Driving the Ibaraki Countryside First Time behind the Wheel
Driving the Ibaraki Countryside First Time behind the Wheel
Overview
In this episode, John Daub takes the wheel for his first live stream drive on the Only in Japan Go channel, exploring the scenic countryside of Ibaraki Prefecture. Accompanied by fellow presenter Dean Newcomb, John navigates narrow rural roads in a rental Toyota, showcasing the realities of driving in Japan compared to the United States. The duo picked up their vehicle at Ibaraki Airport, praising the ease of the rental process and the relaxed atmosphere of the regional airport.
The video captures the crisp winter atmosphere of the region, with temperatures hovering near freezing and recent snowfall adding to the landscape. A highlight of the drive is the clear view of Mount Tsukuba, one of Japan's famous hyakumeizan (100 famous mountains). John also takes the opportunity to deploy his DJI Mavic Pro drone, capturing aerial footage of the car moving through the fields, demonstrating how technology enhances travel documentation.
Beyond the drive, the episode serves as a introduction to Dean Newcomb, who shares details about his own work on Journeys in Japan and his adventure series Runaway Japan. The conversation touches on cultural perceptions, accents, and the upcoming plan to visit a kaitenzushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant, setting the stage for future content. This video is a practical look at rural travel logistics and the camaraderie between long-time Japan-based content creators.
Highlights
- 00:00:00 John introduces the episode and his co-pilot Dean Newcomb.
- 00:00:49 Revealing the rental car: a Toyota Mark X.
- 00:02:43 Discussing the winter weather and recent snowfall in Ibaraki.
- 00:03:57 Navigating narrow countryside roads without center lines.
- 00:04:31 Spotting Mount Tsukuba in the distance.
- 00:05:10 Explaining the rental car pickup process at Ibaraki Airport.
- 00:06:35 Planning drone shots over the fields.
- 00:08:44 Showcasing the DJI Mavic Pro drone setup.
- 00:09:17 Dean reveals he is from the UK, not Australia or New Zealand.
- 00:11:44 Dean promotes his adventure series Runaway Japan.
Timeline / Chapters
- 00:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
- 00:00:49 Car Reveal and Engine Start
- 00:02:40 Weather and Road Conditions
- 00:03:50 Driving Challenges: Narrow Roads
- 00:05:00 Rental Car Pickup Experience
- 00:06:30 Drone Setup and Aerial Plans
- 00:08:40 Drone Equipment Discussion
- 00:11:00 Upcoming Sushi Plan and Outro
Japan Travel Tips
- Rental Cars: Ibaraki Airport is highlighted as a relaxed, efficient location for picking up rental cars. Ensure you have your driver's license and are prepared for insurance paperwork.
- Driving Conditions: Rural roads in Japan can be extremely narrow, often without center lines. Drivers must be attentive and ready to yield to oncoming traffic.
- Winter Driving: Ibaraki can be colder than Tokyo, with temperatures dropping to freezing at night. Snow is possible in winter months; drive cautiously.
- Navigation: Having a co-pilot navigate is helpful when filming or unfamiliar with the area.
- Drone Usage: Open countryside areas are ideal for drone footage, but be mindful of wind conditions which can affect stability.
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Prefecture (Ken): Ibaraki is referred to as a prefecture, Japan's equivalent of a state or province. It borders Tokyo to the north.
- Kaitenzushi: Mentioned as a planned meal stop. This refers to conveyor belt sushi, a popular, affordable dining style in Japan.
- Mount Tsukuba (Tsukuba-san): A prominent landmark in Ibaraki, often visible from surrounding areas on clear days. It is culturally significant and a popular hiking destination.
- Driving Side: Japan drives on the left side of the road. John notes the adjustment for those used to right-hand traffic.
Food & Drink Guide
- Kaitenzushi (Conveyor Belt Sushi): Mentioned as a planned stop later in the day. John and Dean intend to film a live stream while eating sushi. This is a staple of casual Japanese dining, offering fresh sushi at reasonable prices.
People
- John Daub: Host of Only in Japan Go. American expat living in Japan for 30+ years. Driving the car and filming the episode.
- Dean Newcomb: Fellow presenter and friend. Works on NHK's Journeys in Japan and hosts Runaway Japan. Originally from the UK. Acts as co-pilot and navigator.
Key Takeaways
- Ibaraki Prefecture offers accessible countryside scenery just north of Tokyo.
- Driving in rural Japan requires heightened attention due to narrow road widths.
- Regional airports like Ibaraki can offer smoother rental car experiences than major hubs.
- Combining ground-level driving footage with drone shots creates a dynamic travel narrative.
- Collaboration between creators (John and Dean) enriches the content with shared expertise.
Notable Quotes
- 00:00:49 "It's a pretty cool car. Toyota Mark X."
- 00:03:57 "This is definitely one of the hardest things to get used to when you first start driving in Japan."
- 00:04:34 "I used the force. I knew that we were good."
- 00:05:10 "I think that's the smoothest rent-a-car I've ever been to in the most chilled out airport I've ever been to."
- 00:09:17 "If I was from New Zealand, everything would sound like it has a question at the end."
Related Topics
- Driving in Japan
- Ibaraki Tourism
- Drone Photography in Travel
- NHK Journeys in Japan
- Rural Japan Winter Travel
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #ibaraki #driving-in-japan #toyota-mark-x #mount-tsukuba #rural-japan #drone-footage #john-daub #dean-newcomb #rental-car #winter-travel #kaitenzushi #journeys-in-japan #runaway-japan
Full Transcript
00:00:00 John Daub: Thanks everybody. Hello, how are you? Welcome to Only in Japan Go. We're gonna be driving through the Ibaraki countryside in this episode with my co-pilot Dean Newcomb.
00:00:10 Dean Newcomb: How you doing guys?
00:00:12 John Daub: We know each other from—we both work with NHK on a show called Journeys in Japan. It's been a long time, huh? We travel the country doing, seeing amazing stuff. And today we're in Ibaraki Prefecture. Where is Ibaraki, Dean?
00:00:28 Dean Newcomb: Ibaraki is about an hour, two hours north of Tokyo. So it's bordering Tokyo, Chiba, and then when you get further north it borders Fukushima.
00:00:40 John Daub: Actually, can you get out and then just with the camera.
00:00:44 Dean Newcomb: Just get kicking me out already.
00:00:45 John Daub: No, no, no. Just show the people what we're driving in.
00:00:48 Dean Newcomb: Okay, it's a pretty cool car.
00:00:49 John Daub: It's a pretty cool car. Dean's gonna let you do that with you. Here we go. Right, let me switch the camera around. Help me out with this. There, right there. That part. There we go. There's John. And it's very nice. Toyota Mark X.
00:01:11 Dean Newcomb: Yeah, we're not driving just anything. This is a fine car. Put the engine on.
00:01:21 John Daub: There you go. Engine start. I know, it's a button. There's no key. So how are you feeling? Are you ready?
00:01:28 Dean Newcomb: I don't know. We drove a little bit. I was okay. But there's no other people and cars and kids and obstructions. This is like the test. Round two.
00:01:47 John Daub: There we go. All right, let's do this. The question should be, Dean, are you ready?
00:01:59 Dean Newcomb: You know, I'm known for my courage, John.
00:02:03 John Daub: Yeah, that's right. No, I'm excited. I think you're a very good driver.
00:02:06 Dean Newcomb: Do you? Really? From what I've seen so far.
00:02:08 John Daub: From what you've seen so far? Okay. Yeah. Well, I haven't crashed yet, right?
00:02:10 Dean Newcomb: Not yet. Not yet.
00:02:11 John Daub: We'll also be filming a video. We filmed already the opening to an episode we're going to be doing on a topic that we're not going to discuss yet. But we really want to show you how beautiful Ibaraki is because they've invited us out here to drive a car and not crash. I usually drive manual. That's why. And in Japan, you got to go like this. Even in winter. Ibaraki is really crisp and cold right now. We're going left, right?
00:02:43 Dean Newcomb: Yeah. Yeah. It's about 5 to 7 degrees now in the daytime when the sun's out. And then at night, it gets down to about 0 or minus 1. And they've had a bit of snow yesterday, right?
00:02:54 John Daub: Yesterday morning, it was snowing here. Just a little bit more north than Tokyo and just a little bit colder than Tokyo. Oh, wait. So I don't have to go out to the main road. I can just take a left. I'm just going to take a left here.
00:03:09 Dean Newcomb: Yeah. He's going to.
00:03:10 John Daub: I'm going to signal at 50 minutes before. Skip the signal. Just go straight at that. Yeah. Follow that. Follow that delivery man. Follow that truck. Do you see any coppers? I want to avoid the smokey. All right. Look at that. We're driving in Japan, baby. Woo. Apparently, we got a bit of video lag. I hope that's not happening for everybody. Well, we're in the countryside driving in Japan. All right. And there's a car in front of us.
00:03:43 Dean Newcomb: It is more narrow than United States. Right away, I could tell this is not, this ain't no Uncle Sam country anymore. This is very, very, like right here. So narrow.
00:03:57 John Daub: This is definitely one of the hardest things to get used to when you first start driving in Japan. This is not a one-way, there you go. Wow. Yeah. That's not a one-way street. And you have to be. And there's no center line, yeah? No, there's no center line. You have to be really, really attentive. There's no driving. Hands on 2 and 10 o'clock, everybody. But the landscape around here is just beautiful. And we have nice views of Mount Tsukuba. It's going to be coming up, yeah? Oh, wow. This is so, the cars are. Let me show you this. Slowing down.
00:04:31 Dean Newcomb: I think people are very impressed that you're driving. I'm impressed. You were close to that.
00:04:34 John Daub: With how close. Oh, God. No, no. I used the force. I knew that we were good. All right. I knew we were good. Check. I'm up. Yeah. Dean is also navigating us to our next destination. Yeah. Forgive me if my camera work is shaky. This could go horribly wrong. So much lag. Be careful you scare me, John.
00:05:01 John Daub: All right. We're going well. Very well. All right. Yeah. So, we're. So, where did we. Do you want to talk about maybe where we got the car and where we're. Which area we're heading to.
00:05:09 Dean Newcomb: Yeah.
00:05:10 John Daub: Right. We got the car at Ibaraki Airport, actually. Which is, we drove. We drove in Dean's car to Ibaraki Airport to pick up a rental car. This is from Toyota Rental Car at Ibaraki Airport. So easy to pick it up. I think you just have to give them your driver's license, sign a form, get maxed out on insurance, and then off we were. I think that's the smoothest rent-a-car I've ever been to in the most chilled out airport I've ever been to, right? Ibaraki Airport vibe is good. Turn around. Check out this road. Here we go. Here we go. Look at this. So, this is what driving in Japan is like. Thank goodness that I'm driving here before. Actually, Dean, this would be good for the drone.
00:05:59 Dean Newcomb: It would.
00:06:00 John Daub: Is this wind? Is this wind from the car or from? There's a bit of wind, but nothing. You could go straight if you want to drone it.
00:06:09 Dean Newcomb: Yeah, let's go straight.
00:06:10 John Daub: Can we drone and live stream? Can they see you droning?
00:06:14 Dean Newcomb: No, we would have to end the live stream. I feel almost relieved. No scratches or anything. Yeah.
00:06:35 John Daub: Actually, this is perfect for using the drone. So, what I might do, Dean, for this scene is if you want, I get the drone up, and then I get the drone flying over this field here. And then you drive the car. Go back the way you came and then drive back out.
00:06:54 Dean Newcomb: Yeah, maybe. I think that would be really good.
00:06:56 John Daub: Okay. And then we take care of the drone shots. All right. What do you think?
00:07:01 Dean Newcomb: Yeah.
00:07:02 John Daub: Yeah, I think it's perfect. Let's do this. Yeah. You can see Mount Tsukuba over there, yeah?
00:07:06 Dean Newcomb: Yeah.
00:07:07 John Daub: That's another reason why I want to get the drone out. This is such a clear day. Sorry, guys. Yeah, you caught me, and I'm driving, but I'm not right now. Thanks, guys, for the super chats. I'm not seeing it too much, but I will go back and. So, let me set up the drone. It takes me about one minute to do that. I got it here in the boot. It is a little bit windy, Dean, but I think—
00:07:35 Dean Newcomb: Let me grab this for you so I can show them what you're doing.
00:07:38 John Daub: Oh, I think— It's a busy day today for you, John, huh? Oh, there's some wind. Hey, I'm sorry about the wind, guys. I'm trying to block it as much as I can. Let me get down next to the car here and get a bit of shelter. So, for me to set up the drone, it takes me about one minute. It's pretty quick.
00:08:43 Dean Newcomb: What you got there?
00:08:44 John Daub: This is a Mavic Pro.
00:08:49 Dean Newcomb: DJI Mavic Pro, huh? They're super handy, yeah? Small—
00:08:52 John Daub: You have the Phantom 4, right, Dean?
00:08:54 Dean Newcomb: I have the Phantom 4, yeah. It's not so mobile. You can't really put it in a backpack or something.
00:08:58 John Daub: Yeah. This is pretty mobile. And the great thing about Ibaraki is like—
00:09:03 Dean Newcomb: They think I'm Australian. Try again. There might be some—I think we're going to get a couple more mistakes before we get to where you're actually from.
00:09:17 John Daub: Sorry about the wind noise as well, everybody. New Zealand. It's another nice guess, but it's incorrect. I knew that was going to be the next guess. Oh, two people said New Zealand as well. Yeah. If I was from New Zealand, everything would sound like it has a question at the end. South African. British for sure. Well done to—who was that? Ming. I am from the UK. Lost him. And I am Dean Newcomb. Thank you, Randy. All right, he's got his control copy this morning.
00:10:23 John Daub: All right, guys. I'm going to try to get this drone in the air. I don't know, Dean. It might be hard to follow the car, but I guess if you could just drive.
00:10:30 Dean Newcomb: Okay. Yeah.
00:10:33 John Daub: All right. Maybe I'll— That'd be pretty epic though, right? With the drone? Drive up that way.
00:10:36 Dean Newcomb: I'll drive back. Yeah, this is pretty windy.
00:10:45 John Daub: Actually, there's a lot of stuff to do. There's a lot of stuff that I want to show you with Ibaraki, so we might be doing another live stream later on.
00:10:51 Dean Newcomb: Yeah, we definitely should. We used to do one on the way back. We could actually do the kaitenzushi live stream.
00:11:03 John Daub: Yeah, why not? And some sushi. That's coming up really soon. We'll do another live stream in a couple of hours from sushi, okay?
00:11:10 Dean Newcomb: All right.
00:11:11 John Daub: All right. Thanks for watching. It was good to share with you my first drive, the first drive ever on an Only in Japan Go live stream. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below, and I'm going to go back to and read all of the super chats as well. I do appreciate that. Guys, this is Dean Newcomb, by the way. I should introduce him better. He's not just a reporter for Journeys in Japan. He also does Runaway, the Soul of Japan.
00:11:44 Dean Newcomb: Correct. Which is an adventure series where he goes all over Japan challenging himself. These are physical challenges. Yeah, and I've been putting that together for years, and it's finally going to be released this year. Oh, really? And I'm going to throw some stuff up on YouTube as well. Oh, awesome. I'm going to start leaking some YouTube content. My channel is only just beginning, so I would be very, very appreciative if anybody enjoyed what I'm putting.
00:12:08 John Daub: Yeah, keep your eyes on the sky. Runaway Japan.
00:12:10 Dean Newcomb: Yeah, Runaway Japan. Yeah. Thanks, John.
00:12:12 John Daub: All right, guys. See you guys. We'll be on kaitenzushi later on today. See you.