I travel to Japan 1-2 times per year so have been many times. I don't really have much to add as I am always there for business. I go to an area a couple of hours north of Tokyo right on the coast.
For me personally, the initial "hey this place is really cool because everything is so different" quickly turns into "I'm sort of tired of the place because everything is so different". Where I go (Katsuta, Mito, Tokai area - Japan Particle Accelerator Research Complex) not many people speak English and I speak very little Japanese beyond the usual greetings and what comes in handy for me - "Excuse me" and "I'm sorry".
But everyone is really nice and I am amazed at how safe the place feels. Young children walking (and taking trains) to school with no adult supervision at all. Things like that. I also really appreciate the whole "respect" culture in Japan - like not talking on trains or being very quiet if you do have to talk.
The food is really good (even for a backwoods East Tennessee guy like me). Some stuff is very exotic (a kind way of saying disgustingly weird) but most everything is good. Stay away from the Monk Fish Soup. Pro tip. I've had raw horse twice and it was awesome both times. Also raw beef tongue (shabu-shabu). I have pictures.
