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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This guy drove 2 hours out of his way and paid the expensive toll, no questions asked or favors expected. We couldn't believe it. It was awesome.

That afternoon we saw the sights of Nagasaki. It is a beautiful port city with heavy Dutch and Chinese influences. That night we met up with our friends Hayden and Meg and drank way too much beer over the course of the evening. The next morning we were up early headed to the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Park. Nagasaki was the second city to have an atomic bomb dropped on it during WWII. The park and museum were similar to the ones in Hiroshima. We were both a bit biased and more fond our hometown attractions. Still, it was a wonderful albeit depressing morning.

6. Be accepting of any car at any time.
It was around 12:30, time to get on the road. Using our trusty LP map as our road guide, we were headed to the mouth of the expressway. Walking along the street to get to the entrance, Lisa decided to flash our Shimabara (our next city down the Shimabara Peninsula) sign at a small car with two young Japanese guys in it. They looked at each other, gestured 'what the hell' and before we knew it Lisa and I were piling into the back of their tiny car. Never underestimate where your next car will come from! Akihiro and Kenji were absolutely fabulous! Like Sasaki-san, they drove us completely out of their way, all the way down to Shimabara where we were to catch a ferry to Kumamoto. The conversations we had were ridiculous- we even got Akhiro to admit he went to a Love Hotel. We had a great time laughing with them and listening to their punk music. It was a great way for Lisa and I to practice our Japanese. When we first started out on our trip Lisa was deadset on finding guys like Akihiro and Kenji to ride with. I was just hoping for anyone. Looks like Lisa's wishes were answered! When we arrived in Shimabara the guys requested if they could stop at a convenience store. Apparently when we pulled ...