Re: Chit Chat
In reply to Caladin (msg # 96):
Nah, I'm not in Japan anymore, I finished my exchange year abroad since then. I went back for a few months for an internship before graduating, but now I've been back in France with a job for a couple of years.
But mostly, I actually lived there rather than spent holidays there, so my stories are quite different and maybe not as interesting as what a tourist can tell. I was a broke student who had to study :p (plus the yen soared when I went so it made things all the more expensive)
Going to Japan may not be too expensive if you plan it well! Just avoid touristy seasons: Spring (or at least, not during cherry blossom season), Summer (touristy and too hot).
I think you should be able to get something affordable in Fall (plus, you get to see the Japanese maples at this time of the year), or in Winter (outside of Christmas and NYE).
Also maybe don't go to Tokyo as it's super expensive, and try to go elsewhere: Fukuoka, Sapporo, Osaka are great cities as well for instance. Plus, if you want a real feel of Japan, you need to get out of Tokyo (it's definitely a place to check out, but that's not where you'll really discover Japan).