About 20 minutes on foot from Nishi 18-chome Station on the Sapporo Municipal Subway Tozai Line. 24K YLM Sapporo has an entrance that exudes the warmth of wood, and a shiny Ezo deer plate that catches your eye. This is a directly managed store of 24K Co., Ltd., which handles Ezo deer leather products.

Behind the curtain made from Ezo deer leather, a wide variety of products are lined up, including bags, accessories, and clothing. The soft sunlight filtering in through the glass gently illuminates each product, conveying the lustrous texture of the leather.

A childhood where Ezo deer felt close to me

Inside the store, you'll find leather products such as wallets and pen cases made from Ezo deer leather. All of them have the soft feel that only Ezo deer leather can provide. The maker of these wonderful products is the owner, Kiriko Takase.

Takase-san's grandparents were farmers, so he grew up surrounded by nature from an early age. His father hunted in the winter, so it was normal for deer dishes to be on the dinner table.

"When I was a child, I didn't have a good impression of hunting. I didn't understand why people had to kill animals, and I wasn't interested in it. But eating venison gave me many opportunities to think about life."

It was as if the Ezo deer had called me

Takase-san was originally interested in fashion. After graduating from university, he started working at a small craft shop in Tokyo that handled leather. There, he learned about leather and gained a lot of experience in production, design, and sales.

However, a sudden turning point came when his father was injured in a hunting accident and, against his will, he was forced to return to Sapporo, where he was born and raised.

"I decided to look for work in Sapporo, but at the time it was said to be a time of employment ice age, so I had a hard time finding work. However, I wanted to make use of my skills and experience, so I started making and releasing bags and accessories little by little. As I did so, I began to wonder if I could commercialize Ezo deer leather. From there, all my experiences up until then started coming together. Before I knew it, I was dealing in Ezo deer leather, and I could only think that I was 'called by Ezo deer.'"

It seems that he has come this far through a mysterious connection. One cannot help but feel a deep connection between Takase and the Ezo deer, as if they were destined to meet someday.

The Ezo deer is still a "life"

The Ezo deer is a species of deer that lives in Hokkaido. It was once designated as an endangered species. Protection policies helped to prevent extinction, but now the population has increased to the point where it is damaging crops. Currently, many Ezo deer are being exterminated to control their population.

In order to cherish these lives and not let them go to waste, Takase breathes new life into them through manufacturing.

"We select leather to suit the individual differences of each deer, but this is extremely difficult. At first, the tanning process didn't go well, and we failed many times. Even products that look the same are different from one another. We hope people will actually pick up the leather, feel the texture, and then make their selection."

The first thing you'll be surprised by when you touch the leather is how smooth it feels. It feels soft and moist, as if it's clinging to your hand. It's lightweight and breathable, and the more you use it, the more lustrous it becomes, making it an item you'll grow to love.

Before being cut, some of the leather still has bullet holes and fight scars on it, and some customers even choose to purchase leather with these scars.

Although the products can be purchased from the online shop, people who want to actually see and feel the "proof of a living Ezo deer" before purchasing the products make the journey from outside Hokkaido. It seems that the number of non-local customers is gradually increasing.

The shop also has a workshop where you can see the production process. They also sell original Ezo deer leather, starting from a single piece.

The thoughts behind 24K

The name of the store is "24K", which means pure gold, and it is filled with a lot of meaning.

"When I was 24, I named my workshop "24K", and in 2012, the 10th year after the establishment of "24K Co., Ltd.", I opened my own store "24KYLM Sapporo" last year in 2024. I was happy to be able to achieve my long-held goal of "having a store by this year". 24 is a lucky number for me. In fact, my birthday is also on the 24th."

Through the "24K YLM Sapporo," which he feels such strong attachment to, Takase says, "I want to foster warm connections between the rich nature, creatures, and people of Hokkaido."

A future in harmony with Hokkaido's nature

"We have become so materially affluent that I think we will probably go back to more and more primitive times. That is why I want to think about ways for people to live in harmony with nature and living things."

Hokkaido is a land that shows a variety of different faces with each season. Humans and other living things live in harmony with nature, and are sustained by it. Takase will continue to work on this path through his craftsmanship to weave a future where we can all live healthy lives, gently embracing each other.

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24K YLM Sapporo  
電話： 011-577-8104 
住所：北海道札幌市中央区南9条西18丁目2-21 1F 
アクセス：札幌市営地下鉄東西線「西18丁目駅」から徒歩約20分 
HP： http://www.24kirico.com 
SNS： https://www.instagram.com/24k_ylm_sapporo/
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