Here’s a bunch of things I’ve written over the (literal) decades of traveling and living in/out of Japan.
I lived in Japan a total of 6 years on 4 separate occasions over the course of 20 years (and have visited regularly since I was 16). But since my context started as a student, then a resident, I never did much of the tourist thing.
I’ve also never had a lot of love for Tokyo or ‘Weird Japan’ so unfortunately, someone else would be a better advisor on that–but if you’re more interested in isolated mountain towns than robot or maid cafes, this guide might be good for you! But here’s some general cultural/specific-to-Japan suggestions that I think are useful for everyone!
Where should I stay? Accommodation Guide