Help needed for trip to Tokyo

[RecurringDreams]

I'm in the National Guard, and will be leaving for IRaq soon (bear with me). Apparently, we are given a two-week vacation to anywhere in the world during the 12 month's I'll be over there, and one of my destinations is Japan, preferably Tokyo. However, I am not sure of it and am looking for some advice, preferably locations I can visit while I'm over there. I'll start with the questions that are uppermost in my thoughts right now?

I know Japan is generally a homogenous society and sort of xenophobic, but I heard the people are generally pleasant to tourists, how true is this to your experiences?

What are some great places to visit by ones-self? I'm into the historic, the public, the nightlife, the nerdy...any place that anyone visits regularly, has been before and loved...any place would be fantastic. (a name at the least please, please don't write "Well there was this one restaurant...food there was great, it's in Nerima" doesn't help em that much )

Where are the nearest onsen's (hot springs) that will cater to foreigners? I've always wanted to visit a hot spring, but I'd rather not let my whiteness burden the staff or their customers.

When would be the best time of the year to visit? I know June is the rainy season, but I'm not really a "cold-weather" person.

Would you recommend Japan for a two-week vacation, as a single-guy traveling by himself?

Let me make it clear, over the last 10 or so years, I have been engrossed in Japan. It started out as purely entertainment, but then i started to learn its culture and history, and even a very small amount of its language. But my knowledge of its society is limited to what I've read. I want to learn more about Japan and its people, and not through the internet and the eyes of others. I think I could love Japan for its good and its bad, any information at all would be fantastic.

[ChisaChi]

Based on one trip to Japan, people are incredibly kind, polite and friendly. I didn't experience anything more special than polite curiousity about where I was from. I've heard that some aspects of being part of Japanese society whilst living there can be difficult as a foreigner, but as a tourist you shouldn't really have any issues.

Depending on what you want to see or do exactly, Osaka or Kyoto might be better placed to see the sights than Tokyo as there's lots of interesting things within an easy distance of there.

[MMM]

June might be rainy, but it isn't cold. I prefer spring or autumn. And yes, I think this would be a great trip. Homogeneous, yes, but xenophobic is not a word I would use. Nikko is a popular hot spring resort relatively close to Tokyo.

I lived closer to Osaka, so I am not a Tokyo expert.

[bELyVIS]

Osaka is closer to what most people think is really Japan. You can easily go to Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, etc. I was in Tokyo for a few days and got bored. Plus, people in Kansai are more friendly and I thought the food was better.
Please be careful in Iraq. We want all of our heroes back in one piece. And thank you for what you are doing for us all here at home.

[tksensei]

Originally Posted by bELyVIS

Osaka is closer to what most people think is really Japan. You can easily go to Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, etc. I was in Tokyo for a few days and got bored. Plus, people in Kansai are more friendly and I thought the food was better.
Please be careful in Iraq. We want all of our heroes back in one piece. And thank you for what you are doing for us all here at home.

Good points all around!

[siokan]

Is it the hot spring which is near from Tokyo?
Is it a major place? Is it a minor place?
Do you do it in a day? Do you stay?
Where do you go to after having gone to the hot spring?

I want condition setting a little more

[Sangetsu]

Tokyo is easy enough to see on your own. Getting there is easy enough, you can take either the train or a bus from Narita aiport to various parts in the city. From long experience, I prefer the bus, the bus ticket counter is right in front of you after you exit customs and immigration, bus tickets cost less than train tickets, and you don't have to cart your luggage all the way to the train platform (and through Tokyo Station further down the line).

You need to decide first where in Tokyo you will stay. Hotels run from $50 a night to $5000 a night. Business type hotels are cheapest, but you'll find Hilton, Hyatt, and other hotel chains here. Shop around before you book, you'd be surprised the deals which many agents can get. Once you know which hotel you will be staying at, you can decide which bus will get you closest to if (if not drop you off in front of it).

Tokyo is not at all xenophobic, it is an international city with people of all nationalities represented. You'll find all important signs to be in Japanese and English, and people are helpful if you have questions or need help.

Many people might recommend seeing different parts of Japan during your stay, but honestly, it's probably better to pick one spot and stay there. I've been in Tokyo for almost 2 years and haven't seen half of it yet. If you do the country-wide tour, you'll spend more time on trains and buses than you will enjoying the scenery first-hand.

Foreigners will generally not have any problems visiting an onsen (hot spring resort), provided you don't have any tattoos. The most convenient hot springs to Tokyo are in Yugawara (outside Hakone), which is about an hour from Tokyo station on the Tokaido line. The coastline is dramatic in Yugawara, and there is at least one onsen park where you can enjoy the water for 300 yen. Be sure to wear the slippers the attendant provides, the stone walkways are often hotter than the water itself (which is very hot). Hakone is also easy to get to, just take the Tokaido line train to Odawara station, and take the Hakone train or (better yet) one of the many buses which run from Odawara station and the resorts in Hakone. BTW, Odawara Castle is located next to Odawara station, and is one of the few intact castles still remaining in Japan.

In Tokyo you can visit the usual places, Ueno, Akihabara, Ginza, the Imperial Palace, Shinjuku and Kabukicho, Shibuya, and Harajuku. While at Shibuya, you can walk to the Meiji Jingu shrine, or to Aoyama cemetery (worth seeing). From Aoyama it's actually a short walk to Roppongi, with all it's shops, restaurants, and clubs.

Other places worth seeing are the Tokyo Disney parks, the Odaiba area (including the Big Site convention center and proposed 2016 Olympic venue).

Get yourself a good guidebook, particularly one which has good information about the train and subway system. Tokyo is a big place, but it is surprisingly easy to get around.