Back on the Road
Back on the Road
Overview
In this episode, John Daub returns to the roadside for another hitchhiking adventure in Tottori Prefecture. After waiting out a rainstorm, he positions himself between Yonago and Tottori City, hoping to catch a ride toward his destination. The weather is less than ideal, with clouds obscuring the majestic Mount Daisen, but John remains optimistic about the journey.
After many cars pass by, John finally catches the attention of a local woman named Aki driving a large truck. What follows is a warm conversation inside the cab about travel, local culture, and food. They discuss the region's fame as an anime hub, home to the creators of Detective Conan and GeGeGe no Kitaro, and touch on local ramen styles.
This video captures the spontaneous nature of hitchhiking in Japan and the kindness of strangers. It highlights the cultural pride of Tottori residents regarding their prefecture's contributions to pop culture, while showcasing the reality of travel when plans meet weather and chance encounters.
Highlights
- 00:03 John sets up cameras on the roadside after the rain stops.
- 02:32 John spots Mount Daisen covered in clouds.
- 07:04 After 100 cars pass, John finally gets a ride.
- 10:23 John climbs into a huge truck with driver Aki.
- 12:46 Aki explains Tottori is a city of animation (Conan, GeGeGe no Kitaro).
- 14:36 Discussion about ramen styles and beef bone broth.
Timeline / Chapters
- 00:00 Intro & Setup
- 02:30 Location Context (Yonago/Tottori)
- 07:00 Getting a Ride
- 10:20 Inside the Truck with Aki
- 12:40 Anime Culture in Tottori
- 14:30 Ramen Conversation
Japan Travel Tips
- Hitchhiking Etiquette: Stand where vehicles can safely pull over. John notes the difference between spots for small cars vs. big trucks.
- Weather Preparedness: Rain can stop traffic flow; wait for safe conditions before standing out.
- Tottori Anime Tourism: The prefecture is famous for Detective Conan (Gosho Aoyama) and GeGeGe no Kitaro (Shigeru Mizuki). Look for related museums and statues.
- Regional Ramen: Tottori has unique ramen styles. Ask about broth types (tonkotsu vs. beef bone).
- Mount Daisen: Known as the "Mount Fuji of the West." Visibility depends on weather; clouds often obscure the peak.
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Mount Daisen (大山): Often called Daisen Fuji. It is the highest mountain in the Chūgoku region.
- Anime Tourism: Tottori promotes itself heavily based on its famous manga artists. Gosho Aoyama (Conan) was born in Hokuei, Tottori.
- Tonkotsu (豚骨): Literally "pig bone." Usually refers to pork bone broth ramen (common in Hakata). John questions Aki about "beef bone" vs. tonkotsu, highlighting potential confusion or regional variation.
- BS TV: Refers to Broadcast Satellite television, common in Japan for specialized channels.
Food & Drink Guide
- Ramen (ラーメン)
- Type: Beef bone broth (mentioned by Aki), though John questions if it is tonkotsu (pork bone).
- Location: Aki works at a ramen shop in Tottori.
- Context: 14:36
- Note: Tonkotsu is typically pork. Beef bone broth is less common but exists.
People
- John Daub: Host. Hitchhiking through Tottori Prefecture. Enthusiastic about connecting with locals.
- Aki: Local driver. Works at a ramen shop in Tottori. Lives in Yonago. Kindly picks up John despite the rain and language barrier.
Key Takeaways
- Hitchhiking requires patience; John waited through roughly 100 cars before getting a ride.
- Locals are often proud of their region's cultural contributions (anime).
- Weather impacts travel significantly, but persistence pays off.
- Casual conversations in rides can reveal unique local insights (food, work, culture).
Notable Quotes
- 01:08 "Hitchhiking is about being out here on the road. And just because the weather stinks, that doesn't mean you stop."
- 02:32 "Right over there, covered in clouds, would be Mount Daisen—the Mount Fuji of the West."
- 07:04 "I'd say about 100 cars have gone by, but about 15 of them have gone in there and they've seen me."
- 12:54 "Tottori prefecture is a city of animation. GeGeGe no Kitaro, and Conan."
- 14:36 "Ramen? Wow! That's amazing! Ramen shop. What ramen do you use?"
Related Topics
- Hitchhiking in Japan
- Tottori Prefecture Travel
- Anime Pilgrimage Sites
- Regional Ramen Styles
- Mount Daisen Hiking
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #tottori #yonago #hitchhiking #mount-daisen #anime #conan #gegege-no-kitaro #ramen #travel #japan-roadtrip #spring #truck #local-culture
Full Transcript
00:03 John Daub: Alright everybody, it's John. I'm broadcasting from the iPhone 6 Plus. The quality might be different than the iPhone 7 Plus, but I'm back out here to do it again. The rain has stopped. It's not actually an ideal spot to be hitchhiking on the roadside. Basically, I got out of big trucks—I'm dying by kicking up water from the road. There's a place for them to stop where I was holed up when it was raining. Here goes another big truck. There's a place for small cars to pull in on the left, and big trucks, I don't know if they can stop because they're flying by this place.
01:08 John Daub: Now my friend who brought me here, I stayed at her family's house for the last several nights. She's working in Tottori City and she might come by here to pick me up, which would be perfect. But I don't want to bother her. I want to keep on going if I can. That's the name of the game. Hitchhiking is about being out here on the road. And just because the weather stinks, that doesn't mean you stop. You keep going until you get to your destination. That's what we do.
01:40 John Daub: I have a GoPro set up there to record for the video for the Kickstarter campaign, so I have some good video. And then I got this going for you as backup. You might get some water spitting up onto the camera here for effect. But I'm going to be out there hitching. All these cars going by, they see me talking to the camera and I'm missing my ride. So I better get out there. Wish me luck. We're going to Tottori today.
02:32 John Daub: Feels very, very good. After sitting inside for a couple hours, this feels awesome. Here comes a pink truck—it's going by fast. The first 20 cars didn't stop. That's all right. That's normal. This area I'm at, it's right in between Yonago and Tottori. That means that right over there, covered in clouds, would be Mount Daisen—the Mount Fuji of the West. But today it's not going to be there. Just me and the crows, some really fast cars. I'm so stoked right now. It's nice to be out on the road. I'm literally between Yonago and Tottori, so it's less than an hour from here.
07:04 John Daub: I had this GoPro attached to a sign up there. Here come some more cars. Bring it. I'd say about 100 cars have gone by, but about 15 of them have gone in there and they've seen me. Sometimes they'll come over and call me over. That's how it works and say, I'm going that way. So I'll keep this going for our trip. Someone's got to stop. It's starting to rain a little bit again. The clouds are getting dark. Oh, somebody's calling me over. I got a ride. It's a very nice lady. This is cool.
10:23 John Daub: Thanks for picking me up. Wow, a truck. It's huge. A big truck.
10:50 Aki: Yes, I am.
10:52 John Daub: Oh, okay, I'll get to Hokkaido.
10:54 Aki: Hokkaido? We're going to Hokkaido.
11:00 John Daub: You're going to Hokkaido? I'm going to Yonago today. How are you doing? I came all the way here. I have a friend. I'm going to Tottori, look around a bit, and then go to the next town.
11:12 Aki: Are you from Tottori?
11:16 John Daub: I live in a place called Kurayoshi.
11:21 Aki: I'm going to go to my house and get ready for work. Then I'll go to Tottori.
11:29 John Daub: Your Japanese is very fluent. I've always lived in Japan. And Tokyo.
11:36 Aki: How many years have you lived in Tokyo?
11:38 John Daub: Wow! 12 years in Tokyo? I lived in Hiroshima, so it's a little close.
11:46 Aki: What's your name?
11:51 John Daub: Aki.
11:52 Aki: Nice to meet you.
11:53 John Daub: Nice to meet you too. It's hard because it's raining. It's really hard.
12:02 Aki: Is this near Daisen?
12:07 John Daub: It's near Daisen. This is the corner of Daisen.
12:14 Aki: Daisen is pretty far away.
12:16 John Daub: Oh, it's far? I thought it was close.
12:20 Aki: Daisen is over there.
12:24 John Daub: Did you go to Daisen?
12:26 Aki: I went to a BS TV show last year. It's a show called Daisen Wonder.
12:46 John Daub: Do you know animation? You don't know Conan? It's a city of animation.
12:54 Aki: Here? Tottori prefecture is a city of animation. GeGeGe no Kitaro, and Conan.
13:16 John Daub: Conan? This city?
13:19 Aki: Wow! I'm here. This is interesting. This is a wonderful city.
13:42 John Daub: How do you sleep in Tottori?
13:45 Aki: I live with my friends in Yonago. I stayed there for three days. I have a tent now. If no one picks me up, I stay in the tent. I'll do my best the next day. Everyone picks me up. They are kind. Tottori.
14:04 John Daub: I live in Tottori because I work there.
14:16 Aki: I work at a ramen shop. Do you know ramen?
14:36 John Daub: Ramen? Wow! That's amazing! Ramen shop. What ramen do you use?
14:44 Aki: Beef bone.
14:45 John Daub: Beef bone! It's not tonkotsu, is it?
14:49 Aki: Yes.
14:54 John Daub: Wow! Are you going to Tottori today?
15:00 Aki: I'm going to work in Tottori.
15:03 John Daub: Wow! It's really a long way from Yonago to Tottori.
15:17 Aki: Yes, it's just in the center of Tottori and Yonago.