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[[User:Anaimlesshitchhiker|Anaimlesshitchhiker]] has written some tips on hitchhiking Japan on [https://anaimlesshitchhiker.com/2017/12/11/hitchhiking-japan-some-tips/ -an aimless hitchhiker ]
On the whole hitching is ok in Japan for a 40 year old white male. Some challenges between Osaka and Akita going up the west coast in December 2023, did only give myself just over 4 days to get to Niseko, so if i had more time and patience it would have been more enjoyable and less waiting time as would not have bothered trying to hitch in the dark. My most frequent pickups were in the morning and between 7-9pm, struggling after lunchtime until after dinner time. Waited at service stop off expressway near Osaka and within an hour police arrived and escorted me to another road away from the expressway informing me it was illegal.
Once I got past Akita it was much easier and even had a guy offering me a lift to Aomori. He also wanted to pay for my ferry ticket and train ticket to Sapporo, but didn't want to take advantage so only took up ride offer only. 10 minute wait 20km north of Hakodate next morning and got a lift direct to Sapporo 😁
Definitely more difficult than 2016 when I was there for 2 months (oct-dec), maybe because of COVID, lots of people wearing facemasks and drivers may be more paranoid/fearful. Waited at a service station (second one on this trip) for 5 hours with sign and couldn't get picked up until finally a young lady picked me up and drove 5 miles to the town she was going to, got train after that to make up some ground, pleased police didn't come to escort me again. Cleaner of service station spoke broken English and asked me if I was hitchhiking. I was clean and kempt.
In 2016 I managed to hitch out of Tokyo with ease, 10 minute wait on hard shoulder to expressway on-ramp. Could of just been right time at right place.
All types of people picked me up, except truck drivers. Many business men and truck drivers on 2023 trip had very stern faces when trying to hitch and gain their attention. Maybe my age is making it more difficult, there could be age limitations/expectations in some Asian countries and the reasons for the difficult and attitude a lot of the drivers had towards me hitching...
== How to get in and out of cities ==
