitors can experience Goldwin’s philosophy and technology firsthand.” (Nomura)
When a Child Who Doesn’t Like Insects Discovers the Beauty of Moths
Our experiential programs go beyond simply being fun activities—they are designed with hooks that can subtly shift how children behave and perceive things. This approach was inspired by the Moth Hunt Club, a workshop event held in Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, last summer.
“Children up through the early elementary years aren’t really bothered by moths. By the upper elementary grades, however, many are already convinced that moths are gross before they’ve even taken a proper look. As children grow older, they tend to absorb the common notion that ‘moths are icky’ and come to believe it themselves. On the other hand, if we engage with curiosity, saying, ‘Moths have beautiful patterns,’ or ‘They’re actually more diverse than butterflies,’ children naturally develop a positive impression. When they muster a little courage and take the time to learn about or examine moths closely, they discover just how beautiful the patterns are and begin to see them in a new light. The moment their perception shifts, their expression changes, too. Seeing that transformation reminds me just how important early foundational experiences are.” (Saito)
The experiences children have from early childhood through the early elementary years lay the foundation that will shape their character. While such childhood experiences will be the central focus of Play Earth Park Naturing Forest, Nomura adds, “We’d like to provide experiences spanning a longer time horizon, gently shifting how every visitor behaves and sees things.”
“The same place will look and feel different depending on whether you visit as a kindergartener, elementary school student, or middle school student. It would be wonderful if this park became a place where that very change itself becomes a sign of growth.” (Nomura)
Saito continues:
“I come from Noda City in Chiba Prefecture, where I grew up surrounded by water and greenery, with rivers on three sides. From spring through early summer, I was captivated by the beautiful azaleas in our garden. As the autumn air turned cool, I would savor the scent of fragrant olive blossoms. Colors and scents that shifted day by day and week by week were simply part of my life. Taking in each moment with all five senses made me truly feel alive and present in the here and now.
“I hope Play Earth Park Naturing Forest will be a place where people can take in all that nature has to offer, such as the scent of rain and earth, the temperature of the wind, and the presence of insects. And I hope that through such experiences, people will begin to notice changes in their everyday surroundings, saying things like, ‘We don’t see moths around our house anymore,’ ‘We haven’t heard cicadas this year,’ or ‘The trees in the park are starting to change color.’” (Saito)
Figuring Out How You Can Do It, Not Why You Can’t
Goldwin is new to facility operations. Although few employees had experience building an experiential facility from scratch, Nomura believed that assembling the right operational team mattered more than anything else. That is when Saito came to mind as the right-hand partner. Nomura had seen how Saito, after being appointed General Manager of the Speedo Business Department within the Business Division in 2021, boosted team morale and drew out each member’s strengths to improve business operations. PLAY EARTH PARK Inc. currently has around 25 members. The team brings together people with skills, experience, and perceptions that would not be fully utilized in monozukuri and sales alone. These individuals share the value of connecting with nature, excel at planning camping trips, and love working with children.
In managing his team, Saito keeps two things in mind.
“First, we always focus on how we can make something happen, not on why we can’t. Because this project involves building a facility from the ground up, we could easily list countless reasons why something isn’t feasible. But if there’s even a 1% chance of making it happen, I want to focus on how to turn that into reality. It’s challenging, but that’s exactly what makes this project so interesting.” (Saito)
The second thing is maintaining flat relationships within the team.
“An organization has defined roles, but every member brings different experiences and skills. Others have strengths I don’t, and some have strengths others don’t. That’s why the default stance should be flat. Rather than mechanically following someone’s instructions, each member should be actively thinking about how to make the project better. My job is to decide which ideas to go with and to take responsibility for those choices.” (Saito)
That said, the team is currently going through “birth pangs.” Turning a concept into a real program and physical space demands far more thought than one might imagine. It calls for constant trial and error and an open-ended search with no definitive answers. Throughout this process, the one question Nomura values most is: “Are the members genuinely enjoying the work?”
“We’re trying to create fun experiences for children and visitors, but if the creators themselves are constantly frowning, I don’t think anything good can come of it. Of course, there are plenty of hurdles to overcome, such as balancing project schedules and budgets against what we want to do. But when we see children completely absorbed in one of our events, it naturally makes us happy and reminds us that the hard work has paid off. Those are the kinds of moments I want my team to experience as often as possible.” (Nomura)
Saito continues.
“Neither Watanabe, CEO of Goldwin, Kimura, President of PLAY EARTH PARK Inc., nor Nomura has ever told us, ‘Don’t mess this up,’ or ‘You have to succeed at all costs.’ It feels more like we’re being encouraged to keep coming up with new ideas and giving them a try. If they had told us we had to succeed no matter what, we would likely have taken a defensive approach and stuck only to safer options. Instead, we share the understanding that this project is a long-term investment that will shape the future, which gives us the freedom to take bold action.
“When I become too narrow-sighted, I sometimes place too much emphasis on speed or end up taking the wrong steps. When that happens, Nomura steps in and hits the brakes. Whenever I’m uncertain about something, I make a point to pause and ask myself whether it’s truly good for the PLAY EARTH PARK business, for Goldwin, and for the future of children and the local community before moving forward.” (Saito)
Kazuya Nomura
Born in 1966. Joined Goldwin in 1990. After serving in the Sendai Office Ski Sales Department (1991), he moved to the Sales Group of the Goldwin Business Department, First Sales Division (2002), followed by the Sales Group of the Coleman Business Department (2004). He then served as Sales Leader for Osaka Department Stores in Sales Department 1, Outdoor Sales Division (2007), and as Sales Leader for Tokyo Department Stores (2009). He was appointed General Manager of Sales Department 1, Business Administration Division (2014). He subsequently served as Deputy General Manager of the Business Division and General Manager of the PLAY EARTH PARK Promotion Office (2021), and as Deputy General Manager of the Global Brand Business Division and Senior Managing Director of PLAY EARTH PARK (2024). He currently serves as Deputy General Manager of the Corporate Planning Headquarters and Senior Managing Director of PLAY EARTH PARK (since 2026).
On his days off, he enjoys fly fishing, a passion he has pursued for about 35 years, and goes mountain climbing with his wife. He played baseball in elementary school, junior high school, and college.
Hiroshi Saito
Born in 1983. Joined the company in 2006. After serving in the Finance Group, Finance Department, General Administration Headquarters, he moved to the Business Management Team, Business Management Office, Business Administration Division (2013), followed by the Business Team, Business Group, Speedo Business Department (2014). He was appointed Business Team Leader of the Business Group, Speedo Business Department, Business Division under the Business Administration Division (2019), and Manager of the Business Group, Speedo Business Department, Second Business Division (2020). He then served as General Manager of the Speedo Business Department, Business Division (2021), and General Manager of the PLAY EARTH Business Department, Business Division (2022). He currently serves as Director and General Manager of the Business Division and General Manager of the Administration Department at PLAY EARTH PARK (since 2024).
He has played soft tennis for about 14 years, from junior high school through his working years. He enjoys gardening and spends weekends tending to his houseplants and garden, savoring the changing scents of seasonal flowers and observing the insects they attract as small daily pleasures.
The information provided, job titles and affiliations are current as of the time of the interview.
This serial Project is intended to help shareholders and investors understand our management policies, plans, financial situation, etc., and is not intended to solicit investment.
