c199b88e_Hitchhiking_in_Japan_Log__Highlights_of_trip
[Date] 07/08/07 [Destination] Aomori City to Niigata City [Distance] 460KM [# Vehicles] 11 [Highlights of trip] 
Lady who took me to Odate Mrs. Shirahata with her two daughters I had originally hoped to hitchhike to Tokyo on the Tohoku Expressway, but expressway road officials spotted me standing near the toll booth and asked me to leave. And so instead of Tokyo, I decided to return home to Niigata via Route 7 which is a low road passing through Akita and Yamagata. Though I had an early start at 8:30 AM, I knew I was facing a long trip of 460 kilometers (287 miles) with most cars going only a relatively short distance. Normally it would take me two days to hitchhike such a distance by low road. I have friends in Akita city which is 170 kilometers into my journey home and where I'm always welcome to stay. I knew I could get at least as far as Akita where I could spend the night. Even with good rides and little waiting, if I attempted to hitchhike all the way home that day I knew the last few hours of my journey would be after sundown. Because there is no daylight savings time in Japan, it gets dark relatively early just after 7PM. Unless I could catch my last ride to Niigata before sundown, I might wind up in some desolate area hitchhiking in the dark! It sure is a lot harder to hitchhike at night when people can't see you so well. And so I decided to pace myself to see how early I would arrive in Akita. I caught the first 4 rides with very little waiting and went as far as Odate City in Akita prefecture. Among those who picked me up were two young ladies to whom I shared the Gospel with in much detail. It took me about a hour waiting in the hot noon day sun in Odate before catching the next car. The man saw me earlier with the sign of my destination being Akita City, and because he was going back to Akita after finishing his business in Odate, he decided to pick me up if I was still waiting when he was done. I was so thankful to meet him! Going to Akita city in one ride from Odate is a considerable distance of over about 100 kilometers. He even went a bit out of his way past Akita city and drove me to an intersection from where he knew I was more apt to get a ride at least as far as the next city of Honjo. It had taken me 6.5 hours to travel 40% of my journey and it was now 3PM with only 4 remaining hours of daylight with yet 270 kilometers to travel. I decided to 'go for the gold' and trust God to take me home that evening. The next 5 cars took me as far as Tsuruoka City in Yamagata Prefecture. Among them was a lady, Miss Chika, who was with her parents. Chika spoke every good English and has some Christian background with is relatively rare in Japan. At 4:35 PM a lady with her 11 year old son took me as far as Sakata City in Yamagata. But by the time I got to the other side of Tsuruoka city which is only 30 minutes drive further down the road, it was already 6:20 PM. I still had 170 kilometers left to go with only 50 minutes before sunset! The sky would be totally dark after about 90 minutes. I needed a major miracle with one good final ride taking me the rest of the way home or I would wind up hitchhiking in darkness. That miracle came 35 minutes later when Mrs. Shirahata with her two teenage daughters offered me a ride all the way back to Niigata city! I arrived home 10:30 PM that evening. Living by faith is so much fun! You know that God will provide. You just don't know when or by whom until it comes.
Hitchhiking in Japan Log
Highlights of trip