"Hitching Rides With Buddha, A Journey Across Japan" by Will Ferguson

Will Ferguson is a very well known humor writer in Canada. I have also read his "How To Be a Canadian" which was awesome.

"Hitching Rides With Buddha" was also published in the US under the name of "Hokkaido Highway Blues".

This book made me want to go to Japan (which I never really wanted to visit before). Will lived in Japan for two years before deciding to hitchhike across Japan to follow the Cherry Blossom "front". Every year in Japan people track the "front" of the blossoming cherry blossoms complete with cherry blossom blooming forecasts on the nightly news.

Along the way Will meets many people who try to convince him to take the train because "Japanese do not pick up hitchhikers". This conversation was usually had right after the person speaking picked Will up off the side of the road.

Will has a wonderful knack for describing the people of Japan. He met many interesting people and recording them well. It almost makes me want to hitchhike across Japan (but just almost). It does make me tell you to DEFINITELY read this book. I give it 4 stars out of 4. Loved it!