Bringing the island breeze to snow country. We are currently holding the POP UP [Traveling Tropical Shop in Niigata].

Hello!
This is Koreeda from The SUZUTIMES editorial department.

Today, I would like to introduce the POP UP that started at the beginning of this week and is currently underway!

We are collaborating this time with "island company."
They are engaged in community-based activities centered on Koshikijima, an island in Kagoshima.

It is interesting precisely because it is different

Snow country Niigata and tropical Koshikijima.

Not only are the climate and natural features completely different, but so are the culture and food.
I felt that once again while looking at the product list I received for sale at this POP UP.

It means that every region has its own natural features and its own way of life built up over time.

This is an expression I often use in this note when introducing initiatives in Niigata, but I truly realized how things can be so different even though it is the same country.

The same goes for the scenery.

We were provided with photos while producing The SUZUTIMES (print version), and there were many photos that, just by words alone, should have been familiar in Niigata, such as "sea and mountains" or "port scenery."

However, the buildings have stone walls, there are trees that look like they are straight out of the tropics, and there is another island beyond the bridge.

The color of the sea and the shape of the clouds are also completely different.

To promote the appeal of a region, it is important to refine its internal charm, but sometimes by looking at other regions, you can see your own region.

I felt that while preparing for the POP UP.

About island company

From here on, I will also introduce island company.

We originally had a connection, and we sold their products as a POP UP about 10 years ago.

Since then, our activities and initiatives have expanded, and this POP UP and event were realized after they reached out to us asking, "Why don't we do it again?"

By the way, island company also exhibited at the Tetete Business Meeting that we exhibited at in February, so there was a somewhat strange scene where we reunited in Shibuya after a long time and greeted each other for the upcoming POP UP. (And neither of us knew the details of the previous POP UP or the image for this one! Haha)

The roots of island company are a tofu shop on the island.

When representative Kenta Yamashita faced the reality that the landscapes and livelihoods that were once taken for granted on the island were rapidly disappearing (i.e., becoming unsustainable), and that there were regions that modern systems could not reach, he began to aim not at fixing the reality, but at re-editing the systems of the villages and the island itself.

His regional development efforts, which involve not only the Koshikijima Islands but also the surrounding islands, are diverse, ranging from creating experiential spaces to developing and selling processed goods.

Along with the charm of the islands, his activities are attracting attention from various quarters.

Items sold at the POP UP Traveling Tropical Shop

In this POP UP, we are selling products that let you feel the tropics at two stores: SUZU365 (Shimogejo, Nagaoka City) and FARM TABLE SUZU (Bandai, Niigata City).

Among them, the most impressive were the 'Soy Butter' and 'KINOS'.

Both are products that seem to be packed with a way of life and sensations, rather than just being 'processed goods'.

■ Tofu Shop's Soy Butter

As one of their initiatives on the island, island company runs a tofu shop. I received a sense of warmth from this product that lies at the root of their activities.

You can spread it on bread like butter or use it in cooking. However, it doesn't feel like a typical 'substitute food,' but rather a proposal for a new way of eating that makes the most of the deliciousness of the soybeans themselves.

It is a product born from the desire to deliver a slightly richer time to modern mornings as a tofu shop that prepares for the day.

KINOS

It seems that 'kinosu' is a local dialect for bitter orange.

It is a syrup made by simmering the fruit with cane sugar, while retaining the refreshing quality of kinosu and the distinct, sharp scent and bitterness characteristic of citrus. It is a flavor that feels as if the climate and atmosphere of the land have been delivered along with it.

We also recommend the craft cola syrup (kitrus), which combines even more island ingredients.

It is an item that is great not only mixed with sparkling water, but also enjoyed for its aroma when mixed with hot water, or enjoyed with whiskey for a more mature flavor.

We will also hold a talk event on June 7th

As a finale to the POP UP, we will also hold a talk event inviting Kenta Yamashita to Niigata.

I hope that through this talk event, you will be able to feel that this POP UP is not just a 'sales event'.

○PREMIUM GASTRONOMY DINNER
'THE FUTURE TABLE TALK SESSION - Reorganizing the infrastructure of daily life to create the Japan of 100 years from now -'

Date and Time: June 7, 2026 (Sun) 18:00-20:00
Location: FARM TABLE SUZU
Participation Fee: 8,000 yen (includes special course meal and a toast drink)
Capacity: 30 people (reservation required)
The reservation form is here.

During the talk event, I hope to have a candid discussion about topics such as:
・How to engage with a region
・Living in an island environment
・Why work in a region now?

Finally

I wrote that it's "not just a sales event," but...
Of course, I also have a strong desire to simply introduce delicious and attractive items from all over the country!!!!!!

I believe that this ultimately leads to encounters with regions and helps support them.

I would be happy if you could take this opportunity to visit the store, stop by the ongoing POP UP, or browse the Yamashita Shoten online shop to feel the tropical breeze.

See you next week!

Koreeda