OWN INTERVIEW CONTENTS Vol.21 Honda (Hakone Suisen / Feeverbug / JLC)
OWN (hereinafter, O ): First, please tell us about Honda's profile!
Honda (hereafter referred to as H): I used to be the owner of a second-hand bookstore, and now I'm the manager of a hot spring inn called Hakone Suisen.
Having the title of manager is really cool (laughs).
HSo far, the name doesn't quite live up to it (laughs).
The second -hand bookstore you mentioned is Feeverbug , right?
HThat 's right.
What state is Feeverbug in now ?
HIt 's currently on hiatus.
I 've had the opportunity to visit the Tsunashima store, and it was an interesting second-hand bookstore with a skate deck at the entrance and a wide selection of music-related merchandise. What was the concept behind Feeverbug ?
At first, I had the concept of using an ordinary used bookstore in town as the base, hiding things I like and things that would seem out of place in a used bookstore, to shock customers who happen to walk in and to instill a mild trauma in local kids, but before I knew it, it was just overflowing with strange things ... It got out of hand ... ( laughs) . We even held music events in the store ... ( laughs) . It was a lot of fun though (laughs) . By the way, the name Feverbug was coined by Kawanami from UG MAN , who I asked him to come up with, and it's a made-up word: Fever = fever, Bug = insect. Tropical insects have impossible colors and shapes and are quite strange, don't they? It also has a reference to bookworms, which is an exquisite link to the concept, so I really like it.
O Do you have any memorable memories from your time with Feeverbug ?
I was very happy that it functioned as a place for people to meet and interact, and it was rewarding. I feel that the song " Feeverbug ," which R61Boys rapped over a BUSHMIND track, was a symbol of that, and I'll never forget how moved I was when I heard it for the first time. Also, I first met Tsukue-kun (dsq), who now works with me at Suisen, when he came as a customer (laughs) .
O I see. How did you go from Feeverbug to Suisen?
H : As expected, there was a gap between my original concept and reality, and I was at a standstill. That's when I heard about the Suisen Project, and since I had never even considered working in the accommodation industry, I thought about it for a long time, but I decided to participate, thinking that I could use the strengths of being inexperienced and the skills I had cultivated up until then to create a unique lodging facility.
Hakone is a hot spring mecca, isn't it? I'd like to know what makes Suisen different from other hot springs.
As I said before, I 'm a complete novice when it comes to the accommodation industry, but when I thought about what concept Suisen should have, the first thing that came to mind was " a free space. " For example, at a ryokan that includes meals, you have to act according to meal times, which can limit what you can do.
Oh , that's true. I have to get up in the morning to clean up.
H : That's right. That's why we wanted to eliminate as many of the hassles that guests might find bothersome when staying at Suisen. We wanted to create a place like a villa where guests could relax freely.
OIf you're staying overnight, there are bound to be people who want to relax.
We provide the necessary amenities to help you relax , and then you can relax and enjoy your time at your leisure. Our staff act as concierges to make this possible.
O Honda-san, is there any content that you recommend?
First , there's the lounge room on the second floor. There are quite a few records and cassette tapes brought from home. Because the software is analog, the equipment is a DENON turntable, a YAMAHA cassette deck, a SANSUI integrated amplifier, and DIATONE speakers, and everyone is welcome to try them out. Some older people are nostalgic, while younger people are excited to try them out for the first time.
That 's great. It's quite novel to be able to enjoy something like this at a place you're staying.
Another thing we would like you to do is make use of the shared kitchen / dining room.
I thought it was quite new to have an inn with a dining room.
At H Suisen, we offer a complimentary breakfast of freshly baked bread, specialty coffee, soup, and soft drinks, but we do not provide dinner, so you can eat out, bring your own food, or cook in the shared kitchen / dining room.
It's a style similar to private lodging.
I think this style is common in H guesthouses and private lodgings, but it may be rare in hot spring inns.
I also thought it was unique that there was a lot of art on display.
Hakone has many art museums and has a strong connection with art.
There are also famous art museums, such as the Hakone Open-Air Museum.
But there's a lot of classical art, or the kind you'd find in a textbook. Of course, that doesn't mean it's bad, and I want people to experience the art that I like and am familiar with, so I have many of the works on display in the museum. I would like to hold an art show at Suisen in the future.
I think it's a really interesting attempt!
The artists exhibiting at H Suisen ( DISKAH , JOJI NAKAMURA , Matsui Ippei, MOTOY , Abe Ken, Oshiba Yusuke, NOISE , UC EAST , KTYL , NEUDAZE ( titles omitted)) are constantly creating artworks as part of their daily lives and as their life's work. I think what's great about current art is that you can talk directly with the artists. You can't talk to the great people in your textbooks. That's why I want to create such an opportunity / art show.
To borrow Honda 's words from earlier, there are so many people who go about their lives without knowing about things that aren't in textbooks. It's hard to know about them.
H: I think it's good to have a variety of genres, styles, values, and perspectives in Hakone, where there are so many art museums and so many people interested in art. I also hope that this lounge room will be a place where customers can meet and socialize. I'd be very happy if that opportunity was sparked by records or artworks like this.
I think it 's great! It all depends on the location.
I think that 's something that's common to Feverbug . It's a place for meeting and socializing, and with craft beer available, it's great to have something that makes you want to talk to a stranger, even if you're a little tipsy.
What did you think of the kitchen and lounge?
A customer who used the restaurant the day before yesterday brought in some ingredients and enjoyed hotpot with his family. A couple I saw before that had the door open and were playing records in the lounge while making curry in the kitchen (laughs).
O It's the best (laughs). By the way, you have a particular preference for hot springs, right?
Being an H Onsen Ryokan, we have baths that we can recommend with confidence! First of all, it may not be widely known, but hot springs are perishable and lose their freshness over time, but at Suisen, the hot spring water is directly drawn from its own source, so it is extremely fresh. Our specialty bath is the "Nano Bubble Hot Spring," which mixes the hot spring water with nano bubbles ( ultra-fine bubbles ) that are one billionth of a meter in size.
Oh ! What are the benefits of mixing hot spring water with nanobubbles?
To put nano -sized bubbles in simple terms, they are 1/80th the size of a hair, which means they are smaller than your pores. Furthermore, because these nanobubbles are so tiny, they have little buoyancy and remain suspended in the water without rising or bursting, further promoting the natural reducing action of hot springs, making the health and beauty benefits even more effective. That may not be very clear to you (lol). But if you try it for yourself, you will be able to feel the difference in the hot bath effect and the feel on your skin. Suisen is the only hot spring facility in Hakone that uses nanobubbles, and they are extremely rare nationwide, so I would definitely recommend you try it for yourself. It's a bath that we are proud to recommend!
Many of Honda 's friends also come to Suisen!
Among those interviewed by HOWN are Imazato-san , Enoshi-kun , Oshiba-kun , and ikm-kun, who came to visit us at last year's "Ambient Hot Springs" event. Also, GAHO , who designed the Suisen logo, and CHANGYUU & BABYSITTER, who helped with opening preparations. I'm so grateful for so many people, too many to mention: Kawanami-san, DISKAH- san, Murakami-kun from WACKWACK , Matsui Ippei-kun & AKI TSUYUKO- san, KAK- kun (86ed/JLC) , Sakai-kun (OMR) & AIMI -san, ERA , BUSHMIND , KRBT , NOISE , YANG (FIO) , HANDS&CHIKA (BROWNBAG) , Teramachi-kun ( Maboroshi no ko ) , and so many more ... The year we opened Suisen was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many things didn't go as planned, but having so many friends come was truly encouraging.
O OWN also used it as a location for their upcoming 2023 SPRING/SUMMER collection. Thank you so much!
H: I'm really happy that you asked me to do this. It was also the first time I saw Ooshiba-kun working as a model, so I was really impressed. He's just like the normal Ooshiba-kun (laughs). And in the photos, he has that sexiness. He's really cool.
At O , we use OWN sunglasses, but how do you find them to use?
I use #01 sunglasses and find them very useful. I usually wear SHURON 's SIDEWINDER and FREEWAY as prescription glasses, and these have a similarly classic design that suits my taste. They've become a favorite item that I always wear when I'm in the car.
I 'm so happy! Finally, if you have any information, please let me know!
This is the first time I've spoken about how we went from Feeverbug to Suisen in a forum like this, but I think everyone who came to visit Feeverbug will enjoy Suisen, so please do come and visit us (laughs). We've filled up our hot springs with our pride and joy and look forward to your visit!
[INFO]
Hakone Suisen
〒250-0405
254 Ohiradai, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
https://www.suisen-hakone.com/
Instagram @suisen_hakone
