Ryota Takeuchi and Nobutoshi Canna Swap Travelers' Tales at Otakon Panel

On Otakon's final day, Ryōta Takeuchi joined forces with Nobutoshi Canna for one of the most unique panels of the weekend. Rather than discussing more about their anime roles, they decided to discuss something else: leisurely sojourns through the Japanese countryside. As someone who went to a ton of anime panels that weekend, I found it refreshing to see two seiyuu take a break from the usual in favor of insight on Japanese roadside travel.

Ryōta Takeuchi's motorbiking took him from Hyōgo Prefecture, across the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, driving straight through Awaji Island, and then into Tokushima Prefecture to enjoy winding roads and loads of bento. As soon as the presentation made its way onto the projection screen, Takeuchi leapt at the opportunity to discuss it all. His excitement was palpable as he jumped from his seat and rushed to the other side of the stage to point out all of his destinations on the projector. And for a split second, he looked mesmerized by how much he had traveled.

“The highlight of this trip,” Takeuchi said, “was going through prefectural route 439. There's a tiny village that's inhabited by scarecrows. This village used to have a lot of people, and they'd have scarecrows to scare away the animals. But over time, there became more scarecrows in the village than people.” A video showing an abandoned building inhabited by scarecrows played, with Takeuchi commenting that it had become a popular destination for tourists seeking something out of the ordinary.

After making his way through Kochi Prefecture for some hill climbing and plates of seared bonito, Takeuchi visited the Mitsumine Shrine in Saitama Prefecture. He tongue-in-cheekly claimed that the minute he got to the shrine, his back started to feel supernaturally warm, which prompted him to pray to the gods for another voice acting role. “After I left the shrine, guess what? I got the role. So that shrine worked!”

The last leg of Takeuchi's journey landed him near Tokyo Tower, where he enjoyed some motorbiking through the city streets towards the sea, as well as stopping at some popular tourist destinations along the way.

Nobutoshi Canna next discussed his trip. Unlike Takeuchi's motorbike trek, Canna traveled by car from the Shinjuku district of Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchi. Unlike Takeuchi's sunny roads, Canna's journey was marred by overcast weather that blanketed his trails with billows of clouds and fog. “For my video, I originally wanted to show you the scenery around Mt. Fuji, and the food and specialties of Yamanashi Prefecture,” Canna said. “Unfortunately, it was overcast, so we couldn't see Mt. Fuji. Instead, I improvised by showing you how narrow Japanese roads could be in the countryside.”

Canna was not kidding. The roads that wrapped around the countryside and the towns that dotted them were so narrow that I'm amazed that they could fit two lanes. Their size made Canna consider driving slowly along the roads to minimize risk. And as cautious as Canna was, he could not avoid a particularly sharp turn that almost caused his car to get side-swiped at the edge of the road. When Canna exclaimed, “That was a close one!” I even had to draw a sigh of relief. Believe me, I've done enough driving through the backroads of Pennsylvania to know that this is a big, relatable mood.

After a few more road tours, the video showed Canna getting frozen ramen from a vending machine before settling down at Lake Kawaguchi for a peaceful stop. His moment to enjoy nature's tranquility was accompanied by big, beautiful swans swimming through the lakeside, which enhanced Canna's experience. “I also lucked out,” Canna noted. “I knew that Lake Kawaguchi had swans, but I didn't expect two perfect specimens right there. Takeuchi said he prayed at Mitsumine Shrine and got a role, "but I felt that God was with me to get my perfect shot at Lake Kawaguchi as well.”

The Q&A had Takeuchi and Canna discuss their fondness for bikes and cars, as well as expand on some details regarding their travels. When asked what bikes he preferred, Takeuchi said that his favorites were off-road Yamahas that are great for riding on rougher terrains. Takeuchi also expressed an affinity towards muscle cars from watching Hollywood movies that featured them. His adoration for them was contagious: “Muscle cars!! Daisuki!!”

Of course, when you're on the road for so long, you have to immerse yourself in some tunes. Canna's choice? The Foo Fighters. “Big fan,” he said. As someone whose first song on guitar was “Everlong,” I appreciated that immensely. Takeuchi, on the other hand, said that the best soundtrack to a long ride was the motor of his bike, even going as far as to recreate the sounds on stage. I have to give it to Takeuchi for tapping into motor spirit with that impression, since it brought out one of the biggest laughs of the entire panel.

Canna said that one of his favorite things about the road was visiting Michi-no-eke. “Michi-no-eke is a roadside stop where you can take some rest and get food,” Canna said. “Whenever I see one by the roadside, I stop by. They always have a local specialty you can pick up, so if you want to know Japan, take a road trip and stop by any Michi-no-eke you can find.”

All roads eventually led to one inevitable question: if Canna and Takeuchi ever went drifting Initial D style. Because the roads often get foggy and dark at night, Canna admitted that he doesn't drift. But driving with that level of caution had Canna memorizing the lanes for easier navigation. And with that process of memorization, Canna learned an important lesson that he imparted on the audience: “May the Course be With You.”