The land of the rising sun

Of all the places we've been so far, Japan was the one we spent the most time in -- and we barely scratched the surface of this intriguing country with such a interesting culture. Even though it's a first world nation, featuring great metropolis like Tokyo and Osaka, where it's easy to get a Big Mac or browse the latest Dior collection, it is very unlike other developed countries. It's not that surprising, actually, considering that Japan only opened itself to the west on the nineteenth century and, before that, spent many centuries as a feudal regime, ruled by the shogun and the strict samurai code. This may not be obvious at first, when you're strolling around Shinjuku (Tokyo), staring at all the Times Square-like neon lights -- Shinjuku has its own Times Square, by the way -- but as you gradually immerse yourself in the culture, it becomes clear that you're not in New York City anymore, or anywhere else that's familiar, for that matter.
Fearing the language barrier (hello, Lost in Translation), we decided to book a tour for seven days, that took us around central Honshu (Japan's biggest island), stopping at some of the most memorable historical sites in the country. In hindsight, it was not the best idea. While the tours were very informative and there was no other way we could have seen so much in so little time, they became tiring as the days passed and there were just too many temples and shrines. Still, I can't recommend Japan enough and can't wait to go back and see some more... one day. Just one word of advice: avoid the summer, unless you're thinking of visiting Hokkaido, in the north. Even for us, who've been living just a few miles away from the Equator, Japan can be extremely hot!