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サステナブルな暮らしが自然にある街鎌倉〜湘南エリアのサステナブルスポット vol1
エシカルを日常へをテーマにしたセレクトショップ「えしかる屋」
鎌倉、江ノ島、葉山という…と言わずと知れた観光スポットの湘南エリアには、サステナブルなスポットがたくさん並んでいます。
海や山など自然豊かなエリアということもあり、自然を身近に感じながら、自分らしく生活をする人たちが多い印象です。お気に入りの物を大切にお手入れや補修をしながらつきあっていくなど、サステナブルな暮らしを自然としてきた方々も多く、サステナブルな街づくりに向けた活動も活発。
今回はそんな湘南エリアの中から「エシカルを日常へ」をテーマに、ファッションアイテムから食品まで、世界や日本の各地から集められているセレクトショップ「えしかる屋」さんをご紹介いたします。
えしかる屋さんのレポートをしていただくのは、slowzコラボレーターの沖田紘子さん。
鎌倉や湘南のサステナブルなお店にも詳しく、ご自身は学生時代の国際協力の経験から、長く連れ添うような「もの」との付き合い方を届けたいとベナンの伝統生地を扱うブランド【AFRICL（アフリクル）】を立ち上げ、代表を務めています。
えしかる屋さんへは、鎌倉駅から歩くこと15分ほど。
一見、その先にお店があるとは思えない小路に入ると見えてくる、素敵な白塗りの建物の1階がお店になっています。
枕木が並ぶ外観や、白塗りの壁、
季節によって揺れるミモザや紫陽花
その見た目だけで、なんだかしあわせな気持ちになってしまいます。
素敵な外観にほくほくとしながら扉をくぐると
所狭しと並んだお品達がお出迎え。
古来から続くお茶の知恵を「今」の生活に活かしたジャパニーズ・ハーブティー
植物から生まれた金の輝き
手すきの和紙にカラフルなガラス、海洋プラスチックにアワビや真珠、様々なストーリーを持った美しいアクセサリーも並びます。
その中でも「何これ！」と引き付けられたのが「Coloridas」さんの「ビオジュエリー」
マットな金色が優しいアクセサリーたちは、実は金属ではなく、ブラジルのサバンナのみに生息する黄金の草カッピングドウラードから作られたもの。
植物ならではの優しい金色が大ぶりのアクセサリーも優しく見せてくれます。
そして、ものすごく軽い…！
これが草…と感動させてくれるお品です。
「SDGs」という言葉が認知される前から活動している本物の安心感
日本各地、世界各地から様々なアイテムが集まる、えしかる屋さん。
「サステナブル」とは名ばかり…な企業も見かける中で、本当にみんなサステナブルなの？と心配になってしまうところですが、ご安心を。
えしかる屋さんの店主 黒崎さん、プロデューサーの稲葉さんは、えしかる屋さんの前身「エシカルペイフォワード」からサステナブルなセレクトショップの運営に関わっており、その期間も含めると、すでに8年目（エシカルペイフォワードさんは2016年開業）
日本で「SDGs」という言葉が広く聞かれるようになる遥か前から活動をされており、この界隈のメーカーやブランドで、知らない人はいないのでは…という存在です。
それ故に、初めての委託販売先として、えしかる屋さんに…というブランドやメーカーも多く、ちょっと珍しいアイテムも並んでいたりします。
ちなみに、店主黒崎さんとの会話はとても勉強になるので、詳しく知りたい時は少し質問してみるのもおすすめ。取り扱いアイテムへのセレクト理由やそれが地域や環境にどうつながるのかなど、商品を通じて、私たちがどのように日常にサステナブルを取り入れていけばいいかのヒントにもなるかもしれません。
（左から店主の黒崎さん、プロデューサーの稲葉さん）
観光の中心地、小町通りや鶴岡八幡宮を通り過ぎて10分ほど歩いたところにある「えしかる屋」さん
その裏手にはレンガで綺麗に舗装され、桜や紫陽花が並ぶ通りが続いています。
えしかる屋
HP：https://www.ethical-ya.com/
Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/ethical.ya/
Facebook：https://www.facebook.com/ethical.ya
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A City for Naturally Enjoying Sustainable Living: Sustainable Attractions in the Kamakura Shonan Area vol1
"Eshikaru-ya" is a boutique store with the theme of "integrating ethical living into daily life." The Shonan area, which boasts numerous famous tourist attractions such as Kamakura, Enoshima, and Hayama, is also home to many sustainable attractions.
The Shonan area is a region with abundant natural resources such as oceans and mountains. Its residents lead stylish lives while enjoying a close relationship with nature. Many people naturally embrace sustainable lifestyles, taking care of and repairing the things they love, and actively participating in creating sustainable cities.
This article introduces Eshikaru-ya, a boutique store in the Shonan area with the theme of "integrating ethical living into daily life." The store offers a wide range of fashionable items and food from all over Japan and the world.
The store is covered by Hiroko Okita, a collaborator of Slowz. She is well-versed in sustainable shops in Kamakura and Shonan. Through her international cooperation experience during her student years, she established "AFRICL," a brand dealing with traditional Beninese textiles, and serves as its representative. She hopes to share how to coexist with items for a long time in this way.
Eshikaru-ya is about a 15-minute walk from Kamakura Station. At first glance, you might think the store is located on a small path that doesn't seem to have any shops, but as you walk along it, you'll find the store on the first floor of a beautiful white-plastered building.
Outside, there are rows of railroad ties, white-painted walls, and seasonally swaying mimosa and hydrangea flowers, which are a delight to behold.
Upon entering the store, you are greeted by a space filled with various goods, creating a very comfortable atmosphere.
Traditional tea ceremony wisdom is applied to modern life with Japanese herbal tea.
I frequently visit Eshikaru-ya, and my favourite is a Japanese herbal tea called "Konkokon."
This tea is based on the natural elements of yin and yang's five elements, "wood, fire, earth, metal, and water," and blends Japanese herbal ingredients, such as "fire" with mugwort, silvervine, ginger, goji leaf, and loquat.
Although I enjoy herbal tea, I can't imagine the taste even when I see the ingredients. So, I like to take risks to explore the unknown or ask Miss Kurosaki, the store owner, for recommendations and enjoy the selection process.
Golden radiance created by plants.
The store offers a wide range of exquisite accessories with stories, such as handmade washi paper, coloured glass, ocean plastic, abalone, and pearls.
One item that surprised me was "Bio Jewelry" from "Coloridas." These softly matte gold-toned accessories are not made of metal, but rather from the unique Golden Grass, Capim Dourado, found on Brazil's savannah.
The plant's unique soft golden colour makes these large accessories look gentle. And they are incredibly lightweight! This is the power of grass-made products, leaving a strong impression.
Genuine peace of mind in activities that predate the widespread recognition of "SDGs."
Eshikaru-ya collects various items from all over Japan and the world.
Many companies talk about "sustainability," but are they truly sustainable? People worry about whether sustainability is genuinely implemented. However, rest assured that the store owner, Miss Kurosaki, and producer Mr Inaba have been involved in running sustainable boutiques since the predecessor of Eshikaru-ya, "Ethical Pay Forward," with a history of 8 years (Ethical Pay Forward opened in 2016).
They were active before the term "SDGs" became widespread in Japan, and there are hardly any producers or brands in this field that don't know about them. Therefore, many brands and manufacturers choose Eshikaru-ya as their first consignment retailer, and the store sells some quirky items.
By the way, conversations with store owner Miss Kurosaki are enlightening and provide valuable learning. If you'd like to know more, try asking questions about the reasons for selecting items and their connections to the region and environment. It might provide clues on how to incorporate sustainability into our daily lives.
(From right, store owner producer Mr Inaba and Miss Kurosaki )
Eshikaru-ya hosts various limited-time events, such as clothing brands featuring natural materials like linen and special exhibitions introducing Japanese sustainable brands. Be sure to check out events that interest you!
Eshikaru-ya is located in a tourist centre area, about a 10-minute walk after passing Komachi-dori and Tsurugaoka Hachimangū Shrine. Behind the store, there is a beautifully paved street with cherry blossoms and hydrangeas along the way.
There are also many other nice restaurants, bakeries, and grocery, so you can enjoy a day of ethical shopping and dining in the Kamakura Shonan area. Why not take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the natural beauty and sustainable lifestyle that this region has to offer?
Eshikaru-ya
HP：https://www.ethical-ya.com/
Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/ethical.ya/
Facebook：https://www.facebook.com/ethical.ya
