Every family has their own idiosyncrasies. Whether its dancing with video game mascots of yesteryear or leveraging art gallery techniques to convey a lesson, there are certain traditions that only members of a clan can understand. Anyone else best not try to understand.

In the case of travelphile and photographer Bancha (@bancha382), the wife needed a subtle way to let her husband know when she wanted to stop, say to capture some picturesque scenery while trucking across the country. Rather than pressure her husband to stop repeatedly, she opted for this innovative solution:

Reproduced with permission from Bancha (@bancha382)

“Passengers wishing to alight, please press this button.”

Perhaps the device looks familiar to those who have experienced public transportation in Japan. Commonly seen on buses or trams, the mock-device is a replica toy of a stop button used by passengers hoping to alight. According to Bancha:

“I put this stop button in my husband's car and use it when I want to take photos of some beautiful scenery or otherwise need to stop. He seems to stop with a 1:10 probability.”

I suppose those are odds are good enough to justify the effort. If you've driven on Japanese highways, you know that finding a safe place to pull over is no simple ordeal. Nevertheless, the button helps Bancha communicate to her husband that its time to take a break sometime soon. The photographer also noted:

“If I’m willing to pay for a convenience store snack or some other treat, the probability that my husband will stop increases somewhat.”

Anything for a slushy and a Slim Jim.

The photographer’s fans commented on her tweet:

  • “I’m gonna put one of these in my family’s car. I’ll use it when I need to go to the bathroom and there are no rest stops.”
  • “This is a great idea! I think I’m gonna steal it!”
  • “It’s funny that if you offer to pay for a snack he is more likely to stop.”
  • “Wow! That sounds like a fun drive.”

Apparently, this stop button solves a common problem.

The End Result

Has Bancha's ploy paid off? Needless to say, the proof is in the pudding.

Doing a deep dive on the photographer’s Twitter page, it seems she has leveraged her stop button to devastating effect. The artist has managed to capture numerous breathtaking scenes throughout her travels.

Indeed, Bancha has quite the eye for mountain landscapes. Although she didn't reveal the locale, I can't help but wonder if she captured this series at some off-season ski resort, perhaps in Nagano.

She even brought a friend:

Just hanging out with her polar bear, a common subject in her photography.

On other occasions, Bancha has focused on more rustic landscapes:

The decaying bridge hangs in stark contrast above the pristine, and lively, river water. Nevertheless, her snowy winter vistas are even more striking:

Finally, Bancha also has a knack for capturing the relaxing experience of a hot spring bath:

I suppose she picked up that coffee during a convenience store break courtesy of her impromptu stop button.

If you like these photos, you can find more on Bancha’s Twitter page. You can also wander over to her blog for more content.


By - Luke Mahoney.