Have you been to Japan? Is it as beautiful as it seems?

Question:

I've never been to Japan. I'm so excited about visiting it. It seems so different and exotic. And there are so many things to do. The Cherry Blossom seems wonderful, also there are so many weird things I wish to explore like capsul hotels and bullet trains. Have you been? And would you recommend a visit?

Answer:

Yes, it's beautiful, but if your image of Japan is just of "weird" and "exotic" things, or of the images tourists often see, you will most likely be disappointed. There is a lot more to Japan than cherry blossoms (which are seasonal so unless you're there at a specific time of the year you won't see them), capsule hotels, and bullet trains. Japan being a modern nation, it has all of the same things your average modern, first-world nation has -- both positive and negative things. I would recommend a trip to Japan but I would also recommend some research before you go so you're not stuck expecting more stereotypes than Japan has to give.