Japan is a great country for sightseeing and travel — if you can afford it. Transportation costs are at least double that of the USA. It costs around US $85 just to travel 300 KM (about 190 miles) by the “bullet train” (Shinkansen in Japanese). Want to save some doe and meet people? Try hitchhiking! I do and I love it!
I first came to Japan in 1972 while in the US military stationed near Tokyo. A couple years later I decided to become a missionary to the Japanese people and tell them about Jesus Christ. Missionaries need to “live by faith”. This also means to live within one’s income. I needed to travel the country to “preach the Gospel” but could not always afford public transportation. My partner and I often opted to hitchhike. We usually got to our destination that day, and if we didn’t, often the person that picked us up took us to their home where we spent the night and sometimes several days.
I wish I had kept a record of all my adventures hitchhiking in Japan. If I had, I would have a book by now which might have even been a best seller. LOL! At the very least, it would have made interesting reading for me in my old age. I will be 67 in June this year of 2017.
I define hitchhiking as getting rides from total strangers. Therefore it does not include rides from associates, friends or family.
What kind of people pick me up?
Kind people, unselfish people, people who care about others. Some are fond of Westerners, some study English and want to practice using it, some lived in the USA and want to repay the kindness they received from Americans, some have hitchhiked in their university days and understand people who do, some have broken hearts (often marital problems or broken love relationships) and wish to pour out their hearts to somebody, some are lonely, and some know they are prone to be sleepy driving on the expressway and wish to have someone to talk with in order to help them stay awake! Some drivers have correctly identified me as a Christian missionary even before I tell them so! They are usually the most open to hearing the Message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Bible than most Japanese. To meet such people and have an opportunity to share the Truth with them makes it worth all the discomfort of the hot sun, rain, wind and snow I sometimes face while hitchhiking.
How do I hitchhike? Read a page of tips I compiled!
Since August of 2003 I have been keeping statistics of my travels.
Last week of June adventure to Hirosaki and back
Reading Time: 2 minutes June 29 – July 1, 2012: This weekend I went to Hirosaki and back in only 12 cars traveling 768 … Continue reading →
Third June Hitchhike Adventure to Hirosaki
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s now my 4rd trip to Hirosaki this month! The first one was with a friend who drove all the … Continue reading →
June 16th Adventure from Hirosaki back Home
Reading Time: 3 minutes I began my journey home later than usual, first a train from Hirosaki station at 11:25 a.m to Nagamine, 3 … Continue reading →
June 15 Adventure from Niigata to Hirosaki
Reading Time: 4 minutes June 15, 2012: The day is bright and sunny with thin and wispy cirrus clouds. Again as I did the … Continue reading →
June 10 Adventure Hitchhiking from Hirosaki to Niigata
Reading Time: 9 minutes Mr. and Mrs. Sakura in their living room Sunday, June 10, 2012: I hitchhiked 404 kilometers (253 miles) from Aomori … Continue reading →
Summer Adventure Hitchhiking to Aomori City
Reading Time: 4 minutes On June 8, 2012: I hitchhiked 402 kilometers from Majima Station in Murakami, Niigata Prefecture, to Aomori City. The drivers … Continue reading →
Hitchhike Adventure from Hamamatsu City back to Niigata
Reading Time: 3 minutes Sunday, May 20, 2012: Today was the last day of my trip and my return to home. The challenge was … Continue reading →
Hitchhike Adventure from Osaka to Hamamatsu City
Reading Time: 2 minutes May 18, 2012:Today was the second day of my trip. The main purpose was to help my friend in Hamamatsu … Continue reading →
May Hitchhike Adventure to Osaka
Reading Time: 2 minutes May 17, 2012: Osaka is about 600 kilometers or 400 miles from home. I made it in a very good … Continue reading →
May 6, 2012 Hitchhike Adventure: Hirosaki to Akita City
Reading Time: 3 minutes Hirosaki was under a clear blue sky when I boarded the first train out of town at 6:54 a.m. My … Continue reading →
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