Home » Japan » The Destination is not Important. It’s the Journey that Counts

It all started as a telephone conversation on a cold and dreary Tuesday evening, when Lisa and I were realizing we didn’t want to stay in Hiroshima for the long winter weekend. Our disposable cash flow was running low, putting us in quite the predicament. Times like this we wished we didn’t live in one of the most expensive countries in the world. In addition while reviewing a map, our list of places to still-visit was short, and most locales were quite a distance away, involving lots of yen to get there. We made up our minds to go to Nagasaki, but how in the world would we get there without breaking the bank? Do as Jonathan would do- hitchhike! Indeed it was on my list of ‘Things to do Before Leaving Japan’ and would be a great adventure for the long weekend. By Friday I had lined up some contacts for accommodation and Lisa learned important hitchhiking kanji like ‘in the direction of ________.’ We packed some clothes, a pen, paper, and a guidebook with roadmaps. Apprehensively we set out on our journey. Read on and learn from our “Top Ten Tips to Hitchhiking in Japan.”

The Destination is not Important. It’s the Journey that Counts

Casey Lary
2007-04-27 21:35:25

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our travels. It was already 12:30- our estimated arrival time in Nagasaki. Although driving in a car is much faster than taking the bus or train, when hitching your travel time depends more on who is picking you up. In our case, what little side adventures one encounters as well! Hitchhiking is not for those in a hurry. It is an awesome way to meet some fun people and a great way to get some good stories. Even though it may take you a bit longer to get there, it's the journey that counts, not the destination...

5. Never underestimate the generosity of a Japanese person
After a short break hiding behind a rice patty allowing time for the police to pass, Lisa and I were back to getting to Nagasaki, our esteem a bit shaken after the car accident. The time we waited to get the next car was the longest we had to wait- 25 minutes. This cute old mad picked us up and said he would drive us to the junction on the expressway. He told us how when he was our age he hitchhiked from Osaka to Hokkaido, and now was returning the favor. At the junction service area Lisa and I went to sit on the curb to pull out our sign and begin the process all over again. Within seconds of sitting without our sign in hand a man in a car pulls up with the window down asking us where we were going. He said he could take us as far as Saga. Sweet! This would put us an hour from Nagasaki! This guy was one of the nicest guys around. We think he picked us up so he could practice his English with us, which was already very good. We spoke English the entire time. We think Sasaki-san had a fair amount of money since he was so well traveled. When we got to Saga, he told us he had some time and would drive us all the way to Nagasaki! We couldn't believe how generous he was to drive us so far out of his way! Upon arriving in Nagasaki he dropped us off at Glover Garden. We asked him to come with us or if we could buy him some food but he declined, saying he had to get to Saga. ...