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:''Copied from [[:wikivoyage:Hitchhiking in Japan|Wikivoyage]] with permission from the author, [http://jpatokal.iki.fi Jani Patokallio].'' <!-- this version: http://wikivoyage.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Hitchhiking_in_Japan&oldid=111542 -->
It is almost impossible to hitch out of [[Tokyo]] or any large Japanese city by waving your thumb on the [[Tokyo/Ginza|Ginza]]. Thus, to To get out, you have to find the places where drivers going out congregate, which in practice means '''service areas''' (サービスエリア ''sābisu eria'', '''SA''') or '''parking areas''' ('''PA''') on the large toll expressways (高速道路 ''kōsokudōro'') connecting Japan's major cities. As you might guess, service areas are larger and better equipped than parking areas, but surprisingly few Japanese are familiar with the difference so it's easier to label them all service areas.
A useful rule It's convenient to get maps of SA and PA in Japan because these are major hitchhiking locations on the thumb (pun intended) is that if you highways. You can get somewhere find them on a train for less than 2000 yen, hitchhiking the distance is unlikely to be worth the trouble. For destinations around Tokyo, such as web for [[Mount Fuji]], [[Hakone]], [[Nikko]], hitchhiking is unlikely each region (maybe you will have to be worth the trouble... until you actually google in Japanese: サービスエリア地図) or get there, that is. All three regions have expensive local transport but plenty of unhurried tourists driving about, always a good combination them for the hitchhikerfree at many SA/PAs. == Hitchiking Out ==
== How to get out of Tokyo ==
'''Last verified''': April 1998
== Getting off in Tokyo ==
'''Ribera Steak House''' offers 10,000 yen prize for consuming a 3.5kg steak with over 3kg of rice in under 30 minutes. Failure results in 9,900 yen penalty.
''Address:'' Japan 〒153-0064 Tōkyō-to, Meguro-ku, Shimomeguro, 6 Chōme-17-20 [35.62903N, 139.69728E]
[[trashEtc https:Tokyo]]//www.tsunagujapan.com/o-gui-eating-challenges-in-tokyo/ == Nomadwiki & Trashwiki == {{nomadwiki}}
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'''Tokyo''' is the capital of [[Japan]].
Lots of expressways radiate off Tokyo's local highway system (首都 ''shuto''). So what you want to do is pick a destination, match it to an expressway, and get to the closest PA/SA. Here's the list in clockwise order from west to east, you will probably find it useful to consult a 1:10000 Japanese map to get your bearings. Most English highway signs will not distinguish short and long vowels, but your driver will, so pronounce it right!
=== Tōmei Expressway (東名) ===
'''For''': [[Fuji]]/[[Gotemba]], [[Hakone]], [[Nagoya]], [[Kansai|western Japan]]<br />
'''Where''': Kōhoku PA (港北) [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kohoku+PA+(down)/@35.5389744,139.5291629,17z/ google]<br />
''Lazy Alternative'': Get to Aobadai Station (Tōkyū Den-en-toshi continues on from Hanzomon at Shibuya). Take bus ''#82'' until Kitahassaku Kouen Tomei entrance (北八朔公園東名口). Tell the driver you want that, but the bus displays every stop name. You'll drive across the Tomei, walk back just a bit from the bus stop and straight down to the Kohoku PA (NOT ACROSS BRIDGE).
EXPASA ashigara (EXPASA足柄 ) is a huge rest area and thus is extremely good for hitching to and from Tokyo. It is a bit far from Tokyo though and you should only use it as an intermediate hitchhiking location and not as a location to get out of the city.
=== Chūō Expressway (中央) ===
'''For''': [[Fujiyoshida]], [[Lake Kawaguchi]], [[Nagano]], [[Gifu]], [[Nagoya]] & [[Kansai|western Japan]] (slow route)<br />
'''Where''': Ishikawa SA (石川)<br />
=== Kan'etsu Expressway (関越) ===
'''For''': [[Niigata]], [[Sado Island]], [[Chubu|Japan Sea coast]]<br />
'''Where''': Miyoshi PA (三芳)<br />
'''Alternative''': Nerima IC (練馬), approx 1 km from Seibu Ikebukuro line (西武池袋線) Shakujii-kouen (石神井公園) station<br />
'''Cost from Yamanote line''': ~500 yen<br />
Directions: Take the Tōbu Tōjō (東武東上) line from [[Tokyo/Ikebukuro|Ikebukuro]] to Tsuruse station. From the station, take Raifu Basu #4 to the Sentoraru Byōin (センとラル病院) stop, as usual it runs once per hour except during lunchtime. The bus will deposit you on the wrong side of the parking area, cross the bridge to get to the side going away from Tokyo. Alternatively, you can walk the 3 km or so from Fujimino station; there should also be a bus from Fujimino, but it didn't seem to exist...
=== Tōhoku Expressway (東北) ===
'''For''': [[Utsunomiya]], [[Sendai]], [[Miyagi]]-[[Iwate]] coast, [[Tohoku|northern Japan]], [[Hokkaido]]<br />
'''Where''': Hasuda PA (蓮田)<br />
=== Jōban Expressway (常磐) ===
'''For''': [[Mito]], [[Iwaki]], [[Sendai]] (slow route)<br />
'''Where maybe''': Mukōjima IC (向島) up the riverside and across the bridge from Asakusa or Kahei PA (加平) from Kita-Ayase (北綾瀬) on Eidan Chiyoda subway, both on Shuto 6 connecting to Jōban<br />
=== Higashi-Kantō Expressway (東関東) ===
'''For''': [[Narita]], [[Boso Peninsula]]
What, you're going to hitchhike to catch your flight!? Do yourself a favor and take the train, Keisei'll get you there for 1000 yen. If you insist, you could try to catch the Expressway Bayshore Line (高速湾岸線) from [[Tokyo/Odaiba|Odaiba]] or Shin-Kiba, which transforms into the Higashi-Kantō.
== Hitchiking In ==
95% of the time, once on the expressway, getting back to Tokyo is a piece of cake: your driver is also going to Tokyo, so he'll drop you off at the nearest train or subway station, and you can find your way home. Problems arise the other 5% of the time, when your driver is going either through Tokyo or to a part of Tokyo extremely far from your part of Tokyo. What to do?
''Address:'' Japan, 〒101-0003 Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Hitotsubashi, 2 Chōme−6−2 Nihon Kyōiku Kaikan [35.69436N, 139.75624E]
=== From Competitions Food Eating Challanges ===
'''Kentas Steak House''' (by reservation only) offers rewards for eating sets of 200g steaks with vegetables above a certain quantity. After eating 14 sets, the meal is free; the 15th set yields a 200 yen prize, and the 20th set yields a 4,200 yen prize.
''Address:'' Japan, 〒162-0825 Tōkyō-to, Shinjuku-ku, Kagurazaka, 1 Chōme−14 Tōhō-biru 1F [35.70092N, 139.7428E]
'''Aburasoba Kasugatei Ikebukuro''' offers a 5,000 yen prize for consuming 3 of their extra large portions of aburasoba in 30 minutes. In order to participate, you must buy 2 extra large portion meal tickets. They also offer a 10,000 yen prize for consuming 4 of their extra large portions in 40 minutes. In order to participate, you must buy 3 extra large portion meal tickets.
''Address:'' Japan, 171-0021 Tōkyō-to, Toshima-ku, Nishiikebukuro, 1 Chōme-5-4 [35.72786N, 139.7084E]
[[Category:Japan]]
