Been there, done that. Countless green tea ice creams later I am home.
Going to keep this as brief as I can for brevity's sake.
Tokyo : Only 4 days so I saw only a fraction but I loved it. Possibly in the same sort of awe as London due to me growing up in a three street village but that's the neep I am. Had a food tour first night and drank sake with some yanks, Ozzies and kiwis, really good time. Tour guide was half Swiss/half Japanese and possibly the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Next day ninja training which was a little bit intimidating and a little silly if I'm to be entirely honest. Still, I'm now a killer. Then onto the Robot Restaurant which was probably the best show I've seen in my life. Sake fueled but I just smiled and smiled the whole way through. Fantastic, my highlight of the trip. Then got in tow with a couple of Americans, ended up at a club and got mugged by a Korean stripper, had a knife pulled on me by a black American and went home about 400 lighter than I should have. Hazy night, I had no desire to go to strippers and never do anywhere, yet it was me mugged and ending up in a police station in Tokyo. Still, a story, huh? Sushi lesson the next day and, although I was still drunk enough to fillet my first ever fish, the hangover kicked in right about the time I shouldn't have been showing off to some kiwi chick how much wasabi I could put on my sushi. It amused her when my face turned inside out as I ate it but I don't think it gave her romantic ideas. Then bus tour round Tokyo, saily round Tokyo bay, crossed Shibuya crossing, took some pictures from the Metropolitan building and back to the hotel.
Then onto Takayama and Kanazawa which was old school Geisha/Samurai stuff and also my first Onsen. Strange feeling climbing naked into an 11th floor hot bath with 4 naked Japanese guys but hey-ho.
Kyoto then which was all temples and shrines and what not. Cool, but I can't be bothered elaborating.
Then Koya-san, and a night in a Buddhist temple which involved a meditation session with the monks, a tour around Okunoin cemetery and Kobo Daishi's mausoleum. Then morning ceremony (6am on a Sunday for me) and the Goma fire ritual immediately after.
Then a bus, a cable car, 7 trains and a ferry to Miyajima. Cable car to the top of Mt Misen and a quite simply amazing walk back down it, encountering all sorts of Buddhist things including about 200 mini Buddhas wearing woolen hats for no reason I've sussed. I loved Miyajima. Visited Hiroshima from my base in Miyajima too and found it far more harrowing than I expected it to.
Then a final day in Tokyo where I went on a tour of Mount Fiji where I saw no part of Mount Fiji and then home.
Loved it and I will almost certainly go to at least Tokyo and Mount Fiji again if fortune allows me.
The people were incredibly friendly and accommodating. You pull a map out anywhere and immediately it's "I help you?" I sat on a low shop front in Kanazawa, pulled a map out to see where to go next, and a teenage boy almost immediately pulled a skid and jumped out beside me and studied my map. "Where? I take you. No money. I help." Humbling and a clear highlight of the different cultures. In Scotland I'd have said, "Just take my wallet. I have children. Let me live please."
Ridiculously easy to get round the places I mentioned. I spoke some Japanese and they almost all smiled and nodded as if to say, "Very good you clown but.." and then proceeded to tell me where to go in English. On the few occasions my hosts had the audacity not to speak my language we got by with a few smiles and hand signals.
I haven't even half done it justice here but don't want to bore anyone.
Anyone planning this utterly amazing land then I will give all the advice and help I can. I felt daunted before I went and could not believe how easy it was. Wasn't expensive either. My 16 nights, which ranged from cheap Tokyo digs to expensive Ryokans, came in at under 700. Try that in Britain. I ate out often and it was never more than a tenner for a meal with a beer. Sake is under 2 for a third bottle of wine equivalent that's far stronger.
Quote this post so that I get an e-mail though, I've kinda gone off internet anything.
Kris, I've lost your number due to phone contract idiocy on my part. Email/PM me pal.
Arrigatto Gozaiamas!
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But to elaborate slightly on Kyoto, I walked the Philosopher's Path during full cherry blossom.
It was pretty much full cherry blossom everywhere I went.
Not normally into pink flowers but when in Japan it's a big thing and it signifies their somewhat buddhist thinking of how beautiful and respected the ephemeralty of life is. They come and go for about 2 weeks in Japan, starting in the South and spreading to the North, with their weather forecasts being far more more obsessed by the blossom that the weather. They have parties in their parks when they arrive and it's a very nice time to be there. Obviously that's why I went when I did but I still got very lucky to catch in so fully.
Arrigato Gozaiamas!
Is this a fleeting visit or are you back for good as take that would say.