NOT National Lampoon’s Japanese Vacation
I have lived in Japan twice in my life (the first time for a year, and the second time for two), and both times I spent most of the time mainly in the area I was living (Chiba and Yokohama) and in Tokyo.
I did do a little sightseeing, but for the most part, I didn’t travel much. I actually am not big into sightseeing and such. There are a few reasons for this.
One is that I live in Maryland, just a short distance from Washington, D.C. So when most people visit me from out of town, they’ve wanted to (understandably) spend time there. Thus, I’ve seen the Smithsonian and most of the local monuments more times than I can remember. I don’t dislike them, but I don’t go out of my way to see sights of any kind because of it.
This applies to Japan, too. I’ve seen a lot of temples and shrines. A lot. Especially Senoji Temple in Asakusa. (Which is kind of tourist trap-y, but still cool) I do think that temples and shrines are impressive places to visit, but I’ve had my fill of them for now.
There ARE some places left that I’d like to do some sightseeing in - London, for example. But for the most part, I generally travel to see my friends. I am perfectly content to spend time at my friends’ local haunts, talking and enjoying their company.