Japan Summery

All in all Japan was great. I am actually surprised that it does not
see any more American tourists because the flight there is not really
that much worse then Europe and it is probably less expensive then
Europe with the current state of currencies.

It is also, I think, more interesting then Europe because rather then
seeing a region that was the source of a lot of American culture, you
are seeing a place that has kind of developed in parallel with the US,
to the extent that it has a similar level of affluence and
sophistication, but based on an entirely different cultural base. The
result is almost a parallel universe to what you know, with a lot of
things staying the same, but very simple things being very different.

So, here is a list of the highlights and lowlights in my humble opinion:

Highlights:

- Food: The quality of food, especially at reasonable prices in Japan
is beyond compare. Even at the humblest lunch counter you can get a
very tasty Ramen or Curry dish for about 5 dollars. Also, rather then
most countries you visit they do not only have a lot of their own
cuisine, they are similar to the US in that they have restaurants that
are from all over the globe, each with a Japanese twist.

- Lodgings for budget travelers (especially solo): Japan has a lot of
very clean hostel type places, traditional Japanese B&Bs and business
hotels (basically similar setup to a regular hotel but the room is
really small). All of these can be had between 20 and 50 dollars a
night per person. Being Japan security and cleanliness are never an
issue and except for Tokyo location is usually good. The only catch
is that a lot of stuff is per person, so cost goes up with more
people.

- Transportation: JR is incredible, trains go everywhere, always run
on time and are fast and comfortable. It cost a lot to buy tickets,
but with your JR pass, this is of no concern to you.

- Service: Japanese people take even the lowliest job and preform it
with exceptional professionalism. Even the counter person at a quick
mart usually treats you like you are at a 5 star hotel.

- Outdoors activities: Japan has a lot of really beautiful places,
and you really need to diversify you trip of you could get tired of
just big cities.

- Baths: Scoff now at the big attraction of bathing, but after one or
two times you are hooked.

Lowlights:

- Language: Japan is the most difficult place in the world for
English speakers. Restaurant menus are rarely in English and every
transaction is a challenge.

- Meeting People: Imagine how difficult is would be to meet people if
you went to the US and did not know English. It is pretty much like
that. I had more success in nature areas where more well to do
Japanese world travellers hang out.

- Reservations: Unlike India you cannot just go places and just find
a place to stay, reservations at least a couple of days in advance are
a good idea.

- Tokyo: I had some good times in Tokyo, but cheap accommodation in
the city is not located in the best districts and transportation is a
pain. Travelling from one part of the city to another always takes at
least 20-30 minutes on a train, and that really eats into your day.
Its almost like if you go you should pick one or two areas of town and
stay there, forgetting that the rest of the city exists. More
moderate sized Japanese cities have plenty of stuff to keep you
entertained but are a lot easier to get around.