Tsuyoshi Kodama's life's work, "Sliding Around the Earth," has resumed after a four-year hiatus. This time, the setting is Svalbard, Norway, in the Arctic Circle ( more details about the trip can be found in the book). At the end of May 2023, after a fulfilling 25-day trip, you might think he would return to Japan... but instead, he went straight to Sweden. What was the reason for this?
It was nice to get off at this small, isolated station, but..
After finishing our shoot in Norway, Kei-kun ( photographer Sato Kei ) and I boarded a train in the port town of Narvik heading towards Kiruna, Sweden.
Narvik Station, the northernmost railway station in Europe, is simple and has few passengers. There are only about four trains per day, including both outbound and inbound journeys. You might wonder why there is a railway in such a remote area, but it turns out that there are hardly any passengers and the main source of transportation is the iron ore mined at Kiruna Mine, famous as the world's largest iron ore mine
In winter, the Swedish port on the Baltic Sea freezes over, so the railway was extended to Narvik, an ice-free port. The train headed towards the Norwegian-Swedish border, enjoying the spectacular views of the fjords, which seemed too good to be wasted on iron ore
is located on the border with Norway and the beautiful fjords around Narvik.
Riksgränsen Station, which means "border" in Swedish, is adjacent to a ski resort. The station was bustling with young skiers competing in the FWQ competition that was being held that weekend, but we got off at the next station, just one stop away. It was a small station standing alone in the middle of nowhere
"Is this really the right place?"
This is the place where the name of the iconic "VASSI" series from Haglöfs, a major Scandinavian brand, originates. To be honest, I had imagined a much bigger train station or mountain
Just as I was feeling a bit lost, a stream of smiling Haglöfs friends got off the train that had just arrived from the Stockholm direction. The group that had gathered this time were die-hard outdoor enthusiasts, including riders and guides supported by Haglöfs, staff from the company's headquarters, distributors from around the world, and outdoor-related media
The person who brings together this diverse group of people is Per, a skier and event producer who was born and raised in the area.After a long journey, you might think that the first thing you should do is rest at the hotel, change in the locker room, and leave your luggage...but you're wrong
We prepared under the cold sky and immediately started hiking to the campsite.
Travel equipment not necessary for the climb was loaded onto snowmobiles and transported to the campsite. We traveled by train and headed directly into our four days of snowy mountain life, which felt extraordinary yet completely natural. It felt like something unique to Scandinavia, where playing on the snow is an everyday part of life.
After hiking for about 40 minutes, we arrived at the impressive base camp village set up on the foothills of Mount Vassi. The dining area serves delicious food made with local ingredients (reindeer, salmon, cod, shrimp, etc.), and a wide variety of drinks, including local beers, are always available
The musician's acoustic guitar and singing voice resonate pleasantly, and you can hear the laughter of people gathered around the campfire and sweating in the sauna. On the nearby slopes, young riders are building kickers, while others are kite-skiing on the flat ground at the base. They
camp together, socialize in the sauna and bar, and play together in the backcountry. Whether gathered around the campfire or hiking uphill, they never fail to exchange information about Haglöfs products. It's truly natural and passionate.
This luxurious experience continued for three nights and four days.
As a skier, I don't know of a more wonderful way to interact with others, and Haglöfs camp was exactly what I was seeing.
Through the training camp, my confidence in Haglofs has increased
Haglöfs, a historic brand founded in 1914,
has always produced excellent products with innovative ideas and technology. In recent years, the brand has taken a very important step.
Recognizing that the textile industry has not always been environmentally friendly historically, Haglöfs has begun efforts to reduce its impact on the earth. The brand joined two organizations, bluesign and the Fair Wear Foundation, and has begun to work on manufacturing products that meet extremely strict standards for environmental conservation.
Today, the brand is highly regarded as one of the world's outdoor brands that is most conscious of (and actually working to
neither an obligation nor a fad. Perhaps the basis for this is the curiosity and adventurous spirit the brand has had since childhood, as well as an undying love for the outdoors and playing on the snow.
VASSI Mountain boasts an abundance of remaining snow, but the conditions weren't the best during our stay, due to rain immediately after the snowfall and poor visibility. However, our time with the Haglöfs friends, who were always smiling and eager to get moving in the backcountry and enjoy their time in the snowy mountains, seemed to breathe life into the various goods, including the clothing bearing the H logo that they were wearing
Kodama Takeshi turns through the majestic scenery of Sweden
Since everyone here loves nature, skiing, and snowboarding, there were few barriers between them to begin with, but living outdoors together for four days only strengthened their sense of unity
And I was reminded once again that there aren't that many things that are important in life: loving family and friends, healthy nature, good food and drinks, and the ability to ski and snowboard
As everyone danced to live guitar music, I casually put my arm around the big man next to me. Looking closer, I realized I was Fredrik, the president of Haglöfs headquarters. I was
really proud to be a part of this group, and I felt like I'd grown a little as a rider and as a person who loves nature. Wearing it makes me feel closer to nature, and it makes me feel excited and kind.
I think the most important thing is to feel comfortable just being here.
I was convinced that with Haglöfs, we could walk this lifestyle together.
Takeshi Kodama
He is one of Japan's leading professional skiers. He has been a professional for 20 years, having traveled to countries around the world, including Alaska and Greenland, and even summited Mount Everest. He writes for ski magazines such as "BRAVOSKI" and "Fallline," and plays an important role in video works such as the "icon" series. "Ride the Earth," which began in 2012, has now visited its ninth country, this time in Svalbard, Norway. Just to be clear, the aluminum can illustration is not a bamboo
Instagram: skiertake0728
*You can read my impressions of the Haglofs flagship model "Vassi Pro Jacket" that I wore during this camp on the Haglofs website:
https://haglofs.jp/contents/Back_to_Haglofs_Takeshi_Kodama
■Haglofs JAPAN https://haglofs.jp/