Why did you decide to hitchhike?
I was taking a gap year in college. I went to Singapore, and then Shanghai. When I came back to Japan, I realized that I knew nothing about Japan. I learned about other countries, like Singapore, China, and New Zealand, where I stayed for an exchange year, yet I knew nothing about my homeland. So I decided that the best way to learn about Japan is not to visit sightseeing places like an ordinary tourist, but to be able to hold a conversation with local people. At that time, I did not have much money, so the best way is to do hitch hiking. From October to December 2013, I traveled from Hokkaido to Kyushu just by asking for a ride from strangers.
I heard that Japanese people highly value their personal spaces. Why do you think people would give you a ride?
Maybe people who give me a ride are the ones who used to do hitchhiking in the past, so they understand the difficulties of this kind of travel. Second, people often feel bored on a route, especially if they have to ride for a long time, so having someone to talk to is a nice idea. Also, I did hitch-hiking around October to December. When you see a guy standing in the cold, you probably feel sorry for him, right? I had many drives with old people – the obasan, ojisan must have felt ‘kawai sou one!’ (what a pity) for me! Around that time, most people already come back to their jobs or schools. Many drivers told me that ‘it is rare to see someone hitch-hiking around this time,' so the harsh weather played to my advantage.
Who is the most interesting person that you spoke to?
An okama-san (a male who dresses and acts like a female). After stopping by a famous shrine in Tochigi prefecture, I went to the parking lot and knocked the door of every car there to ask if anyone could give me a ride. It was raining so hard, and I couldn’t see any person sitting inside. I ended up having a ride with an okama-san and her boyfriend. During the ride, we talked a lot, and it seemed to me that they live an enjoyable life, just like anyone else. That was an enjoyable experience for me.
Hokkaido has many interesting people too. When I came to the most southern part of Hokkaido, I met a lot of ‘lost souls’, people who just escaped from the high-demanding Japanese society. There was just this one guy who casually told me that he had just been fired by his boss before he came here. I met a lot of people like that, the kind of people who used to be worried about their jobs, their lives, and money. They come there because they get sick of that. There isn’t anything to do, so they have time to think about themselves. Those people just have tons of interesting stories to tell.
Do you keep in contact with them?
I did not ask drivers for their contact details. On average, I had around 30 minutes with each driver, so I wanted to spend time talking. Not asking for contact information broke boundary. Drivers and I could talk about anything we want, including our secrets. This is like ‘no string attached’. After a drive, we say goodbye and never met again, so conversations are more open and relaxing.
Some people asked me for my contact details though because they would like to get updated with my journey, so sometimes I put pictures on Facebook.
How has this trip changed you?
I used to think that all Japanese act the same and think the same, but this trip proved me wrong. I used to rely on my assumption when I talked to a person: this guy is wearing this way so he must be this kind of person. Now, it is the opposite. I try not to hold any assumption about anyone. I realize that everyone has their stories worth to be listened.
In Japan, I think we have talked much about globalization, but there is one thing that not everyone recognizes: Diversity starts within Japan. Each prefecture has its personalities, and I think we need to understand and embrace this value more.
Some tips:
- If you hitchhike in a pair (especially with a girl), it is easier to get a ride.
- For putting up signs, Shuhei went to local supermarkets to ask for carton boxes and write on those
- Where you stand to hold a sign is important. The thumb rule is to pick a spot that makes it easy for drivers to stop, usually just before or after a traffic light.
- Couch-surfing is a good platform to find accommodation. Most people in Japan are interested in international experiences, so having bilingual English – Japanese profile would make it easy to find hosts.
Picture above: Shuhei posted this picture in facebook to express his gratitude to all people that helped him during the trip
