Snow Peak's journey began in 1958, when our founder Yukio Yamai, an accomplished mountaineer, created his own line of superior climbing gear out of the discontent for the current gear on the market. It is our birthplace and our founder's heritage that we look to whenever we sit down at the drawing board and create our next piece of outdoor gear. Snow Peak's home in Sanjo City, is in the Chūetsu region of Niigata Prefecture, which is also known locally as the hardware town for its history of fine crafted metal work. A range of mountains that rise up to an altitude of 8,051 ft. between Niigata and Fukushima prefectures with rivers and streams cutting into the valleys, flow out to the East Japan Sea. This rich environment naturally evokes a strong connection to the outdoors. For the people born and raised here, nature is a part of life. It is this place that inspired Yukio Yamai, and to this day continues to inspire all of the products that come from Snow Peak, as is still home to our International Headquarters. From 1980 to the present, Snow Peak has been run by Yamai's son, Tohru Yamai who brought the company to national recognition as a brand who inspires people around the world to enjoy the outdoors and find harmony with nature. Yamai believes that it is Snow Peak's mission to bring people closer to nature; that by spending time out of doors we find our humanity. Presently, the next generation of the Yamai legacy is being brought forward by Yukio's granddaughter, Lisa Yamai, who in 2014 launched Snow Peak Apparel. With great acclaim from the fashion and outdoor industries, Snow Peak Apparel has inspired a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts.