bamse

Imperial Palace and Gardens in Tokyo are not all that interesting, so I would not make it top priority. Places like Shinjuku, Shibuya,...

re #22/23: The online reservation form shows availability for three months (until August at the moment). As you can see there is currently...

re #7: One full day in Takayama is not that little and IMO allows you to see the best there is....

Yes, we did the same, but unfortunately the security guy following the group was very pushy...

I'd also go with a combination of cash and debit card and (if you have) a CC just in case. And as Grog writes, change as little as possible...

Too many favourite places to mention....

I second rhythm_blues' recommendation for the ukiyoe museum and for Nara. And Nara is particularly good for Buddhist sculptures (not only...

Doesn't mean much, but I saw monkeys near Kegon waterfall but not near Akechidaira. In any case I recommend to spend a night in Nikko if...

I'd also allow more time for Kyoto, but perhaps cut from Tokyo rather than Kyushu....

to make the most of the JR pass it's worth moving frequently...

I like taking people pictures as well. Of course to be polite, you should always ask, however the problem is that you will get plenty of...

sorry, the link somehow didn't work in #1. I meant to link to this page (http://kshouse.jp/tokyo-e/access/index.html)

+Tripadvisor lists K's House as #1 special lodging in Taito. ...

The most convenient, because direct is the limousine bus (http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/bus_services/narita/haneda.html) mentioned...

Thanks, didn't know that.