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.
About Us
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 specialises in Ultra Light (UL) hiking gear made to work especially well in the rugged Japanese mountains.
Although our gear is UL, functionality isn’t sacrificed to save a few grams. Every stich, 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 bckpack (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 Saccoche.
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 Henry 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 / Pants、5-Pocket Light Pants / Shorts、５-Pocket Merino Pants
2019
Opened the Yamatomichi Laboratory in Kamakura. 4 HIKE/LIFE/COMMUNITY events and our first Yamamichisai (Yamatomichi Hiking Festival) in Iwate.
New Products: Light Alpha Jacket/Vest、Light Merino T-Shirt、Light Merino Kangaroo Pocket T-Shirt、LIght Merino 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.
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.
夏目 彰
Akira Natsume
Founder and Director
夏目 由美子
Yumiko Natsume
Founder and Production Director
中川 爵宏
Takahiro Nakagawa
Production Manager
中村 純貴
Junki Nakamura
Sales Manager
藤田 由香里
Yukari Fujita
Sales & Support
木村 弘樹
Hiroki Kimura
Sales & Support
Stephen Moss
Sales & Support & Translation
Yuma Shimoyama
Sales & Support
Kanade Sangawa
Sales & Support
Hidenori Maehara
Sales & Support
北島 市郎
Ichiro Kitajima
Repairs
Misuzu Hirokawa
Clothing Repairs
廣野 博友
Hirotomo Hirono
Design Realisation
Mami Nakanishi
Patterns & Prototyping
今井 和美
Kazumi Imai
Accounting
Masayo Noguchi
Admin
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.
井上 京子
Kyoko Inoue
Sewing
外尾 久恵
Hisae Hokao
Sewing
吉瀬 聡美
Satomi Kichise
Seamstress
松本 貴世
Kiyo Matsumoto
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.
三田 正明
Masaaki Mita
Head of Content and Photography
洪 寶弟
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.
渡部 隆宏
Takahiro Watanabe
Chief Researcher
松本 りん
Rin Matsumoto
Textile Researcher
野々山 正章
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.
豊嶋 秀樹
Hideki Toyoshima
HLC Project Leader
峠ヶ 孝高
Yoshitaka Toge
HLC Hokkaido Ambassador & Owner of Coffee Shop Sprout
上野 裕樹
Hiroki Ueno
HLC Tohoku Ambassador & Outdoor Shop Knotty Owner
廻谷 朋行
Tomoyuki Meguriya
HLC Kanto Ambassador & Outdoor Shop Lunnetes Staff
中川 裕司
Yuji Nakagawa
HLC Kanzai Ambassador & Owner of Taninokisha Mountain Gear
菅野 哲
Tetsu Kanno
HLC Shikoku Ambassador & Outdoor Shop T-mountain Owner
林 政翰
John Lin
HLC Taiwan Ambassador
Yamatomichi Stores
Kyoto and Taiwan Collaborators
東 岳志
Takeshi Azuma
Yamashokuon Owner. Be sure to stop by for a curry next time you are in Kyoto!
Hector Home
Our man in Taipei & Outdoor shop samplus owner
Yamatomichi Friends
We wouldn’t be what we are without our many friends that help us with all the stuff we cannot do on our own.
早水 孝太郎
Kotaro Hayami
Quality and grading
土川 枝里子
Eriko Tsuchikawa
Patterns
ヤマモト マサシ
Masashi Yamamoto
Online Shop and System Engineering
イェンス イェンセン
Jens Jensen
Branding and English Support
阿部 洋介
Yosuke Abe
Art and Creative Direction
MORE
