The Best Ways to Travel Around Japan

Left: Your favorite and friendly neighborhood death machine. Right: Your not so favorite or friendly duckmobile.

We asked 1000 Japanese natives what the best ways are to traverse Japan (excluding the Shinkansen). Here are the top responses we received:

1) By Hot Air Balloon. The air balloon has grown in popularity alongside the annual international balloon festival that takes place in Saga. Only 30% of balloons get lost after being blown out to sea! (For reference, in 2021 55% of balloons disappeared forever).

2) The Shinkansen. We asked them specifically not to choose this method, but they did so anyway. We thought that perhaps there was some sort of language barrier between us, but isn't American a universal language?

3) The Ford F-150. With it's terrible gas mileage (kilometerage?), poor safety, and it's difficulty to park, the obnoxious Ford F-150 fits in perfectly with a culture known for obsessively disrespecting and inconveniencing others.

4) Via Gundam. An empty Gundam lies about just north of Haneda Airport that is open to the public. Most people just take photos, but there's no one about to stop you from climbing inside, and no police or military force can stop you once you're in the cockpit

5) Go By Foot. Much of Japan can be seen well enough merely by placing one foot ahead of the other. That being said, the way one moves by foot varies by region. For example, in Kyoto it is common to place a piece of toast in your mouth while running, while in Tokyo the classic method is to get blackout drunk before beginning your journey.