The Last Ride to the End of the Road
The Last Ride to the End of the Road
Overview
In this episode of Only in Japan Go, John Daub finds himself in Shibetsu, Hokkaido, attempting the final leg of a hitchhiking journey to Wakkanai, Japan's northernmost city. It is Golden Week, a major holiday period, and traffic is heavy along Route 40, the single road leading north. With the sun setting and daylight fading, John faces the possibility of camping on the roadside if he cannot secure a ride within the hour.
The video captures the tension and excitement of hitchhiking as John positions himself with a sign destined for Wakkanai. He interacts with passing cars, noting the mix of locals and holiday travelers. Eventually, a local driver stops, offering John a ride and a glimpse into local life during the busy holiday season. Their conversation covers hotels, camping, geography, and John's background, highlighting the hospitality often encountered on the road.
This episode emphasizes the spirit of adventure and the unpredictability of travel in rural Japan. It showcases the beauty of Hokkaido's open roads, the challenges of traveling during Golden Week, and the kindness of strangers who stop to help a foreign traveler reach his goal.
Highlights
- 00:02 John introduces the location: Shibetsu, Hokkaido, on Route 40 heading to Wakkanai.
- 00:37 The race against daylight begins; John has one hour before he must camp.
- 01:27 John sets up his cameras, hoping to share the luck with his viewers.
- 02:37 John holds up his sign for Wakkanai, feeling the final stretch of the journey.
- 04:20 Acknowledging super chats from viewers while waiting at a traffic light.
- 06:51 John feels the vibes that someone is going to stop soon.
- 10:48 A heartwarming moment with a little girl in a passing car who waves shyly.
- 14:31 A driver finally stops; John prepares to get in as darkness falls.
- 15:17 Conversation begins; John reveals he is from America and has been in Kagoshima.
- 16:09 Discussion about hotel availability during Golden Week; most are crowded.
- 17:16 John jokes about the situation being like "Hotel California."
- 20:05 Driver explains the bypass route via Bifuka.
- 20:45 Driver warns about the dangers of hitchhiking without being visible.
Timeline / Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction in Shibetsu, Hokkaido
- 00:37 Setting the stakes: daylight fading
- 01:27 Camera setup and sign preparation
- 02:37 Hitchhiking begins in earnest
- 04:20 Viewer interaction and waiting
- 10:48 Interaction with passing families
- 14:31 Driver stops; ride secured
- 15:17 In-car conversation: origins and travel history
- 16:09 Discussion on accommodations and Golden Week crowds
- 19:39 Route details and bypass information
- 20:45 Safety talk and camping warnings
Japan Travel Tips
- Hitchhiking in Hokkaido: Route 40 is the main artery north; traffic can be heavy during holidays like Golden Week.
- Golden Week Travel: Expect crowded hotels and roads from late April to early May; reserve accommodations in advance.
- Camping: Camping in Hokkaido in early May can be cold (around 6°C in the morning); prepare accordingly.
- Visibility: When hitchhiking, ensure drivers can see your face clearly; safety is a concern for locals offering rides.
- Route Planning: There is only one main road (Route 40) leading to Wakkanai from Shibetsu; no highways or shortcuts exist for the final stretch.
- Costs: Hotels during Golden Week can be crowded; a "grand hotel" might cost around 5,000 yen but may be fully booked.
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク): A collection of four national holidays within seven days (late April/early May). One of the busiest travel periods in Japan.
- Onsen (温泉): Japanese hot springs. John mentions visiting Sounkyo Onsen earlier in his trip.
- Ike (池): Means "pond." Aoi Ike is the Blue Pond, a famous scenic spot in Biei, Hokkaido.
- Yen (円): Japanese currency. Driver mentions hotel prices in yen.
- Yukata (浴衣): A casual summer kimono. The driver jokes about not being able to hitchhike in one (likely regarding visibility or propriety).
- Route 40 (国道40号): A national highway in Hokkaido running from Asahikawa to Wakkanai.
People
- John Daub: Host and hitchhiker. American living in Japan, documenting his journey to the northernmost point.
- Driver: A local resident living between Nayoro and Shibetsu. Friendly and curious, offers John a ride and shares local knowledge about hotels and roads.
Key Takeaways
- Hospitality: Even in remote areas, locals are willing to stop and help foreign travelers.
- Preparation: Traveling during peak holidays requires flexibility regarding accommodation and transport.
- Connection: Hitchhiking facilitates unique conversations and cultural exchanges that wouldn't happen otherwise.
- Persistence: John waits over an hour in fading light, demonstrating the patience required for this mode of travel.
Notable Quotes
- 00:02 "There's one road leading to Wakkanai, and it's Route 40."
- 00:37 "If nobody stops within the next hour, I've got to camp here."
- 01:27 "Do you feel it? Are you feeling lucky, punk?"
- 02:37 "My skin feels like leather because I've been in the sun this whole time."
- 10:48 "She was shy to say hello, but she wanted to. And she did!"
- 14:56 "I'm a YouTuber."
- 17:16 "This is a bit like Hotel California."
- 20:00 "No. Only Route 40."
Related Topics
- Hitchhiking in Japan
- Hokkaido Road Trips
- Golden Week Travel
- Wakkanai Tourism
- Rural Japan Hospitality
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #hokkaido #wakkanai #hitchhiking #route-40 #golden-week #shibetsu #travel #japan-road-trip #john-daub
Full Transcript
00:02 John Daub: Greetings from beautiful Shibetsu, Hokkaido, which is a small town north of Asahikawa where I came to hitchhike. There's no more highway, no more low way, no more shortcuts, no more roundabouts or interchanges. This is it. There's one road leading to Wakkanai, and it's Route 40. I'm on Route 40, and that direction is my destination. There's nowhere for all these cars to go except north. Everybody going this direction is heading towards Wakkanai. Whether they go all the way or not, I don't know, but somebody has got to stop.
00:37 John Daub: It's now 5 p.m., the sun is going down, it's a race against daylight. If nobody stops within the next hour, I've got to camp here. If somebody stops, I'm on my way to the final goal, Wakkanai. Feels good. Just somebody stop. Been here for about 30 minutes. This is the roadway, Route 40. As you can see, there's lots of shops, lots of places for people to pull into, but also a lot of shopping. So I'm not sure who's local and who's moving on, but a lot of this traffic, I think, are outsiders, people on Japanese spring holiday, Golden Week, going towards Wakkanai.
01:27 John Daub: I think we're going to hit the jackpot sometime soon, because the next ride is probably the last ride. Do you feel it? Are you feeling lucky, punk? Okay, let's see if the iPhone 7 is feeling lucky. No guarantees that this is going to stay in place. All I know is that I have good luck when we share the experience. So whether somebody stops or doesn't, we're going to do this together. Just one more time. All right, that should be good enough. I have a GoPro going as well to see who's going to be the lucky driver to pick up a stinky foreigner. Well, I don't stink that bad.
02:37 John Daub: Okay, here we go, folks. Here's my sign. The final destination, Wakkanai. Yeah. Feels good, doesn't it? Almost there. My skin feels like leather because I've been in the sun this whole time. Gosh, what a long day. I hitchhiked to the Blue Pond, and I couldn't livestream from there because YouTube wouldn't allow the signal to go on.
04:20 John Daub: Thanks for the super chat, guys. From Norway, thank you. There's a traffic light right now. I'm going back out there. I'm having a lot of fun, though. This will be my third ride today. So it's been a very busy hitchhiking day. I haven't reserved a hotel or anything in Wakkanai because I don't know if I'm going to make it. Might start dancing soon. Man on the road. Wakkanai. Gonna stay in a nice hotel. He hitches on the road till somebody stops. Gonna stop. Woo!
06:51 John Daub: We're getting closer. I'm feeling the vibes, the waves. Maybe it's because you guys are in here too, hitching with me. But I feel like someone's gonna stop soon. It's inevitable. Sometimes you have to push it, really get the sign into people's faces and say, Wakkanai? Sometimes it doesn't sell itself. Jeff Neal, yes we do need to have a drink together, my friend. And Lynx, good luck for the last ride out. Thank you! It just takes one person to stop.
10:48 John Daub: Somebody with a really good sense of humor who likes to talk, maybe. Wakkanai? Alright, here they come. Another wave. The car I thought was gonna stop, and then on the other side, it's stopping. Oh, cars! There's a car on the other side with a little girl and the mother's smiling, and in the backseat is this little girl. She must have been seven. She just looks at me, then looks away shy. Then she went deep in the seats where the shadow was, and then I could see her hand go like this, really low on the window. She was shy to say hello, but she wanted to. And she did! Awesome! There's a lot of full cars, no place for me.
14:31 Driver: Wakkanai, but the next town, so I'm gonna turn you guys off, so stick with me if you want to, but it's gonna go dark.
14:40 John Daub: Okay, it's gonna go dark. I'll be back in 20 minutes. Okay. Sorry, I'm gonna take that luggage. I'm a YouTuber.
14:56 Driver: YouTuber? Yeah.
14:56 John Daub: I've been in Kagoshima all this time. Sorry. I've been in Kagoshima for a month. Oh, it's been five weeks already.
15:17 Driver: Where are you from?
15:19 John Daub: America.
15:20 Driver: Oh, America. That's ridiculous. Where did you come from?
15:29 John Daub: I came here to fish. Sounkyo. Sounkyo Onsen? Daisetsuzan. Yeah. It's a nice place. This morning we went to Aoi Ike, and we came early. There's a lot of traffic.
15:52 Driver: I saw him today. He's got a drone in his bag.
15:56 John Daub: What? It's not a crime, right? It's okay. It was very beautiful.
16:04 Driver: Is Wakkanai the goal?
16:06 John Daub: Yes. The goal is Wakkanai.
16:09 Driver: I thought I'd be able to stay here, but I can't just stay here. Most of the hotels are crowded because of Golden Week. There's a grand hotel in Shibetsu. It's about 5000 yen. The price is not grand, but it's a good thing. But it's crowded now. Is there a good place to stay?
16:40 John Daub: There's a tent, but I went camping yesterday. It was cold.
16:44 Driver: Oh, it's still cold. It was about 6 degrees. It was really cold in the morning.
16:58 Driver: Do you live in Shibetsu?
16:59 John Daub: No, I live in Furencho [?]. It's between Nayoro and Shibetsu.
17:16 John Daub: This is a bit like Hotel California.
17:53 Driver: It's big. I thought it was smaller. I've never been there. Shibetsu is big.
18:07 John Daub: I think so. I'm looking forward to the building. My family lives in New Jersey. My dad is Indian.
19:00 Driver: Half of them. Half? There are many different languages.
19:14 John Daub: What's the difference? Well, it's American. It's a mix of American and English. It's a mix. It's a lot when you come from Kagoshima.
19:39 Driver: It's a little closer to the map from Kagoshima. But it's not close yet. It's about an hour from here.
19:47 John Daub: I don't know. It's about 3-4 hours.
19:53 Driver: Oh, really? It's a lot. If it's by car. But there's no highway, right?
20:00 John Daub: No. Only Route 40.
20:05 Driver: There's a bypass. It's called Bifuka. So people in Shibetsu don't go to Wakkanai, right?
20:37 John Daub: That's right. Well, I was wrong. There's a bypass.
20:45 Driver: I can't go hitchhiking in a yukata. It's a little dangerous. I can't see the sign. No one stops. It's scary. If you can't see your face, you can't stop. If you can't see your face, you can go camping. It's the worst if you stay there. I can't turn on the lights. I'm staying in a park. It's a park on the beach. We're in a park on the beach. Do you have it on the map?
22:02 John Daub: We don't have any. Just the field. Just the field.