(The rules said thread revival is okay, so here we go)

I spent 10 days in Japan earlier this month, and it was a fantastic experience. I've traveled before but not beyond the borders of the United States.

The Japanese are a very friendly people, offering assistance at any chance they get. When I landed at Narita (one of the two international airports in Tokyo) and had trouble figuring out the metro lines and streets I needed to follow to get to the place I rented, people would walk up and ask "Where you going?" They were ready to tell me exactly where to go, and all of them helped in a big way.

Tokyo is a clean city, despite trash cans being nearly impossible to find. The streets and subways are super clean, no trash anywhere! The metro system is daunting at first for someone like me, but once I got the hang of it, I really liked using it. Look on the map, find your stop, and pick out your ticket on the machine. A lot of restaurants I went to had machines that had English menus, and that printed out order tickets, eliminating any sort of language barrier. Really, there isn't that big of a language barrier, at least in Tokyo. English is everywhere, and most everyone I spoke to broke enough English to have a conversation with.

I've already begun planning for a return trip next year. I'd honestly like to look at potential jobs over there, but I'd like to visit again before making a decision like that. I really enjoyed the trip and the culture I experienced.