[Matant86]

I think that it is quite safe to travel in Japan, I was travelling first time there alone spring 2007 and I never had a moment that I felt unsafe. I was travelling around Japan from south to north and back for a month and I had wonderful time there. It was aiding me that I can speak little japanese, just so that I can ask directions, order food at restaurants and hotel or hostel reservations. I think it would be good to know some basic japanese phrases, because not everyone understands english.
I'll be visiting Japan again this summer and I'm very excited about it