I just got back from Japan a little over a week ago. And Japan was freakin' awesome. I already went through a little culture shock when coming back, too. Everything in America compared to Japan is huge. But enough about America. I stayed in Japan for a month with a group of high school kids my age, we weren't tourists either. We actually got to live in Japan, and stay with a host family while traveling to places with them, and getting to know what a slice of life is like in Japan. It was truly an experience I grew from, and was everything I expected Japan to be and more. We went to: Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima, and Matsuyama. I stayed with my awesome host family in Matsuyama for about 2 weeks, and already they felt like family. Just being in Japan felt like I fit in and belonged there more than living in America. I'm hoping to go back at the end of high school...Anyhow, I made a ton of new friends, got to live, eat, and breathe Japan, and I know I wanna live there someday.
PS: 1. western-style toilets are AWESOME, go there and find out for yourself
2.Harajuku is my pic for best fashion. Go to kiddyland, and go to Takeshita-dori for awesome fashion stores that are best in goth-loli and cute japanese fashion.
3. Dont be shy to eat foods your not familiar with. And eat Ramen and udon noodles. They're the best!