MOBY introduces an article written by a writer who actually enjoys staying in the car and camping car from the web magazine DRIMO, which distributes outdoor and car travel information such as camping, staying in the car, van life, etc. To do. *The contents of the following article are quotes and references from DRIMO
MYS Mystic, known for its unique appearance and cute interior, is known for its popular Registro and Anseie.
In fact, its roots are in track campers = torakan.
Let’s take a look at the company, which recently expanded its lineup to include trailers.
It all started with an interest in American trucks
The president of the company, Tadashi Sato, is a big fan of American trucks.
Mystic got its start when I fell in love with the charm of the Toracan, which transforms into a camper just by popping it on the carrier.
It was about 30 years ago that I started selling.
At first, they imported and sold American-made truck campers such as the Lance, but of course they were sized to fit American-made trucks. As it is, it cannot be installed in domestic vehicles.
In 1999, President Sato developed the J-cabin truck camper made in Japan.
During the development, it was not enough just to match the size to domestic cars.
Most American-made tiger cans have a wooden frame and aluminum exterior structure, but there were problems such as corrosion when used in Japan, where humidity is high.
Therefore, we chose the combination of aluminum frame and aluminum exterior. The company has devised a method that it calls the “Bodypass Method”.
This is a unique construction method that excels in strength and durability, and is still used in the manufacture of all kinds of products.
Since J-cabin, Mystic has produced various models, from cab-over trucks for trucks sold in Japan to those for light trucks.
However, the Torakan market in Japan is very limited. This is because the scale of the “truck market” is overwhelmingly different compared to the United States.
In the United States, pickup trucks are really advantageous in terms of vehicle prices and taxation. Looking at the number of new cars sold in 2019, while passenger cars were about 4.81 million units, pickups were about 12.34 million units, nearly triple the sales volume.
In Japan, on the other hand, the tax system is rather disadvantageous. Since sales of pickup trucks are limited, the market for Torakan will naturally be very limited.
However, the J-cabin series, such as for Toyota Hilux, is still ongoing. The company’s roots are well protected.
Even if the product range is expanded, it is “dedication” that is still alive
While continuing to manufacture tiger cans, Mystic has begun to produce products of various genres such as van con, light campers, and cab con.
Now it has grown into a comprehensive camper builder that boasts a wide range of lineups.
Of course, the background is the know-how and technology cultivated in Toracan manufacturing.
First of all, all of the company’s products are sticking to “technical” to the point of naivety.
The company’s web page states, “The primary mission of our vehicles is to aim for the ultimate in weight reduction.” In fact, no matter what product you look at, you can see the attention to detail in each place.
The most typical example is probably the original body pass construction method.
This construction method, which started with Tracan and has been handed down to Registro and Anseier, is really labor intensive.
Let me explain. First is the frame. Unlike wood, which can be easily cut and assembled with glue or wood screws, an aluminum frame must be welded.
At that point, the labor and cost are much higher than wood. However, in terms of weight, strength and durability, this is a non-negotiable.
Furthermore, as you can see from the design of the Registro, there is a curve in the body part.
As a result of sticking to a lovely appearance, the aluminum frame was also curved, and the exterior aluminum was installed accordingly. The same is true for the heat insulating material installed inside. What can I say without saying that this is a commitment.
Of course, new vehicles and options cannot be given the GO sign unless President Sato himself repeatedly tests them. We can’t commercialize it until he’s satisfied.
After all, even if you are at home, you sleep in a truck camper … Because you are such an enthusiastic camper fan, it is not difficult to imagine that the thorough user’s perspective is strict.
Dare to do what no one else does
“We are a latecomer, so we have to target a niche,” says Sato modestly. The company’s stance even seems to dare to take on a difficult challenge.
For example, the unique appearance of the Anseie and Registro, which represent the company in recent years.
“Anseie” is based on a straight line and the front of the bank is a reverse slant.
In recent years, when curved surfaces are often used, it is a design that stands out, and there is also the advantage that the ceiling height of the bunk bed is high.
While it was said that curved surfaces were difficult, through repeated trial and error, we managed to create cute dome-like designs for the previously explained “Registro” and “Registro Owl.”
On top of that, the company’s latest challenge is the “trailer.”
The small camping trailer “Registro Cuco” was born from the idea of ”wanting to popularize the low-cost “trailer” that allows you to easily jump into the camper life.”
In order to do that, President Sato said, “We need a small trailer that matches the road conditions in Japan.”
*There are restrictions on options due to weight.
Mystic continues to create products that are thoroughly user-friendly, not just in terms of design that “looks a little different from others”.
It can be said that there are many repeaters who say “The next camper will be Mystic” because of that attitude.
Writer: Ryusei Watanabe
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