Continued from Vol. 1.

--What is the origin of the idea behind Kinfolk?

Inviting people into your home and entertaining them with a meal isn't really a new thing, is it? It was common in our grandparents' time, but it's presented in a way that suits today's times, which makes it exciting and new for us today. One of the essays includes a line about "how to be a good neighbor" (laughs). This might be a cliché that your parents always told you. But it feels more like a suggestion from a friend, rather than something your parents are telling you, so perhaps it's easier for people today to accept.

--The magazine itself is very elaborately crafted.

The quality of the design is very important to allow readers to immerse themselves in the world view. For example, when there is an essay about food, you might capture a scene with a candle, a plate, a fork, and a soft light, and present it to readers, wanting them to share the moment and feel as if they were there. We put a lot of effort into creating magazines that evoke that feeling, such as intentionally leaving white space on the pages.

--Does the fact that you're producing in Portland, USA, have anything to do with the Kinfolk concept?

To borrow the words of one of our staff members who came to Japan with us this time, Portland is a "strange place" (laughs). Originally a town of artisans, artists began to move there, and a unique art culture developed. It's also rich in nature, and people live freely.

In fact, making a magazine in Portland isn't easy, even when it comes to finding talented photographers, for example. But perhaps it's precisely because it's not like New York or London that we're able to create a magazine with a different feel.

--Do you ever get requests from fashion magazines to collaborate or advertise in your magazine?

We live in an age where fashion is discussed alongside lifestyle. I also thought there might be things I needed to learn, like how to present it online. But then one day, people from fashion magazines came to our office, and I realized something. We don't dislike fashion, and their style was amazing, but creating a fashion page for Kinfolk wasn't what we wanted to do. We felt that if we were only thinking about fashion, there wouldn't be much we could do together.

Similarly, food is an important element of Kinfolk, so we're often asked about creating a recipe book. But we didn't want to just make a recipe book. There are already so many great magazines out there.

Kinfolk doesn't propose elaborate table settings, decorations, and formal attire, but rather a casual style of getting together with like-minded friends to share a meal and time.

So, we're publishing a cookbook in October, and the majority of the pages will feature people who sympathize with Kinfolk, like butchers and designers, introducing their work and giving tours of their kitchens, with recipes for their favorite dishes at the end. We want to set it apart from other recipe books. It's a "cookbook," but the main focus is on lifestyle.

--A digital version of Kinfolk is also being launched.

While the magazine will feature longer stories like essays, the digital version will be updated daily and will feature practical content like lifestyle tips and recipes, as well as video content like "Kinfolk Saturday," which is about how to spend your weekend. Kinfolk's core readership is in their late twenties, so the internet will likely be easier for them to access.

--So how do you spend your weekends?

It's ironic (wry smile), because even though we advocate a simple and balanced lifestyle, as Kinfolk has become more popular, we've become busier and busier...

In fact, in issue 9 we're featuring a feature on "How to spend your weekend away from work," but we felt guilty about having to spend our weekends editing the content. So we've decided never to work on the weekends, and we've been doing that ever since.

Another thing is fostering community, like meeting up with friends who live nearby to talk, or holding workshops to make something by hand. That's what I do on a regular basis.

--Finally, a message to our Japanese readers.

With the launch of the Japanese edition, I'm excited to think about the future developments of Kinfolk. By featuring Japan in the latest issue and presenting Japan from our perspective, I think Japanese people will also be able to rediscover Japan, and since Japanese culture is very inspiring to us, I think Japan will broaden our perspectives. I'm looking forward to it.