KAZUNARI SAKO
2001年クリエイト集団「ヒッコリースリートラベラーズ」を結成。上古町商店街の店舗などを拠点に、新潟らしい商品開発やデザインなどを展開する。地域に根ざしたデザイン活動でグッドデザイン賞も受賞。
He founded a creative group, hickory03travelers, in 2001, which develops and designs products having the color of Niigata and is based in shops in Kamifurumachi Shopping Street and other places. Their designs originating in the local area received a Good Design Award.
Q.1
お友達を紹介したい私的新潟名所は？
Q.1
What is your favorite place in Niigata where you’d want to show your friends around?
古くて新しい「上古町商店街」は老舗や個性的なお店、オシャレなお店が立ち並ぶ門前エリア。古町通りに交差する雰囲気のあるいくつもの小路を眺めつつ、スイーツを食べたり、雑貨屋を巡ったりと楽しめます。
The old and new Kamifurumachi Shopping Street is an area where long-established stores, unique shops and fashionable stores gather. You can enjoy eating sweets and looking around the various sundry goods shops while viewing the many atmospheric alleys that cross the Furumachidori street.
Q.2
あなたにとって「新潟の味」と言えば？
Q.2
What is “the taste of Niigata” for you?
福岡出身の僕にとって衝撃的だった「みかづき」の「イタリアン」。やきそば風のソフト麺にミートソースが乗った不思議な食べ物です。新潟人にとっては普通ですが、僕は8年くらいかけてこの味を好きになりました。
Italian of Mikazuki was shocking to me, someone who was born in Fukuoka. It is a strange dish of soft noodles which resembles yakisoba (fried noodles) and meat sauce. It is a common food for Niigata people, but it took about 8 years for me to gradually became fond of it.
Q3.
新潟でNo.1だと思うおにぎり屋さんは？
Q.3
Which do you think is the No.1 rice ball shop in Niigata?
家のおむすびが一番好きなので、実はあまりおむすび屋さんで食べることがないのですが、新潟はやっぱり米がうまい。上古町の「おむすびや百」は不定休ですが、開いていればラッキーってことで、おいしいですよ。
I like my home-made rice balls the best, so I rarely eat rice balls at omusubi shops, but I think rice is delicious in Niigata. Musubiyamomo in Kamifurumachi is closed irregularly, so it is lucky if it is open. Their rice balls are good.