Currently messaging y'all from a Starbucks in Yokohama. Been both shocked (culturally?) and severely impressed thus far.
Everything is orderly and clean. There have been train delays (which I'm informed are extremely rare), but even a delay of a couple of minutes is thoroughly explained and apologised for. I was greeted to this Starbucks by every single staff member turning towards me and chorusing 'konnichiwa'; the service really put most English coffee shops to shame (Starbucks included, if you can call it a coffee shop over there).
Anybody visited before and have any recommendations as to what to do / see? I've got a couple of weeks (one in Tokyo, one in the Kansai region). I didn't really want to do to touristy stuff, so just booked a few Airbnb rooms and a JR Pass.
Several board members have gone, but they may no longer be active. I think maybe Onewing and Bruce Perry, but I'm not certain anymore. I have not, and though I think it's really cool I cannot afford it nor do I have the interest nor time to attempt to learn about the language or culture. I'd love to go some day and just be an ignorant tourist that doesn't understand the culture or language though. It seems like a really interesting place. But good luck convincing a wife to go to Japan instead of somewhere more romantic or luxurious. Let's be real, I'll be drunk most of the time wherever we go so it doesn't matter to me where we go (as long as being drunk is acceptable).
Avoid the vending machines. Or don't. I guess it depends what you're in to. 
And have fun.
Unfortunately not, I'd love to go there one day..
I want to see Kyoto, once the capital of Japan.
Don't forget to take pictures ;-)
tokyo ni ikimasho da sake o nomemasho
Tokyo Ichiban!
I have some tips for Yokohama, I've been there twice.
If you are into ramen, go to Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum. If you like instant noodles, go to the Nissin Cup Noodles Museum, but get there early because otherwise you can't do all of the activities.
There is also the Yokohama Landmark Tower, it is a great alternative to Tokyo Skytree as it is not as well-known but still an impressive structure with an amazing view from the top. The elevators are among the fastest in the world.
EDIT: Don't bother with Tsukiji Fish Market, previously one of the top attractions in Tokyo. It apparently closed forever last week, as it is being moved to a new location.
Thanks for the advice all. I'll certainly be taking myself to that Ramen museum because I'm a big damn hungry white man.
Highlights so far have included:
The aforementioned Starbucks
Beginning to actually understand Japanese grammar
My host family's son outing himself as a Jump-reading otaku and making Pop Team Epic noises at me (which I reciprocated)
I'm now in yet another coffee shop and am hoping to be meeting up with a friend soon so I'm not just stuck on my own crapping myself with culture shock.
If you like japanese food, try:
1) Shabu shabu
2) Yakiniku
Have fun and be outgoing. People in Japan are generally receptive and polite toward their country's guests.
You might want to check out Super Potato while you're in Tokyo.
People in Japan are generally receptive and polite toward their country's guests.
That's not what I heard from many people who went to Japan to teach English.
(etc)
Not saying the country sucks or anything. But I've only heard bad stories from people who went there. (Also in the USA working for Japanese bosses at Panasonic. They think they're better than "foreigners" they manage.)
Maybe they treat "tourists" specifically better?
I think they do. The people here have been excellent to me thus far.
Japanese companies work very differently. From what I understand: if you join, you're then placed under the same rules as those at your grade (which will almost certainly be pretty low if you've just joined, regardless of your past experience) and thus have to treat your managers as heavenly superpeople. Ergo you will be worked into the ground; it's a given.
EDIT: that said - teaching English might be a different experience for some, but my friends who've done it haven't complained. Guess you'll occasionally get a bad experience wherever you go in the world...
They should definitly see how WE treat our managers... 
Wow, I'm jealous.
I was planning to go this year, but after several financial setbacks, I had to decide to postpone it. Now I'm not sure when it will happen. I'm still studying the language though.
Share everything you can about your experience! 
Well, we just missed each other. I just came back from Japan last week!
Yes, in my experience people are indeed very friendly and polite to tourists and that's a great help, making things go much more smoothly than it would otherwise go due to the language barrier.
But also, I imagine that working there is very different than being the tourist. I would love to try that one day though, just for a few months.
Right, so I went to an izakaya last night with a couple of the locals. I'd say it's like nothing else I've ever experienced, but honestly it bared some striking similarities (in atmosphere but not looks) to an English country pub. Lovely people, very casual, great booze. Though the food was a hell of a lot better. 
I'll have to add some photos once I'm back (though I'm not taking many!)
@amarillion: Ah that's too bad! May have been one of the few opportunities I'll ever have to meet anyone from a.cc 
I'd like to try working here for a bit too someday. Not entirely sure how this could come about though.
nice you can see the Brolly movie when it comes out in dec
I just happened to turn on Comedy Central and they are showing the South Park episode on how the Japanese girls made Tweek and Craig gay. Stay away from the women there.
why would I the Great King Piccolo_Sun lie? that is reserved for the lower life forms
why would I the Great King Piccolo_Sun lie? that is reserved for the lower life forms
Piccolo my man, you are unreal. I mean, out of this world. Is your spaceship ready yet? You know pretty soon you'll be able to buy space plane tickets. Start saving now, it'll probably cost you a pretty penny. But I say in 20 30 years stratospheric travel will be far more common.
no my ship not ready yet. been having a lot of setbacks. my boat sank and now someone broke into it and stole $5k + worth of tools that i needed to fix it. im focusing on deving my new game in hopes that it can lift me up out of this situation and get things back on track.
can you show anything of your progress master piccolo sir?
not really that much progress on the boat after my last job contract i spent my time helping someone else with their 5d cenama that is when i got my stuff stolen so i stopped helping them to focus more on fixing my boat.
where a vid of before the tools got stolen.
Your boat looks awesome. I hope you get time to make it exactly how it should be.
King Piccolo will make it so
Alrighty then.