■ It is because you are already satisfied with living in Nagano. What made you start building bikes of wood there again?

Y: Japan is one of world’s largest forest countries and it is so natural to use woods. So “Moccle” could be a specialty of Japan. In Nagano, there are good courses for a bicycle as I tell my customers “Please come to Nagano and take a test run.”


■ You are alive so close to the good roads and can create wonderful bikes. What do you stick to when you build “Moccle?”

Y: Naught special. Only fools want to stick to something.


■ It could be misleading, sir.

Y: Let me say who should stick is the custom because they will use. If I use it, I will naturally stick to something about it. However, I will not ride what I make up. The quality is the best, of course. Then, I will have no standard templates and use no wholesale trades.


■ Namely, you are particular about creating what fits the customer, are not you?

Y: Yes. So I decide to meet the one directly when I got an order. If he says he cannot go to Nagano because it is too far, I will go and visit him. And it is okay with his saying “Sorry, I won’t order this time” after its conference. I will think it is just a trip for sightseeing and so, I don’t care. I will make a bicycle from seeing the rider.


■ So “Moccle” is not a kind of arts?

Y: Absolutely not. Then, since it is used by the one, not me, I will take aluminum if a customer of mine says “No, I want you to use aluminum, not wood.”


Interview and Text by Misaka Youhei