Hitchhiking in Japan, demystified.
Wrong spot: 45 minutes. Right spot: 10 minutes.
We tell you where to stand. Then we disappear.
580km โข 6-8 hours โข 2 travelers used this spot
Real spots identified โข Field testing Feb 2026
140km โข 2-3 hours
100km โข 2 hours
Choose your journey
The Friendship Highway
"They changed their plans mid-journey to take me directly to Osaka."
UNESCO World Heritage โข Year-round
"Sacred shrines, hot springs, stunning nature in every season."
Mount Fuji & Five Lakes
"FamilyMart before Chofu IC. Weekend mornings when the sky is clear."
Pouce isn't a service. It's a community where cultural exchange flows both ways.
Traditional travel apps extract. We cultivate.
Japanese locals who want to share their region with the world.
Join the waitlist for early community access.
No spam. Just updates on community launch.
We built Pouce by asking one question: What if we removed everything that makes modern travel feel transactional?
What we don't build
What's left?
You. A roadside. Whoever stops.
That's not a bug. That's the entire point.
Chapter One
October 2024. Tokyo. 12 PM, wrong spot: 45 minutes of invisibility.
1 PM, right spot: McDonald's at the highway entrance. Ten minutes later, a car pulled over.
Timing intelligence isn't luck. It's reading the rhythm of a place.
Chapter Two
The McDonald's revelation: Familiar places create magic. Drivers are in transition mode. Their minds are open.
The right where isn't scenic. It's strategic.
Chapter Three
We don't make hitchhiking safe. We make you capable.
Pouce teaches you where to stand and when. Then we disappear.
That's Pouce. ๐
Ready to learn where to stand?
Everything else you need
Pouce is an educational platform providing information about hitchhiking in Japan. We do not arrange, facilitate, or guarantee rides. All travel decisions are your own responsibility.
ยฉ 2025 Pouceโข. A Japan Stillness Project.
Made with ๐ for travelers who trust the road.
Capability over caution. Awareness over anxiety.
If something feels off, it probably is. Wait for the next ride.
Tell someone your route. Share your location.
Look at the car. Look at the driver. Feel the energy.
Keep your phone charged. Know emergency numbers.
Japan is one of the safest countries in the world for hitchhiking.
Low crime. High trust culture. Helpful locals.
Founder, Pouce & Japan Stillness
"I stood at the wrong spot for 45 minutes. Then I moved 500 meters and waited 10 minutes. Everything changed."
Tokyo โ Osaka, October 2024
Pouce was born from a single afternoon on a Tokyo roadside. October 2024. I wanted to hitchhike to Osaka but had no idea where to start. Every travel guide said "it's possible" but none told me where to actually stand.
So I learned the hard way. Wrong spot: 45 minutes of invisibility near Yoga station. Cars rushed past. No one saw me. Then I walked 500 meters to a McDonald's right before the Tomei Expressway entrance. Ten minutes later, a couple pulled over.
They were heading to NagoyaโI had written that on my board, thinking Osaka was too far to ask. But something happened in those first seconds of connection. They saw a traveler who respected the exchange, not someone desperate for a ride. They changed their plans. Drove six hours out of their way to take me directly to Osaka. We're still in touch.
That experience taught me something no guidebook ever could: timing intelligence matters more than luck. It's not about standing anywhere with your thumb out. It's about reading a placeโunderstanding when drivers are in transition mode, when their routines are paused, when their minds are open to connection.
The McDonald's revelation became the foundation of Pouce. Familiar places create magic. Drivers know them. They stop there naturally. And when you position yourself at that intersection of familiarity and flow, authentic encounters become almost inevitable.
Pouce is part of Japan Stillnessโa different way to experience Japan. We believe the best travel moments can't be manufactured by algorithms or purchased through platforms. They emerge from presence, openness, and the courage to trust the road.
We teach you where to stand and when. Then we get out of your way. No ratings. No matching. No payments. Just you, a roadside, and whoever stops.
Follow the journey on Instagram
๐ธ @muginozQuestions, stories, ideas?
The Friendship Highway โข 580km
I stood at the wrong location first. 12:00 PM near Yoga area. 45 minutes, no rides.
I moved 500 meters. McDonald's at Tomei Expressway entrance. 1:00 PM. Everything changed.
Ten minutes later, a car stopped. Six hours of conversation followed.
UNESCO World Heritage โข 140km
Field testing February 2026.
Mount Fuji & Five Lakes โข 100km
24h FamilyMart right before Chofu IC entrance. Weekend mornings see families and photographers heading to see Fuji-san.
Best on clear weather days when Fuji is visible. Drivers are already excited.
Field testing February 2026.