Jeep Owner Pick up!

What kind of snowy mountains do Jeep owners drive their Jeep to, and how do they spend the snow season? This is a project where a skier/snowboarder who is a STEEP user and owns a Jeep talks about the Jeep and its lifestyle. I would like to convey the charm of a Jeep lifestyle, including the beginning of my familiarity with my car and my feelings for Jeep.

---

The Jeep owner featured in this issue is Takuma Kaito, who lives in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture. Wanting to improve his skills, he is a serious skier who even goes to an air mat facility in the summer to learn air tricks. What does the Jeep mean to Kaito?

My journey with Jeep

How long have you been driving the Jeep?

I've been driving a Jeep Renegade in the Anvil color for the past six years. I've always liked dull colors, so this color was perfect for me. I thought it looked really cool

Until then, I was driving a used Nissan sedan with over 100,000 kilometers on it. After I joined the workforce, I started working and saved up money, and finally bought my long-desired Jeep

-It was a dream come true. Why did you choose a Jeep?

Ever since I started driving after entering the workforce, I've always admired the Jeep brand. It has a very American feel to it. I've been thinking for a long time about which Jeep model would be best for me. I thought the Wrangler was cool, but the Renegade was just the right size for me. If it was too big, I thought it would be technically difficult to park or navigate narrow streets, since I'm not a very good driver. The Renegade is compact and easy to maneuver in narrow streets, and parking is easy without having to worry about space, so I thought it would be easy to use and convenient

After taking a test drive, I was convinced that I had made the right choice

-What attracted you to Jeep?

I was attracted to the Jeep because of the feeling that it can go on any rough road. Also, I don't mind getting it dirty

- Were you unsure when you purchased it?

I went to test drive cars from various manufacturers and models to compare them with other cars, but in the end I decided the Renegade was the best

I was living in Kiso at the time, so I took a test drive at a Jeep dealer in Matsumoto. I was allowed to drive around Matsumoto city for about 30 minutes. I also experienced climbing a fairly steep hill, and it had a lot of horsepower for a fairly small vehicle, so I felt like it could climb uphill smoothly. Even when stopping halfway up a hill, normally a vehicle would stop for a moment when starting to move again, but the Jeep was designed so that it wouldn't roll back. I thought, "Yes, the feeling is just as I imagined."

I decided to try out other cars as well, and drove a few, including the Mazda CX5 and the Subaru Foresta, but I ended up going back to my original choice, the Jeep Renegade, which I test drove first. When I picked up speed, it felt like it moved forward naturally without me having to press the accelerator too hard, and I felt like it was a very comfortable car to drive

Renegade as a beloved car

-Since you started driving the Renegade as your car, what do you like about its performance and functionality?

It's compact but powerful, so it's the most fun to drive on the highway. I sometimes reach speeds of 100-120 km/h. The wind doesn't blow me around even when I go fast, and I've never slipped when I go to the ski resort, so I like that about it

-What about the exterior?

The round lights on the front and the Jeep's face are cute. The rear lights are crossed out, making it a really fun car

-What about the interior?

I like everything about it. The air conditioning vents are generally black, but there are some parts that are outlined in red, and the subtle details are really cool. There's a steering wheel on the passenger seat, which I think is really cool

-What about storage?

The Renegade may look small, but the luggage compartment is quite deep, so you can store gear without any problems. I put a blanket underneath and put my skis in it. The first time three of us decided to go hiking, we were able to load up three people's worth of ski gear and luggage and still make it. I was quite surprised that we could fit so much in the car, and it's still a memorable experience

-Is there anything you would like to see improved?

Well, sometimes I wish the seats could recline a little more. When I'm tired, I want to take a nap. Also, it's easy for things to fall between the seats. If something like gum falls out, I can't reach it, so I've added a pocket there to keep it in place

-By the way, how much did you spend on shopping? You said you did it after you started working and saved up some money, so I wanted to ask you about it (laughs)

It cost about 5.2 million yen with studless tires. I did take out a loan (lol), but all the hard work I'd put in paid off, and when I finally got my hands on the Renegade, I was just so happy. I remember driving on the highway for no reason (lol). I was so happy and excited, and I was so excited. I think I was 24 at the time. I remember being so excited at the thought that I could go on drives with my girlfriend or wife, or go out to all kinds of places with friends

A Jeep is something that lets you express your individuality.
I've always wanted to avoid looking like everyone else, so this is the one for me.
When I drive a Renegade, people say, "You drive a unique car."
Cars leave an impression on people, don't they?
That's why it's an important form of self-expression.

-Takuma Kaito

---

The work I've been doing to get this

-By the way, Mr. Kaito, what kind of work do you do?

I'm a nurse and I work at a hospital in Nagano City

-Male nurse...why did you want to become a nurse?

First of all, I wanted to do something to help people. When I was in junior high school, the Aichi Expo was held. There was a Red Cross booth, and there was an exhibit about the horrors of war as well as the history of how the Red Cross has saved people, and I was really moved by what I saw. I thought that I wanted to do a job that would allow me to save people. So I went on to a junior college for nursing and then to work in the medical field. I currently work in the emergency room

Patients who are brought in by ambulance are in pain, but often we don't know what it is that is bothering them. What the problem is, how quickly can we find it and get them treatment? In an emergency, every minute counts, so it's a race against time, but when we can get them treatment right away and their condition improves, I feel truly relieved. Although it is the doctor who actually provides the treatment, it is the nurses who prepare for the tests and treatment, so even these are races against time and the tension is incredible

However, I think that the mindset of pursuing the best under such extreme conditions and the high level of expertise make this an environment that suits me. Of course, there are night shifts, and sometimes ambulances come one after another, so it can be dizzyingly busy, but I think I really love this job. It's not particularly stressful, and I've never once thought about quitting, and my passion for medical support has never wavered

- That sounds pretty cool. But isn't it difficult to even go skiing in such a harsh environment?

But it's not like that. There's a clear shift system, so there's no stress, and I can go skiing on my days off, or even before my night shift. I go skiing about 30 times a season

Skiing is no longer a winter pastime, it's now the pastime of life

-What's your home ski slope?

I love parks and have a season pass to Takai Fuji, so I go there often. If I'm with friends, I also go to Komaruyama in Kitashiga, where Nagano residents can ski for 1,000 yen. If I want to tree run, I go to Madarao. When it snows, I also go to Togari. All the ski resorts in this area are within an hour, so it's convenient

- Hmm, I understand that Takaifuji is the park and Madarao is the tree, but when it snows, Togari? What is it?

(Laughs) Right. But Togari actually has quite a lot of powder skiing. After taking the top lift and walking a little, there's a place where you can get off on the other side of the ski resort. The lift supports are still there, but it's not in operation at the moment. But you can ski, and if you go down to the bottom it's about 1km long. There's packed snow in places, but the rest of it is powder, so you can enjoy a powder run of over 1km! There's even a bus waiting at the bottom. If someone comes to ski, they'll take them there and back on a round trip. And it's free!

- What? I've never heard of that. That's a rare local story! What does skiing mean to you, Kaito-san?

...It's something that's indispensable, I guess. I've been skiing since I was about three years old, as long as I can remember, so it's always been fun. I did alpine skiing in elementary school, and discovered freeskiing in university, which is where I started freestyle skiing. It's a pretty dangerous sport, and there are a lot of injuries, but maybe that's why it gets the adrenaline going and is so fun (laughs)　

I went to junior college in Kawasaki, and I used to work part-time at the indoor ski resort "Snowva Shin-Yokohama." That's actually where I learned about freeskiing and started. I saw people actually doing tricks and thought they looked cool. There was also a 5-6m jump and rails

I practiced a lot while working part-time. When I was able to do a 360 on the air platform, I was overjoyed and felt an incredible sense of exhilaration. I've been practicing freestyle ever since.
Since moving to Nagano City, I've found a place called "Obuse Quest" where I can do off-season training, and I've been putting more effort into my practice than ever before.

I also enjoy maintaining my gear. I have a dedicated space at home where I do things like tuning it up and waxing it. I'm also passionate about this so that I can improve my skills and enjoy skiing even more

-You're a hardcore skater who has been practicing seriously for a long time. That's amazing

Skiing is no longer just a winter pastime; it's the joy of my life now. I mainly enjoy skiing at the park now, and I love jumping off kickers. I want to be able to do all sorts of tricks, so I go to water jumps in the summer too

-What are your favorite/good tricks?

What are your special moves? I like Bio 720. I fly around naturally and think, "Huh? This isn't a coke, is it? Bio? I've become able to do Bio naturally!" (laughs). There aren't many people around me who do Bio, so I like it all the more (laughs). I'm the kind of person who fundamentally doesn't like to be the same as other people

- Hearing that, I wanted to ask: What board do you ride?

Right now I'm using WAPAN. I think it's HO, a center 100 all-around type. Daruma graphics. I like it. I don't want to look like everyone else! (laughs) It's light and easy to ride not only in the park but also in powder

- Of course! (laughs) Do you have a favorite rider?　

I think Tom Wallisch is cool. His way of riding rails is so beautiful. I like airs, but I also want to get better at jibs, and the way Tom rides jibs so beautifully is really cool. I often watch videos of him on Instagram

-What are your goals and aspirations in skiing?

I want to keep skiing for as long as possible without getting injured. Some of my skiing buddies are still going strong at freestyle even at around 50 years old. I'd like to continue until I reach that age too. But my immediate dream right now is to go skiing with my kids in the near future. I'd like to enjoy the park and powder with my kids

-Finally, please tell us what you value in life

I guess it means "enjoying things with passion and sincerity." Skiing is my main focus now, but I have a personality that makes me want to pursue the things I love to the fullest, and I also like to stay cheerful and positive. I always want to have fun, and I love having fun. And a car is essential for that. My beloved car is my important companion that helps me enjoy my life and my hobbies to the fullest

"He who enjoys life wins!" That's how I live my life.
I'll continue to have fun with Renegade.

---