This is a video of the conversation of a crew member on a bus connecting Tokyo · Okutama and Higashihara, where Higashihara Ohtō is located.
Although the Tokyo accent is often misunderstood by mixing with standard language, this conversation between a bus conductor and driver includes a bit of Tama dialect. Since there is relatively little dialect, I think it’s easy to understand. I think the most distinctive feature is not so much the words as the rather mellow intonation.
A characteristic feature is the transition from resignation, as in saying, ‘It can’t be helped,’ in situations of failure or being stuck, to laughter. It might be hard to imagine, but even within Tokyo, there are noticeable differences from the Edo downtown areas, known for their fast-paced conversations.
Seeing the current Tama district, it might be difficult to understand, but events like the Omengate incident seem to have created a culture of humor and self-deprecation born from resignation, as perceived through conversations with my grandfather. Due to the red earth from Mount Fuji’s eruptions, rice farmers were better off but couldn’t even provide rice to their children to allow them to graduate school, having nothing but barley rice to eat.
The streets of Higashihara where buses run are also a series of narrow spaces, and many locations make it difficult for cars to pass. In such places, guides are placed to help buses navigate by communicating with the driver through transceivers to stop and allow passage. This dynamic is captured in this footage. You can also see what happens if things don’t go smoothly in the scenes at the beginning of this video.
Even today’s roads, which are considerably more constructed, suffer from repeated landslides that have required rebuilding numerous times. The difficulty involved can be likened to a daunting challenge (Chibet). The ongoing reconstructions experienced along the current Old Road (Phase 6 being broadcasted via bus before the tunnel’s opening confirmation). Residents of the Nippara settlement would have had to traverse grueling roads daily just to attend school or go shopping towards the Okutama station.
Reflecting on this, it becomes evident how even the buses navigating these narrow routes have become quite comfortable
