Zatsu Tabi Episode 3 showed us the joys of traveling with others (PRESS X FOR DOUBT). Personally, I lean towards the antisocial and misanthropic, but there was comfort in seeing Chika travel with Koyomi and Yui. While Zatsu Tabi: That’s Journey firmly settles into the iyashikei genre, it avoids embracing tedium.
Zatsu Tabi Episode 3 — Always Wander (During the Off-Season)
I know little about traveling in Japan—but I know it’s a horrible idea to travel anywhere during busy periods. Despite that, Chika and her kouhai (Yui) set off to explore Kagawa, Japan. Renowned for its udon noodles, soy sauce ice cream, cultural sites, and the Kankakei Gorge, Kagawa’s apparently quite laid-back.
For all my love of anime and Japanese food/nature, Japan isn’t high on my “must-visit” list. In fact, it’s not even in my top 15 dream destinations. Because of that, I’ve never really delved deeply into how one gets about in Japan. But the more Zatsu Tabi progresses, the more I realize that if this is an honest depiction, Japan is extremely pedestrian and public transport friendly.
But we’re not here to discuss the importance of planning cities around pedestrians. We’re here to talk about Zatsu Tabi Episode 3. While not a lot happened, there are two key takeaways from this episode: traveling in the high season sucks, and you never know how much admiration people have for you.
The first is self-explanatory. If you want to save some cash and avoid the headache associated with crowds, always travel in the low season. Most destinations are open during lulls, so you can snag cheaper trips and better experiences. But any third-rate travel blog can tell you that. It’s the second point that really spoke to me.
You’ll Never Know the You That Others Know
When you think about it, it’s a basic fact, yet we rarely give it any real thought. How others see you will always differ from how you see yourself. The little things you do may seem irrelevant to you, but to others, they may be worthy of admiration. The scene with Yui-chan letting Chika know how much her actions inspired/meant to her was one of the highlights of the series (so far).
It’s often difficult to express certain things in the places you’re accustomed to. But with a new environment come ways of saying things you usually have difficulty expressing.
Overall Thoughts
I can see Zatsu Tabi becoming a more niche anime as the season progresses. While travel appeals to most, cultural travel doesn’t share that same appeal, and that’s what the show focuses on. So it’s going to be increasingly easy for people to drop this should they dislike the kind of slow travel it depicts. Despite its repetitive plot, That’s Journey remains one of the best slice-of-life shows of the season.
Screenshots via Crunchyroll
©Kenta Ishizaka 2023/KADOKAWA/”Zatsu Tabi” Production Committee
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