Hitchhiking

Sound a little crazy? Actually, this is one of the few countries in the world where you can get away with hitching rides without too much worry about crazies or the law. Don’t forget to be cautious, however; as with our home countries, you need not be a model citizen to drive a car.

A few suggestions:

• Use a sign saying where you are going (“Hokkaido”, “Kyushu”, etc.). Often the farther away you say you are going, the more likely you are to be picked up. There is some dispute over whether signs in kanji or romaji are preferable–experiment with both and see what happens.

• Travel with a friend, especially if you’re female. Furthermore, don’t accept rides with men driving alone. Just use your best judgment–you know we trust you.

• Take along a few pictures to entertain your driver and have a gift or small treat ready to offer as thanks for the ride.

• Choose a major highway to do your hitching. Hitching in cities is more dangerous and could cause problems with local police.

• Talk with those who have hitch-hiked before. Some say it is by far the best and cheapest way to travel; others say it is less than ideal. Just remember that anything can happen. Good luck!