HANG OUT VOL.3

FASHION is Everything.

Chapter 04

2024.10.31

Photo：Teppei Hori (Yasuto Kamoshita, Yuhei Murata), Takaki Iwata (Yo Shitara, Higashibukuro, Masafumi Watanabe)

Text：Akiko Maeda (Yasuto Kamoshita, Higashibukuro, Yuhei Murata), Seiya Kato (Yo Shitara, Masafumi Watanabe)

Edit：Yusuke Suzuki and Seiya Kato

FASHION HANG OUT VOL.3

HANG OUT VOL.3FASHION is Everything.

That hip person's golf fashion.

"Start with the appearance." It may seem a little embarrassing for grown-ups, but as the book "Appearance is 90% of a Person's Sentiment" has sold over 2 million copies, the information we receive through our eyes is very important. Golf, which is said to be a sport for gentlemen and ladies, is a perfect example of this, and compared to other sports, adult manners are one of the most important items. However, fashion that follows a textbook is boring. The hip golf fashion of that hip person is the textbook for golf style that Hangout considers.

Chapter 04 | FASHION is Everything.

Yo Shitara

Hiroshi Shitara

Representative director of BEAMS. Born in Tokyo. Positioning himself as a producer, he has produced a number of hits. He is iconic for his refreshing smile and navy and white golf wear, and has been playing golf for over 50 years.

Instagram @taracyan3

Tops, polo shirts, pants, and caps from Beams Golf, shoes from New Balance, eyewear from Moscot, custom-made bag from Yoshida & Co., and an original shoe bag made to commemorate the hole-in-one (all personal belongings)

A gentlemanly and clean combination of navy and white.

I always wear navy and white when golfing.

“When I play golf, I basically wear all Beams Golf clothes. Of all the items I’m wearing now, this top with the striped design is my favorite.”

Shitara, the mainstay of Beams, a well-known select shop in Japan, said this with a smile. He loves the sea so much that he started wearing blue golf wear, and now most of the colors of his golf wear and jackets are navy and white. While there are variations in the width of the pitch and the thickness of the stripes, Shitara's style is consistent when it comes to colors.

When he plays golf, he always wears Beams Golf wear.

The outfit for the day was a navy and white combination of knitwear, inner polo shirt, pants, and cap, all from BEAMS GOLF. Shitara said, "Sometimes I'll add red as an accent color, but I usually style my outfit with these two colors. It's not something I'm conscious of or particular about, it's just my preference."

Shitara's first encounter with golf dates back about 50 years ago. As a teenager, he was immersed in soccer and had no interest in golf, thinking that it was just a sport for old men. As time passed, he was taken to a golf course by a senior at his company, and that's when he started picking up a driver. He looks back on those days with nostalgia.

"I was fairly athletic and dexterous, so I was able to play to a certain extent even back then. That's why I don't think I ever had anyone teach me the tricks of golf or take lessons. I hardly remember practicing at all. I was able to play well enough from the beginning, and I just kept playing and improved. After about a year, I was scoring under 100. And then I was totally stuck in a hole."

The navy and white coordinated outfit is accented with a custom-made bag from Yoshida & Co. and a completely original shoe bag. The red accessories, which Shitara himself designed, stand out.

However, the difficult part of golf is exactly from here. Shitara, who had never practiced, had no basics and continued to play in his own way, but his score did not improve at all. "Looking back, I think I improved the most in my 50s. Then, as I got older in my 60s and 70s, my driving distance got worse and worse, and now when I go golfing with the younger guys from my company, I'm so overdriven that it's sad. So it's all about how you pick up the ball with your approach and putting (laughs)." Still, Shitara, who is obsessed with the charm of golf and enjoys playing it in his own way as part of his lifestyle, looked very radiant.

When asked who her favorite golfer is, she named British professional golfer Rory McIlroy. In addition to having a particular fondness for American culture, she is drawn to McIlroy's dynamic swing, which is hard to imagine given his cheerful and gentle personality, and his sense of style that shines through in his simple golf fashion.

Expressing your own style without being bound by convention may be one of the joys of golf these days.

Higashibukuro

Higashibukuro (Farewell Youthful Light)

Comedian. Born in Osaka Prefecture. Active under the name "Saraba Seishun no Hikari." Known as one of the most knowledgeable golfers in the entertainment industry, playing over 100 rounds a year. Best score: 71, average score: 80. His YouTube channel "Saraba Seishun no Hikari Higashibukuro's Golf School - Aiming to be No. 1 in the entertainment industry" boasts 157,000 subscribers.

YouTube Channel

T-shirt from Malbon Golf, pants from Clubhouse, Travis Scott x Nike Air Jordan 1 Low sneakers, jacket from Ghost Golf Gang x Frog Golf Gang, golf bag from Monsey *All items are personal belongings

As you can see, at first glance it is hard to tell whether she is wearing golf wear or casual clothes, which is typical of Higashibukuro.

Higashibukuro's style is to wear casual clothes even when playing golf.

Higashibukuro is a golf expert in the entertainment industry, with a best score of 71. Recently, his schedule has been filled with golf-related activities. Golf is a part of his daily life.

This has also influenced his fashion while playing, and playing golf in casual clothes has become the norm. He has far more golf wear than casual clothes in his closet, and he is an avid collector of Nike shoes, currently owning around 30 pairs. He also drives his beloved Audi to the golf course and plays golf right there. Enjoying golf in his own style is what he calls "being himself."

A special order item from Ghost Golf Gang and Frog Golf Gang. The embroidery of a map of Japan as a golf course gracefully adorns the back.

Golf is the ultimate individual sport, and it is never a battle with someone else, but with yourself. In other words, I think that "being a calm observer who looks at yourself" is an important factor in determining whether you win or lose in golf. This is exactly what Higashibukuro-san's stance is. What is attractive about him is that he is always "relaxed" in a good way, and not aggressive. And what made him start playing golf?

When he was 19 years old, he started working part-time at a driving range near his home in Osaka. He had no interest in golf and of course no experience. He was reluctantly practicing for an in-house competition. Looking back, he says it was a good environment because there were pro golfers teaching him golf, but now golf has become his "reason for living." He is prepared to quit his job as a comedian if he can no longer play golf.

By the way, his home course is the Tokyo Classic Club in Chiba Prefecture. It's easily accessible, about an hour's drive from downtown Tokyo, and as it's a high-end country club, you can play in the midst of magnificent nature, which is a great feeling.

On his YouTube channel "Saraba Seishun no Hikari Higashibukuro's Golf School - Aiming to be No. 1 in the entertainment industry," which boasts 157,000 subscribers, he plays rounds with famous golfers such as Shigeki Maruyama and Yasushi Watanabe, as well as many other golf-loving entertainers, and here too he demonstrates his natural ability to charm people. This is also evident in the project "Playing a round with a female golf fan." Everything from the way he maintains an excellent distance with his guests to the way he conducts conversations is natural and not pushy or annoying.

Higashibukuro, who says that "I'd be happier if I got a birdie than if I won at pachinko," told us about the appeal of golf. "It's early in the morning, it takes a fair amount of time to go around the course, and even if I practice, my score doesn't improve. That 'difficulty' is what makes it so appealing. But no matter how bad your form is, it has a magical power that makes you want to play again right away."

Armed with your natural communication skills and introspection, aim to be No. 1 in the entertainment industry! Aim to become a master!

Yasuto Kamoshita

Yasuto Kamoshida

Creative Advisor for United Arrows. Has played golf for 40 years. Best score is 76. Home courses are Pacific Club, Brick & Wood Club, and Higashi Chiba CC. Places he would like to visit are Augusta National Golf Club and Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Instagram @kamoshita

Mock neck cut-and-sew top by UNITED ARROWS ¥15,950 (UNITED ARROWS Roppongi Hills Tel.03-5772-5501), knit vest by MHL, pants by CELLARDO, shoes by Lambda, caddy bag by JONES (all personal belongings)

The pants she is wearing are from the Italian pants brand Celador. She is getting tired of skinny pants, so recently she has been favoring voluminous pleated pants.
The wide shouldered vest goes well with voluminous pants. It's not flashy, but it's a subtle take on current fashion. It makes me feel like Tiger Woods in the 90s.

The standard is a one-tone look modeled after US major league players.

"Tiger Woods is the hero of our generation. He was someone who made us feel like our hearts were moved when we saw his performance. It goes without saying that his swing is the most beautiful in the world, and his winning mentality is incredible. I also think that he is someone who has greatly changed the history of golf fashion."

When Kamoshida first started playing golf, it was standard to wear argyle knitwear or Baracuta outerwear. The fun of golf wear is that you can always incorporate the fashion trends of the time. Golf wear today tends to be all about slim cuts, but Kamoshida feels that this is getting a bit stale. It's refreshing to see him incorporate the voluminous fashion trends of today into golf and pair them with loose-fitting knitwear and bottoms. That's why Tiger's style when he was young is a perfect example.

The golf bag from Jones has a classic shape and chic coloring that fits in with any style. The leather head cover is highly durable, and you can enjoy the process of it changing to a deeper color. The cap from United Arrows Golf (¥5,500) has a magnet on the brim, making it convenient for attaching a marker. (United Arrows Roppongi Hills Store Tel. 03-5772-5501)

The basis of his style is one-tone, and his policy is to stick to basic colors such as white, navy, and gray, following the example of the players who compete in the "PGA Tour," which brings together the world's top male golfers. He keeps design to a minimum and dresses simply. Kamoshida's style is to "add nothing, subtract nothing," and choose delicate designs with minimal decoration and patterns. Even without using flashy colors, he achieves a presence by simply dressing simply.

He made his golf debut about 40 years ago, back when Jack Nicklaus, nicknamed the "Golden Bear" for his trademark blonde hair and known in Japan as the "King of Golf," was still playing golf. From the peak of the golf boom in the Showa era, to a time when people were saying they were turning away from golf, to the recent resurgence of the boom, the game has changed dramatically, but its essence remains the same.

The new Tilden knit, which Kamoshida is also aiming for, is a piece that you can enjoy as a set of a crack visual and modern functionality. Tilden knit from UNITED ARROWS GOLF ¥28,600 each (UNITED ARROWS Roppongi Hills store Tel. 03-5772-5501)

"The best part of golf is the feeling of playing in nature and the excitement of facing yourself and seeing whether you win or lose."

Since the launch of United Arrows Golf in 2021, the number of golfers, mainly young people, has increased within the company. Kamoshida himself plays rounds with company staff and apparel-related people about three times a month.

He is also an avid fan of golf, always checking out the Masters and the U.S. Open, and is dedicated to studying the form of top pros. One player he keeps an eye on is Collin Morikawa, who is renowned for his iron shots. He apparently uses Morikawa's precise and repeatable swing as a reference. This industry dandy is also a first-rate hobbyist.

Masafumi Watanabe

Masashi Watanabe

Director of Bedouin & The Heartbreakers. He has been involved in many fashion brands and has demonstrated his talent. He started golf three or four years ago and has been improving his score with his natural sense, and his genuine enjoyment of sports is reflected in his fashion.

Instagram @bedwinner

Vintage Pendleton coat, Timberland +81 3 shirt, Bedwin & The Heartbreakers x Anti Country Club pants, Clarks Originals shoes, Bedwin & The Heartbreakers socks, vintage Polo Ralph Lauren scarf, Cartier ring (all personal belongings)

Watanabe enjoys the things he loves, both fashion and golf, in his own way. His style is also distinctively original.

Feel free to combine vintage and current styles with style.

Appearing in a relaxed golf fashion was Masashi Watanabe, who started playing golf during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is the founder of Bedwin & The Heartbreakers, a Japanese fashion brand that offers a wide range of timeless and authentic items, and his collaborations with various genres that transcend the boundaries of fashion have been a big hit with each release.

Watanabe, who has always been at the forefront of the scene, on this day, instead of wearing items from golf brands, he coordinated a vintage Pendleton coat, a shirt from Timberland's Japan-only collection ``Timberland +81 3,'' and ``Clarks Originals'' chukka boots.

The style, which mixes American casual brands, fits not only on the golf course but in any situation.

"People often ask me about my favorite golfers or those I look up to, but there aren't any in particular. I try to wear what feels right to me at the time and enjoy golf in a fashion that suits me."

The outfit, which incorporates well-established American casual brands, blends in seamlessly with the golf course location, and the style, which makes it seem like you could just head out into town after finishing your round, suggests that the person enjoys golf freely and without being bound by convention.

Among her favorites is a vintage golf-themed silk scarf from Polo Ralph Lauren, which is elegant and versatile and adds an accent to the entire outfit.

These pants are a collaboration between Bedwin & The Heartbreakers and Anti-Country Club. The beautiful silhouette is carefully designed and finished with a double layer, making these a gem of a pair that is perfect for playing golf.

By the way, the pants he is wearing are a collaboration between his own brand, Bedwin & The Heartbreakers, and Anti Country Club, a Tokyo-based brand that promotes a new golf culture. The classic glen check pattern and the iconic Anti Country Club logo symbolize the collaboration that transcends the boundaries between fashion and golf.

While respecting the rules and etiquette of golf, which is often called a gentleman's sport, Watanabe's stylish golf fashion, as he plays a round in whatever he likes, is somehow very attractive.

Yuhei Murata

Press from Wacko Maria. Played golf for 9 years, best score is 108. The golf course he wants to visit is Kanagawa Country Club, famous for its hilly course that effectively utilizes the natural undulations. In addition to golf, he enjoys adult pastimes such as fishing and DJing, as well as the motorcycle he recently got.

Instagram @yuhei_murata

WACKOMARIA polo shirt ¥31,900, WACKOMARIA x Dickies pants ¥27,500, WACKOMARIA x New Era cap ¥9,900, WACKOMARIA x Native Sands sunglasses ¥45,100, And the Cup shoes ¥34,100 (all Paradise Tokyo Tel. 03-5708-5277)

The tall Murata-san gives off a more stylish impression when wearing it. It is an exquisite mix of sporty and classic styles.

The dress code is manly all black.

As has been said many times before, golf is a "gentleman's sport." When playing a round, there is a dress code of a collared top, pants, and golf shoes, and it is a sport that values etiquette and manners. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, golf play styles have become more diverse, and more golf courses are becoming more tolerant of dress codes. Yuhei Murata is one of the "new generation golfers" who enjoys playing in such a free style.

"When I go out to the course, my fashion is: polo shirts, pants, golf bag, and golf shoes are all Nike. I only wear US models that are not sold in Japan."

From the brand selection, we can see his thorough commitment, and his basic style is all black. The brand image of rude WACKOMARIA also has black, so we can't help but feel Murata's personality from such a link.

The work pants that WACKOMARIA made to order from Dickies are loose fitting and easy to move around in, so you can wear them without stress even while playing. You can wear them as an extension of your everyday clothes.
This knitted polo shirt features a python pattern made with an original WACKOMARIA pattern, and is made with jacquard knitting. The coarse knit gives it a three-dimensional look.

This time, he paired a python-patterned knit polo with pants from WACKOMARIA x Dickies, as seen in the picture, showing off a slightly more casual style than when he goes out on the course. The top is made of knit jacquard material, which is soft to the touch and has good heat retention, making it perfect for playing in the slightly chilly early autumn. He adds some fun to his outfit depending on his mood, adding patterns or wearing a WACKOMARIA cap to complete the look. He also chose TaylorMade Golf for his golf clubs, balls, and other gear. There is nothing wrong with any of his selections.

Murata started playing golf when he was 23 and living in Osaka. He was invited by a senior to play golf, and the neighboring prefecture of Hyogo is famous for being the prefecture with the most golf courses in the Kansai region and the first golf course in Japan to be established there. Perhaps this favorable environment was one of the reasons why he frequently played rounds at prestigious courses.

A few years later, he came to Tokyo and took a break, but then he started playing again when a friend he played amateur baseball with happened to be a golf fan. He hasn't been to the course for the past two years, but he goes to driving ranges by himself to improve his skills. When asked about the best part of golf, Murata said, "Smoking a cigarette in a vast field is the best (laughs). I don't drink alcohol during a round, but I think it's great for people who like it." Recently, there are more and more places nationwide that allow T-shirts, denim, and tattoos, and this is another point where you can feel the change of the times. It's surprising that some courses even allow you to bring your pet dog along when playing.

Inspired by Tyrolean shoes, which have their roots in walking shoes for mountainous regions, the golf shoes feature Vibram soles and were designed by Johnny Hiramoto, a close friend of his.

"I've been playing golf for about nine years now, but my best score is 108. I still have a long way to go to improve my technique (laughs)."

Generally, if you score under 100, you are considered an intermediate player, but it is a tough path to get there. Murata was an enthusiastic baseball player in his elementary and junior high school days, so he likes to move his body and doesn't mind practicing, so he plans to improve his level at his own pace.

"Unlike other sports, golf is the ultimate individual sport. There is no strategy for dealing with your opponent, and no one will stop you from playing. In other words, your only opponent is yourself. It's a battle with yourself, which is what gets me so fired up. I used to play baseball, so I can hit the ball a decent distance, but I have trouble hitting it straight (laughs). The rest is just a matter of honing my technique and sense!"

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