WAITER-U's Return to Origins: Why I Was Drawn to Camping Videos
Hello everyone, this is Tsukui from WAITER-U. In the first episode, I talked about how I got hooked on camping videos on YouTube and started camping by brewing coffee with camping gear in the mountains of Okutama.
This time, I'd like to go back to the beginning and talk about why I was watching camping videos in the first place.
When people watch YouTube after work, they usually look for videos in their favorite genres, right? Anime, movies, it varies from person to person. So why was it camping videos for me? Even though I had almost no camping experience before then.
After continuously asking myself "Why?", I arrived at "The Adventure Encyclopedia," a book I loved in elementary school.
"The Adventure Encyclopedia" was first published in 1985, and the copy I have is the 51st printing from 2019. It's a bestseller that has been revised 51 times in 40 years. Published by Fukuinkan Shoten, this book is one of their various "encyclopedia" series, meticulously explaining all sorts of things related to daily life, independent research, and more.
Among them, the encyclopedia with the theme of "adventure" was what captivated me the most.
Though "adventure" can mean many things, the target audience of this book and my current activities align perfectly.
"What is adventure? It's taking risks, challenging something with an uncertain outcome. You don't know what will happen, but you bravely try it."
This book, starting with such a definition, teaches various adventuring knowledge through the story of a group of urban elementary and junior high school students planning and camping in the mountains.
The story is divided into six elements: hiking, eating in nature, sleeping, playing with friends, encountering flora and fauna, and dealing with dangers, each explained in detail.
What particularly impressed me was the illustration of a backpack on page 57. It's a page that explains the essentials for spending a night in the mountains, along with illustrations. In elementary school, I felt an indescribable allure from this illustration.
From single-cell battery flashlights to packing tips, it's full of exciting information even now.
Even at 33 years old, the excitement from my elementary school days vividly returns.
Childhood experiences become the driving force for pursuing hobbies as an adult. Why not look back at the memorable encounters that touched your heart?
The lessons I learned from "The Adventure Encyclopedia" have greatly influenced my current camping style: the joy of spending time in nature, the importance of cooperation with friends, and above all, the courage to leap into the unknown.
Without this book, I might not be who I am today. Why don't you also pick up a book you were passionate about as a child? You might discover something new.
