Originally Posted by
Stocktc1
Can we talk about this "itinerary" mindset? Just go to 1-2 cities and enjoy?
Different strokes for different folks which may evolve over time and repeat trips if people are fortunate enough to have the time, funds, health, and interest to visit again. I do think some of the planning and extreme itineraries written like Disney park guides x crowd predictors has some pre-conceptions due to certain subreddit guidelines but fear not, I just overheard someone in the office went to Japan for vacation and when asked where said "Tokyo. Just Tokyo. For a week".
I'm itinerary oriented in Japan and have been for a long time. Even if that's going to a ryokan where I won't leave for the next 18 hours, it's likely in the middle of nowhere knowing my preferences and it might take a lot of effort & planning to get there. I did learn to schedule down days on longer trips where I let my brain rot on the internet, watch a bit of Japanese tv which isn't filtered through the lens of anime exports, do laundry, sleep more, and probably take way too long at the grocery/drug/100 yen store just doing non-tourist mundane things which help me recharge. I actually really enjoy these moments as it feels like I can use what I've learned on my prior trips in everyday life skills. My transportation spreadsheets would make some Redditors very happy, but again, when one likes to take special trains or goes to the countryside and dislikes unnecessary waiting, one had better make a plan & double check the details.
Originally Posted by
bocastephen
I think the bigger issue is how the government and local residents are pushing for reforms and thus, the massive crowds are spoiling the experience for others - which is why more restaurants are banning or segregating foreigners, more onsens seem less than thrilled with foreign visitors, we're losing the tax refunds (due to excess and fraud), airport arrivals are a nightmare, etc etc. This isn't unique to Japan, there are many places in Europe where locals are far more in-your-face about trying to get rid of tourists altogether.
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I also suggest looking for local festivals and events that would not normally be found by foreigners - sometimes they are in the city, often they are smaller towns on the outskirts, like the Shibazakura Festival in the Mt Fuji Lakes area.
I went to Ashikaga Flower Park last year on a Sunday night for a light display and saw a good amount of foreigners. Most seemed to be foreign residents, but that also brings in some politics and stereotypes which lump people into Japanese vs not and not separating foreign tourists vs foreign residents. Most people generally observed line and photo spot etiquette while enjoying the scenery which in addition to conversations kept to normal Japanese outdoor volumes, is all I wish for especially within a few hours of Tokyo. Well, that and some minor improvements to the very meh pre-made reheated "park food" which is like how it is all over the world.
People should probably go further than Fuji during a specific flowering season if they want to visit attractions with mostly Japanese visitors or avoid crowds. As I mentioned to a foreign tourist on a Hakone bus, it isn't "small" among onsen towns, despite how it appears from the crowded bus.