ABOUT US

ABOUT US

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ABOUT US

We believe
Year by year
Yamatomichi Staff and Friends

We believe

We’re a small outdoor brand from Kamakura, Japan.

Our philosophy is simple:

We are hikers.

We make and use our own gear.

Then we make the gear better the more we use it.

Yamatomichi is a small hiking gear manufacturer based in Kamakura, Japan, a little seaside village surrounded by mountains south of Tokyo.

Started by husband-and-wife couple Akira and Yumiko Natsume in 2011, Yamatomichi specializes in Ultralight (UL) hiking gear made to work especially well in the rugged Japanese mountains.

Although our gear is ultralight, functionality isn’t sacrificed to save a few grams. Every stitch, buckle, and millimeter on our bags is there for a reason. Inspired by UL pioneer Ray Jardine, we believe that simpler and lighter gear increases your ability to enjoy the great outdoors.

A bit of history

Yamatomichi started in 2011 with a single backpack (The ONE) and a sleeping pad (UL Pad 15). Our gear offerings now include several larger and smaller backpacks, accessories, and an ever-broadening line of comfortable and functional clothing.

We also believe strongly in supporting the hiking community here in Japan. That’s why we put so much effort into our Hike/Life/Community (HLC) events and our online Journals. We are only as strong as our community, and our friends and fans keep us excited about what we do.

Year by year

2011
Founded by Akira and Yumiko Natsume. Our first products were the UL Pad 15, ONE Backpack, and the Yamatomichi Sacoche.

2012
New Products: MINI Backpack, Minimalist Pad

2013
New Products: 5-Pocket Shorts

2014　
New Products: Yak Wool Cap

2015
New Products: THREE Backpack, 5-Pocket Pants, Stretch Mesh Cap, Zip Pack

2016
Opened the Kamakura Factory and Yamashokuon shop in Kyoto.

New products: Merino Henley T-Shirts, Merino Hoody, Merino Wool Cap, MINI2 Backpack, Winter Hike Pants.

2017
Events and seminars in 23 locations in Japan on the HIKE/LIFE/COMMUNITY TOUR 2017. Renewed our website and started writing the Yamatomichi Journals.

New Products: Alpha Anorak, Alpha Haramaki

2018
Opened samplus store in Taiwan. Events and seminars at 5 locations on the HIKE/LIFE/COMMUNITY TOUR 2018.

New Products: UL Rain Hoody, UL Rain Pants, 5-Pocket Light Pants/Shorts, 5-Pocket Merino Pants

2019
Opened the Yamatomichi Laboratory in Kamakura. Held HIKE/LIFE/COMMUNITY events in four locations and our first Yamamichisai (Yamatomichi Hiking Festival) in Iwate.

New Products: Light Alpha Jacket/Vest, Light Merino series products including T-Shirt, Kangaroo Pocket T-Shirt, Short Sleeve T-Shirt. UL Shirt, UL Short Sleeve Shirt, Bamboo Shirt, Bamboo Short Sleeve Shirt. Merino Shirt. β Merino Shirt Jacket, Merino Knit Cap.

2020
New Products: Light Alpha Vest/Jacket Custom Edition, Light Merino Long Sleeve T-Shirt, UL Rain Jacket PU Shinsui/Sosui, DW 5-Pocket Pants, DW 5-Pocket Shorts, Merino Coach Jacket, Only Hood, One Tuck 5-Pocket Pants, 5-Pocket Shorts Light.

2021
Marked the 10th anniversary on April 1.
New Products: Merino Short Sleeve Shirt, UL All-weather series Hoody, Long Hoody, Pants. 100% Merino Light series Tank, Sleeveless, French Sleeve, Henley, Kangaroo Pocket, Crew Neck, Hoody, Long Sleeve, Long Sleeve Zip, Pullover. 100% Merino series Zip Hoody, Hoody. Light Alpha Only Hood, Light Alpha Tights, Alpha Vest, UL Mittens, UL All-weather Jacket.
Opened the English website.

2022
Developed Yamatomichi’s proprietary BLACK UHPE fabric. Major upgrades in the standard version ONE and MINI. UL Shirt’s and UL Short Sleeve Shirt’s fabric upgraded to the Shadow Rip. Renovated Yamatomichi Lab, reborn and reopened as Yamatomichi Zaimokuza. Opened the new R&D and Sales headquarters Yamatomichi Daibutsu Lab. Planning to hold the Yamamichi Festival in Shikoku.

Yamatomichi Staff and Friends

Yamatomichi began in Akira and Yumiko’s living room in 2011, but is now a small manufacturer with a close group of people supporting us.

Yamatomichi Laboratory Staff

We are based in the lovely seaside time of Kamakura about an hour southwest of Tokyo. Here we dream up new products, make prototypes and fix used gear.

Akira Natsume

Founder and Director

Yumiko Natsume

Founder and Production Director

Takahiro Nakagawa

Production Manager

Junki Nakamura

Sales Manager

Yukari Fujita

Sales & Support

Hiroki Kimura

Sales & Support

Yuma Shimoyama

Sales & Support

Hidenori Maehara

Sales & Support

Kanade Sangawa

Cook

Otake Hikaru

Photographer

Ichiro Kitajima

Repairs

Misuzu Hirokawa

Clothing Repairs

Kiyo Matsumoto

Seamstress

Hirotomo Hirono

Design Realisation

Mami Nakanishi

Patterns & Prototyping

Kazumi Imai

Accounting

Masayo Noguchi

General Affairs

Yamatomichi Factory Staff

We also have a small workshop (The Yamatomichi Factory) where we make most of our custom-order products such as the ONE and Custom MINI backpacks.

Kyoko Inoue

Sewing

Satomi Kichise

Seamstress

Yamatomichi Journals Editorial Staff

The following two people run our little online journal (for now, only in Japanese). We promise to make this available in English sometime in the not too distant future.

Masaaki Mita

Head of Content and Photography

Koh Body

Illustrations and Graphics

Yamatomichi Researchers

We love research! The below people contribute in a variety of ways to our constant pursuit of better hiking gear.

Takahiro Watanabe

Chief Researcher

Rin Matsumoto

Textile Researcher

Masaaki Nonoyama

Sandal Development

Yamatomichi Hike/Life/Community (HLC) Team

A community devoted to a life well hiked! The following people help us spread the word about Yamatomichi and organise events and local hikes throughout Japan.