I would love to go to Japan again (I didn't want to leave the first time), but I'll be in grad school next year and won't have the time off.
My advice:
1) Try WWOOFing. It's a system of working for room and board - usually at farms but I've stayed at a restaurant, a campground, and several private homes as well. It's inexpensive (a big help in Japan!) and you really get to know the people and places you're visiting. My hosts opened a lot of doors for me, including getting me a ride on the school bus to the end of the world. Go to www.wwoofjapan.com to learn more.
2) Don't plan too much. On my trips to New Zealand & Japan, I bought a ticket there and back, arranged my first place to stay, and left the rest of the time open. Thanks to that, I was able to visit the frequently-overlooked Gold Coast, stay an extra week at Suu-Yuu-An, and accept a last-minute invitation to visit a friend of a friend. Of course, the shorter the trip, the more it has to be planned in advance. Mine were three months each.
3) Don't be afraid of being too much like tourists. If you find your trip rewarding, then you're doing it right. Hey, I climbed Mount Fuji, and there are few things in the world more touristy than climbing Mount Fuji.
My advice:
1) Try WWOOFing. It's a system of working for room and board - usually at farms but I've stayed at a restaurant, a campground, and several private homes as well. It's inexpensive (a big help in Japan!) and you really get to know the people and places you're visiting. My hosts opened a lot of doors for me, including getting me a ride on the school bus to the end of the world. Go to www.wwoofjapan.com to learn more.
2) Don't plan too much. On my trips to New Zealand & Japan, I bought a ticket there and back, arranged my first place to stay, and left the rest of the time open. Thanks to that, I was able to visit the frequently-overlooked Gold Coast, stay an extra week at Suu-Yuu-An, and accept a last-minute invitation to visit a friend of a friend. Of course, the shorter the trip, the more it has to be planned in advance. Mine were three months each.
3) Don't be afraid of being too much like tourists. If you find your trip rewarding, then you're doing it right. Hey, I climbed Mount Fuji, and there are few things in the world more touristy than climbing Mount Fuji.
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