Hitchhiking in Japan: Tottori to Tokyo
28th of May, 2025.
As I wait outside Nawa train station, towards Yonago, Wataro stops or me. He’s a young man coming back from hiking Mount Daisen, and heading to his place in Hiroshima. Wataro works as a taxi driver there and we talk about travels and life. He’s a very sweet and energetic guy, and he drops me exactly at my hitchhiking spot, just outside Yonago, which is very nice of him.
But here I get stuck for hours. Damn it! And my sign simply says Osaka / Kyoto, which are about 3.5 hours driving from here. So why? I could’ve either hitchhiked from here or from Tottori, as they are both about 20 minutes driving from Daisen. The only reason why I came here is because I already had a sign saying Yonago. My laziness (not the only reason for not making a new sign, but still) would cost me.
Middle afternoon, an angel comes back for me. Akiko, who is going to Tottori, does the u-turn and drives for a few kilometres back, just so she can help me. She’s very sweet, and when I ask her what she does for a living, she tells me that she’s cleaning the invisible world. I think that’s interesting. When I later translate her business card, it says: “Be happy with the power of nature. I’m searching the wonders of the invisible world and saving humanity. True happiness lies in the power of nature.” Now, that’s interesting, ahm? Unfortunately, we don’t talk more that during our trip, as I’m still so tired from last night, so I take some naps. But I will write her an email and ask a few more questions about it.
Akiko drops me off on a very busy road outside Tottori, in front of a gas station and by a library and a farmers market. There’s a bus stop nearby too, and I’m right after the traffic lights. At first I wonder if I should walk a bit more down the road, as later one there will be only one lane, which helps the cars to see me easily. But as I’m not sure if there will be enough space for them to park there, I remain here. That’s a good move!
In about five minutes, Nabe stops for me. He passes by me but them turn around and comes back. He’s younger than me, the same age I was when I started travelling, 27, and he lives in Osaka, where he’s heading to. He’s a very nice guy and has a toy shop, which is pretty cool. As I ask him to drop me off in a SA, he calls his father to ask what would be the best one according to my needs, and together we deliberate the best option. He drives so well that we get there in no time!
All of that means simply that, most likely, if I had start my journey from Tottori and not from Yonago, I would’ve made way further on my trip than I actually did it. But that just hypothetically, right? Only Loki knows what would’ve actually happened if I had done that…
I make a new sign, with the name of the next big town before Tokyo, which is Nagoya. It doesn’t take long until Azumi and Kuzuia stop for me. I’ve seen Azumi’s face when she passed by me. She smiled and seemed really surprised with me standing there. A few minutes later they came back and told me I could come with them to Nagoya. Yay!
Azumi is wearing a gorgeous green skirt, and she reminds me of a fairy. She’s very beautiful too! Once I’m in the car they tell me and show me their interesting artifact, a pointy object, by the end of a chain, which you can ask questions and it will answer you with its movements. Most answers are yes or no, but you can also interpreted more meaningful and deeper answers. They order it online and before getting it you must answer some personal questions in order to get a — which is specifically designated for you. Azumi tells me that, before they came back for me, they asked their — if they should help me, and the answer was yes. Yay!
They tell me about tanuki, this kind of racoon dog which Miles and I were seen everywhere across Japan, outside shops and SA or houses too. It actually looks a bit creepy, with a round bell and bulging eyes, but it has a lot of spiritual meanings, We have some snacks and local treats on the way to Nogoya, and soon enough we arrive to a SA where I will camp for tonight.
Luckily for me there’s a Family Mart here, so I can get some cheap instant noodles and food for breakfast. I’m surprise though when they tell me that it is open 24 hours. Azumi and Kuzuia also eat something here before resume their journey to Nogoya.
I camp by the playground area and start early next morning, right after eating something.
It takes about one hour until somebody stops for me, and I wouldn’t need to hitchhike again after them.
When Ari passed by me and I saw him driving, I though to myself that he had Arab features. I got close, he’s actually from Turkey, and together with his friends and co-workers, Izuy and Mashi, from Japan, he is going to Tokyo. They are all engineers, and are coming back from a job. Ari lives in Japan for 25 years now, coming here when he was 20 years old only. He’s married and has a beautiful young daughter. Izuy and Mashi are both 60, even though they don’t look so.
They are going to Haneda, in Tokyo, which is right by Haneda Airport. If I was only flying from there… But no worries! As we talk and I tell them about my travels and all, they offer to help me to get there. At first, I tried to refuse, and said I could simply hitchhike from Haneda Airport, and most likely I would succeed. But as Ari insists and tell me he really wants to help, plus, I don’t want to risk not arriving to Narita Airport today, as my flight is tomorrow, I accept.
We stop for some coffee on the way to Tokyo, and Mashi also buys me a delicious sandwich. They drive so well that we arrive to Tokyo in no time. Once there, they tell me we will have some Chinese food for lunch. Yay!
We eat in a nice and cozy local restaurant, and we have some delicious fried rice and gyosas. The company where the guys work is a short drive from here, so we get there in two minutes. They show me the place, we have some green tea, I have a chocopie and get some sweets for later too, and then Ari brings his car to take me to Haneda Airport, from where he will put me in a bus to Narita Airport. He lives just two minutes walking from his work. I say goodbye to Izuy and Mashi, as Ari and I drive away.
Ari arranges everything very quickly and soon enough we are waiting for the bus. He also offers me some money and even though I try to refuse, he insists that is for food. As I’m refusing, I remember of my promise to Karina, of accepting everything what the universe gives me, so I accept. As my flight is only tomorrow after lunch, and I do have a layover in China of 8 hours, I will need eat something during this time.
I tell Ari how grateful I am for all his help and what a wonderful person he is. He makes me remember how incredibly kind and generous Turkish people are.
10 Years Around the World 