Tokyo

How to get out of Tokyo

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!

A preliminary notes about buses: in general, Tokyo's commuter bus system sucks. They run very infrequently (typically 1/hr in the boonies), have a lunch break of several hours, and stop running early. Try to get to the bus station before 11 in the morning, or you'll probably have to wait until 2 in the afternoon for the next one!

Tōmei Expressway (東名)

For: Fuji/Gotemba, Hakone, Nagoya, western Japan
Where: Kōhoku PA (港北)
Alternative: Yōga IC (用賀), near Tokyu Den-en-toshi line (東急田園都市線) Yōga station
Last verified: May 2002

Directions: Go to Tōkaichiba (十日市場) station on the JR Yokohama line through any one of a number of connections (Shibuya to Nagatsuta via Tokyu Den-en-toshi, Shibuya to Shin-Yokohama via Tokyu Toyoko, Shinjuku to Machida via Odakyu, etc.) The train trip is only 30 minutes, but it's a few hilly kilometers to the PA, so consult an area map before you set off.

Chūō Expressway (中央)

For: Fujiyoshida, Lake Kawaguchi, Nagano, Gifu, Nagoya & western Japan (slow route)
Where: Ishikawa SA (石川)
Where not: Takaido IC (高井戸, near Keio Inokashira/Takaido stn.) or Eifuku IC (永福, near Keio/Meidaimae stn.), both way too busy
Cost from Yamanote line: ~800 yen
Last verified: August 2000

Directions: Get to Kichijoji (吉祥寺) via Keio Inokashira from Shibuya or JR Chuo from Shinjuku, switch to JR Chuo (preferably a kaisoku commuter express to Takao, otherwise you'll have to change trains a few times) and go to either Toyoda (豊田) or Hino (日野). From Toyoda station (north exit), take Keio bus 日04 from platform 2 to Ishikawacho-higashi (石川町東). They run from 7:35 to 18:15, usually at 35 past the hour, but there is no 12:35 bus. The same bus runs to Hino station so you can catch it from there too. The distance is about 3 km and the bus route is reasonably straightforward, so it is also walkable if you're in the mood.

Once at Ishikawachō-higashi, backtrack to the lights (I'm assuming you're coming from Toyoda), you'll see the highway on your left. Go to the highway, but not under it -- turn left, up the hill, then open the gate that you are not supposed to open, walk up to the SA fence and jump over the one-meter gate if it is locked. You're in!

Note: Chuo branches a few times, be sure you know what branch you want to go to and what branch your driver will go to. The first is Ootsuki Junction (大月), where the road splits between the Nagano and Fujiyoshida branches; the last SA before the junction is Dangōzaka (談合坂).

Kan'etsu Expressway (関越)

For: Niigata, Sado Island, Japan Sea coast
Where: Miyoshi PA (三芳)
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
Cost from Yamanote line: ~500 yen
Last verified: April 1998

Directions: Take the Tōbu Tōjō (東武東上) line from 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, northern Japan, Hokkaido
Where: Hasuda PA (蓮田)
Last verified: July 2005

Directions: Go to Hasuda station on the JR Utsunomiya (宇都宮) line, starting from Shinjuku or Tokyo. Take the east exit and locate platform #3, take Tōbu (東武) bus #4 to Shiyakusho-mae (市役所前). Right before the stop the bus actually goes under the expressway, return to the bridge (don't go under it!) and head a few hundred meters up the hill/to the north along the expressway until you reach the PA. The gate may be locked, but the fence is low and jumping over it is no problem.

Jōban Expressway (常磐)

For: Mito, Iwaki, Sendai (slow route)
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
Where not: Moriya SA (守谷)

This highway is the bane of the hitchhiker, as there appears to be no decent way of getting onto it. The nearest real service area, Moriya SA (守谷), is way out of town, at least 3 transfers plus a bus ride from the Yamanote. The IC and PA listed above are unexplored possibilities. One sure way: take a ¥2000 train to Mito and start there...

Warning: If you get on at Mukōjima IC, the road soon joins Shuto C2, after which C2 branches off again towards the Tōhoku Expressway. Make sure you know where your driver is going!

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 Odaiba or Shin-Kiba, which transforms into the Higashi-Kantō.