Off Shore / On Shift vol.1 Half a mile of shoreline and craftsmanship.
Nanamica’s style carries the free, relaxed mood of the sea. That presence quietly blends into everyday life.
Time spent with the sea close at hand, and days devoted to working steadily with one’s hands. We visited leather craftsman Ryu Fujita, who continues to create near the coast of Zushi, Kanagawa.
Ten years woven together along a half-mile stretch of shoreline
This year marks the 10th anniversary of TRUCKIN’, the workshop and shop Fujita opened in his hometown of Zushi. The sea is always close at hand as he continues his daily craft. “I often head to the beach during typhoons, when no one else is around. It’s a good time to think slowly, and when it’s raining the fish bite well too — three birds with one stone,” he laughs. “The sea looks different every single time.” Fishing has been part of his life since childhood — less a hobby now than simply a part of everyday living. He keeps his fishing gear loaded on his motorbike at all times, sometimes stopping by the sea for just twenty minutes. “For me, the sea is always there. It’s something that brings me back to a neutral state.”
Whenever he reflects on his work or his life, he almost always finds himself at the sea. “Zushi Bay stretches about half a mile — roughly 800 meters. When I need to think, I just walk from one end to the other, back and forth. When I had just opened the shop, I would come here to generate ideas and look for inspiration. Recently, with the shop reaching its ten-year milestone, I walked it countless times while thinking about what comes next. The sea is a place where I face myself. When I was younger, it was where I gathered with friends. Now, it’s somewhere I bring my three-year-old daughter to play. Even as I grow older and my lifestyle changes, I always come back to the sea.”
“After graduating from university, I didn’t get a job — I was skateboarding and DJing instead. During that time, I started to feel something was off about the leather wallet I was using. I thought, Why this wallet with this style? That question led me to become a leather craftsman. I bought a piece of A3-sized leather and tried making one myself — that was my first craft. From there, I began training at a workshop in Tokyo, and my days of working from morning until night began. After my child was born, my life changed significantly. I used to work late into the night, but now I go home by early evening. In exchange, I’ve gained more time to think. To be honest, I sometimes feel stuck, but I believe I’m at a turning point right now.”
With his meticulous craftsmanship, Fujita has captured the hearts of devoted fans. Looking ahead, he says he wants to venture into new, unfamiliar fields. “To be honest, I feel like I haven’t even achieved ten percent of what I want to do. These past ten years have just been the prologue. From here on, I’d like to create pieces that focus more on playfulness. Recently, I’ve started studying textile work as well. I love making things, though I wouldn’t say I’m naturally good at it. Because it takes time for me to master something, I find myself fully absorbed in the process — and that’s what makes it enjoyable. My philosophy is not to let things be complete on my own. I believe leather goods are only truly finished after being carefully used and worn in over many years. That’s why I place great importance on the exchange and circulation between myself and the people who use my work.”
Fujita is wearing a shirt and pants designed with ease of movement and comfort in mind. “I still wear wide pants — a remnant from my skateboarding days — because they allow your joints to move more freely. Even now, I’m riding my bike, fishing, and doing hands-on work, so I tend to choose clothes with room to move.” He says the pants in particular strike just the right balance in width, with a natural, effortless silhouette that he appreciates. “There’s something authentic about the texture of the fabric, too. I like that they’re easy to coordinate.”
The button-down shirt, made with CORDURA®, features distinctive front buttons and a rounded hem. The wide straight-cut field pants have been garment-processed for a vintage-like finish. “I like having room to breathe, so whether it’s clothing, music, or craftsmanship, I don’t want to define myself by a single genre. I’m drawn to unexpected twists. Like when a hip-hop DJ suddenly drops a blues track — that kind of contrast is cool, isn’t it?”
Ryu Fujita
Driven by the desire to create his ideal wallet, Fujita began working in leathercraft and founded TRUCKIN’ in 2016. In 2018, he opened a shop with an attached atelier in Zushi, Kanagawa. In addition to his original items, he now produces collaborative works with shops and artists he has encountered through his creative journey, as well as OEM projects. In his private life, he is the father of one child and enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including motorbikes, skateboarding, fishing, and collecting records.
