Best length of time for first trip

[Ryo23T]

well it all depnds

[burkhartdesu]

I went for 1 month my first time -- and I didn't experience any of this 'anxiety'


I say 1 month, unless you're only mildly interested in Japan, then 2 weeks is more than enough time.

[Hatredcopter]

Originally Posted by MMM

Maybe it is because I am coming from the West Coast USA, but I usually don't have much jet lag when I arrive in Japan. However, when I come back it is really bad...takes like a week to get back in order.

That's very common. Traveling east produces much worse jet lag than traveling west. I can't remember the exact scientific reason why, but it happens to pretty much everyone.

[Kazuki84]

I voted 3 weeks, as a few people pointed out your going to spend a lot of your own hard earned money. So you might as well go for a extended period of time so you can experience the whole package. But i guess there's a few factors like can you speak the language or how interested you are in Japan etc.

[Firebird]

Originally Posted by MMM

Maybe it is because I am coming from the West Coast USA, but I usually don't have much jet lag when I arrive in Japan. However, when I come back it is really bad...takes like a week to get back in order.

Well for me the time difference 7 or 8 hours and my jetlag was quite long. Comming back home is no problem, so it might really have to do with the east/West thing!

[Nyororin]

I usually just stay up really late then sleep in for a few days before flying, and I`ve never really had an issue with jet lag. I always feel like crap the first day, but that is because I cannot sleep in a moving vehicle (Not cars, not planes, not trains) so am usually VERY sleep deprived after flight and layover. Sleep a night, and everything is pretty much back to normal.
I have noticed that even if I travel east or west, I will reset to be tired earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning. (Hence the staying up late - if I do that first, instead of getting tired at 7pm it will be 10 or 11, and I will sleep at a normal hour.)

[Shanis]

i think two weeks is too less. A month might be getting quit expensive but if i would take a tript to japan two weeks would just be a waste of time and money japan is just too far away. :/

[Yuna7780]

Two weeks for any vacation, in general.

You're not there long enough to become homesick, but you will still have enough time to do A LOT of things.

[japanfan73]

Longer than a month.. there's too much to do!

[xtrava]

I voted 2 weeks. Thats how long I'm planning for my first visit to Japan. Should be enough to have fun and not ruin yourself financially.

I plan to visit many times and possibly live there for a year or so one day.