[masraum]

Originally Posted by pdxfj

Go for it. I've been to Japan 7 or 8 times in my life and it was always an amazing trip. I do remember the first time I went back in '87 the culture shock made me a bit ill. Little to no English on the signs and such at that time. So when you stepped off the plane, you were almost 100% illiterate.

Last trip was in '07 and there was enough English by that time I could get from Narita airport to the house in Tokyo without any assistance.

Wow, that's hard for me to imagine. I think the last time that I was in Japan was Jan 1985. The first time was Jan 1978, IIRC. I'd love to go back, but I'm sure I'd hardly recognize the place.