uzla29 
Note: The man on the cover is not Fusa. But this is one of his routine – to look down into the Pacific Ocean from his house’s (office) front yard…… going through today’s agenda, organizing the remaining tasks, thinking of what to eat for lunch and of ideal lives he wants to provide to the whole world, his surroundings and to himself.
Inspiration is like finding a 10,000 yen bill in the street… hmmm….NO, let me rephrase it – it’s like when you are eating steak and happened to chew on a piece of paper which turns out to be a coupon you can use at the steakhouse where you are at but for more options.
You are already feeling good (by tasting steak) and still you are promised to enjoy it more and longer, maybe in different way but always excited.
MONTAGE EXPRESS is one of the biggest exhibitions for wholesalers and retailers in the Japanese market. The product lineups are focused on outdoor gears and house decoration products.
I was sent to this exhibition by Fusa to investigate the “market’s trend.”
Most of the exhibitors are relatively new brands in the market – they are looking for wholesalers/retailers who would carry their products at their own stores. To attract buyers, you must present your products good.
Products don’t necessarily have to be super-innovative or totally crazy. There are always demands in the market. And that demand changes if you focus on a certain target. Some people care about design, some put more importance on function. Some worry about the price……
You don’t need to hide your hoses anymore 
Reimported CASIO 
New Ukrainan outdoor gear
So I just walked around the even space without aiming particular product genre. I saw hoses. I saw watches. I saw chairs. I saw backpacks. I saw ready-to-eat-curry. I saw ……. All for unexpected luck for Horikoshi Trading.
Did I happen to receive a coupon in my steak? I don’t know yet. But I did receive a lot of information that should turns into an inspiration for me sooner or later.
Fun part about going to exhibitions is not momentary. You enjoy your steak at the event itself, then you take the chewy and sweet part home (excuse me if it sounds disgusting to you), continue chewing, THEN hopefully find a coupon that will lead you to a bigger success (or more items on your ToDo list!)
You won’t see what you want to see if you keep looking into a blank forever. This time’s exhibition gave me an opportunity to visualize Horikoshi Trading’s goals or “wanna-be.” When we see things clearly (or even vaguely) we feel like we are one step forward.
Sato Tajima – October 15, 2021