Best length of time for first trip
 

What do you think the best length of time is for a first trip to Japan?

two weeks
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Two weeks. Any more might start getting rough financially and socially.

Having never been, I don't know that I really qualify to respond. That aside, it seems like a month or so would be ideal. There would be so much to take in, and I don't like to rush.

What is your opinion, MMM? I would put a lot more stock in that than in whatever I pull out of the air.

I am sometimes surprised by people that say "I am taking my first trip to Japan and I am going for a month" or "6 weeks" or even "90 days".

Two weeks would the perfect length of time for a first trip. With two weeks you can do a ton and never have the time to experience culture shock. I think at three weeks or beyond you have essentially "moved" to Japan, and the flight home can seem very far away, which can cause panic attacks and anxiety when in a place a foreign country as different as Japan.

First trip?

Good question, MMM.

I'd have to say it depends on the housing arrangements.

If it's a hotel, then about a week.
If it's a guest house, then maybe a month.
If it's a friend, then heck, stay your whole 90 day tourist period.

I'm looking at it at a financial setback point of view.

I am looking at it from the mental state and fun point of view.

Well then the 1 week-2 week hotel stay would be best bet.

Ah, you mention some interesting points that I hadn't really considered. My original reaction was "3 weeks," but then I thought I would round out my answer.

And I was mostly considering the question funds not withstanding, to treat it objectively. If I ever actually got the opportunity to go, money would certainly restrict my stay.

It's encouraging to think that "less is more," so to speak.

I voted two weeks but any length of time would be appropriate as long as freaks with asian fever like me fulfill their dream there.

Well, I voted for one month, as that's how long I'm planning for my first trip to Japan in 2010. I've already been saving for a year so money won't be a problem and I've studied the language for 4 years so I can make myself understood while I'm there. :vsign:

I think that all depends on circumstances and what type of person you are.
People who get home sick easily might find two weeks hard.
When I visit places for vacation I usually like to stay for two weeks though sometimes more depending if I'm visiting family or not.

I also can`t really answer. It depends very very much upon the person and their way of thinking, financial situation, and their plans for the future.
My first trip to Japan was the full 90 days (actually, 88 to be exact...) I never regretted the length and it was perfect for me. 1 week may be the best for one person, 3 weeks for another, etc.

I'd go with two weeks, but mainly for financial reasons.

Then again, you are paying 1000 dollars for a flight. I think if you go less then two weeks it's not really worth that. My first trip was three weeks. The second was a month...or a little more..

Realistically I would say two weeks, but when I see what most people are wanting to do it would take at least three. I'm amazed that people want to travel all over Japan on their first trip and not just concentrate on one area. Two weeks living out of your suitcase is long enough.

I was in Japan for about two weeks, and it wasn't nearly enough!
I think about a month is enough time to really see and experience Japan :)

If you've got the time, the money, and the right attitude, I'd say a month at least. I wouldn't exactly equate a stay longer than two weeks with "moving" to Japan, but you certainly can get a deeper understanding of what daily Japanese life is like if you stay for a longer period of time, rather than just riding that wave of tourist euphoria that you get your first week or two there. As Nyororin said, it really depends on the person. My first time to Japan was an extended stay, and I felt very little culture shock, and I felt like I could have stayed even longer than I did (a month), but on the other hand, I've known people who simply can't deal with the "normal" Japanese lifestyle, and wouldn't be able to stay longer than the average tourist does. I watched a person have a mental breakdown by their third week of studying abroad in Japan and had to go home, just because she didn't 'click' with Japanese society very well.

So, I'd go with the following conclusion: if the person likes to travel and just wants to "see Japan", then make it two weeks, simple. But if the person has a desire to live in Japan in the future, I'd say stay as long as they can, because wandering around Buddhist temples or Akihabara isn't going to prepare someone for living there - they have to see how well they deal with daily life there.

I would say 3 weeks. The first 2 or 3 days you will need to get used to everything, you will need to get over the jetlag, etc.
Than you would want to spend some time in your city of choice (most people Tokyo i assume) so lets say a week. Than you want to travel to a few places (Maybe Kyoto, osaka, Nikko,...) so another week. Thats leaves you a few days at the end to just relax and do some shopping, go to game arcades, bars, clubs whatever is your thing.

I think 2 weeks would also be ok, but think about the jetlag (mine took nearly a week) and about the money you spend for the flight!

My first trip was 1 year (working holiday) and i started getting homesick after 10 month but it was not to strong so i stayed the full year.

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 it all depnds

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.)

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. :/

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.

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

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.

My goal in going to Japan is to immerse myself in the language so that I can become much better.

This requires my first trip to Japan to be longer than a month... but I suppose if your purpose for going was just travel and interest then a couple of weeks to a month would be a good amount of time to take it all in.

I voted for one month. I'm traveling to Japan in mid-October and I'm staying for a full month. I figure that I if I have to spend 14+ hours on an airplane getting there, it should probably be for a substantial amount of time.

Also, I'm very keen to learn about Japan, it's history, and it's culture. I would like to move there to teach English or work, and staying there for a month will give me a good idea of whether or not I can handle it.

2-3 weeks should be adequate for a first trip ... if you like it there is always time to come back :)