Going in November for 6 weeks. First time and my excitement is pretty much bubbling at the surface while I plan some sort of Itinerary. Mostly will be in the major cities and I'm from London so am very attuned to the busyness, noise, crowds, etc.
But I'm really keen on finding smaller towns to stroll around, maybe speak extremely bad Japanese to locals and take a chance at places to eat that won't mind a non-native. I'm also considering staying with a Host Family for a few days if there's availability.
Has anyone done this before? Does anyone have any tips? Are there any areas of Japan that suit this exploration out and back into the city better than others? Would love to hear what you all think and if I can work this into my stay besides doing the typical tourist things
by nethstar