lukas.zielinski@googlemail.com wrote:
> Let's say I was rich(*) but cheap(**) and I wanted to spend two weeks
> on the road in Japan, how would I go about it?
>
> - Do Japanese people pick up (gaijin-) hitchhikers standing by the
> roadside?

As a general rule, no. Bike, bus, car, local trains or railpass is the
way to go.

> - What is your recommendation for inexpensive places to spend the
> nights? (please dont say "bus stop"..)

Youth hostels are OK, but you are still looking at 2500-4000 per night
when food is considered.
http://www.jyh.or.jp/english/
In Hokkaido the week after next I'll be staying in a few hostels,
camping on other nights (when not hiking, might need to "camp" in the
rental car).

> - Rainy seasons starts in June right? : )

In most areas of the country. In Okinawa it has already started. The
cherry blossoms have just finished falling off the trees in Sapporo. In
Okazaki (near Nagoya) it has been drizzly for most of the last week.