How to plan I trip to Japan?

Question:

If someone could offer advice. I want to go Dec. 2012
-Would you recommend a solo trip to someone unfamiliar with Japanese language? (I hope to be done with vocab soon and can then study grammar and I only know a couple hundred kanji. I just would like to ask)
-How should I buy a round trip ticket and when? Do I use travelocity or PriceLine? Should I get a ticket now or later?
-What should I do about money once I get there? Converting my money to yen and when Im done back to dollar?
-How do I book hotels and such? I would like to also stay at a ryokan that offers meals,lodging, and onsen baths at least 2 nights. How do I book and look up these places?
Any info or sites would be grateful as I've never left the States before or planned a trip and I don't know of anyone I could ask physically.

Answer:

A solo trip to Japan is AWESOME. I have made six solo trips sofar, and am going again next week.
You do not need to know any Japanese to be able to enjoy your trip. Only the Kanji for 'English' will
be enough to help you use ATMs at the Japanese Post Office.
There are now many English signs in busy tourist areas as well as on most trains.

The way I plan is to keep checking as many travel websites as possible, including Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline etc. as well as websites of individual airlines such as AirCanada, JAL, AA etc.
Also, go to a travel agent near you, and pick up some brochures about Japan.
Be sure to check prices for different days as well since weekdays tend to be less expensive than weekends.
I now exclusively use JAL because of the excellent service, and their price is competitive. I have never bought from sites such as Travelocity, but I have heard some horror stories. Go with a travel agent near you or buy online directly from the airline.

The amount of money you take with you depends on how long you will be going, how much traveling you are going to do, where you will stay etc.
Once you know where to stay, you should try to pay for your accommodation with as many providers as possible so that the only expense you would have in Japan is food, souvenirs and travel on non-JR lines. Some hostels and most ryokan take cash only, so you won't be able to do this.

Be sure to exchange your money at an exchange office in your hometown. Do NOT use your bank for this since they charge exorbitant commissions. Do not wait until you arrive at the airport in Japan to exchange your money since those offices usually also have high commission rates, so you will get fewer yen. I'm taking 50,000 yen(approx. CDN$ 675.00) for a two-week holiday. If you run short, you can now use your debit or credit card at any branch of 7iBank convenience store, CitiBank, Japan Post Office and many other Japanese banks all over Japan, except in some very rural areas. Also, the Japanese government limits the amount that foreigners can bring into the country.

For hotels I use Agoda.com. Don't hesitate to use hostels, business hotels, capsule hotel(for a unique experience), ryokan etc. Just type 'accommodation in Japan' into your browser, then check all of the sites that appear.
Also check sites like the ones I have listed in the source.

Be sure to purchase a JR Railpass for your travel within Japan. You need to purchase an exchange voucher at an authorised travel agency near you. Then you take this voucher with you to Japan and exchange it there for the real pass at any Midori-No-Madoguchi ticket office. Here you will also specify the date that you want your pass to be activated and date that it will expire. The cost seems high, but in fact is an excellent deal since it is valid for unlimited travel on the NE'X from Narita to Tokyo, all JR local trains and subways, including the Yamanote Line within Tokyo and buses(with some exceptions), all Bullet trains except Nozomi, the JR Ferry to Miyajima.

For packing, I suggest to pack just enough for a two or three day stay in a backpack on wheels that fits the dimensions of a carry-on. Check the specifications on the website of the airline that you will use. Be sure to pack an empty shopping bag made from cloth inside your backpack. This is for souvenirs that you might want to bring back. Doing this will allow you to speed right through check-in, deplaning and you can go directly to Customs and Immigration without having to wait for over an hour to pick up your luggage from the carousel.