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Wow. Talk about flashbacks.
Listen to WarriorBhudda, for he is wise.
I spent about a week in Tokyo for my 24th birthday, every night in Rappongi, and it kicked ass. Shinjuku was also a very happenin' place, and either district is friendly to foreigners. I'd tend to be a bit more careful with Rappongi, since it's just a wee bit wilder.
If you go to a strip club, it's usually worth the high cover charge - the Japanese men in there will sit at tables holding discussions amongst themselves, and the dancers will ADORE you if you just pay them any sort of attention whatsoever. I chalk that up to either a weird one-time experience on my part, or (more likely) just an odd Japanese gender culture thing.
I highly recommend eating at MOS Burger (the Teriyaki Rice Burger KICKS ASS!) and/or A&W root beer stands while there. Also, give Mickey D's a shot, too - the menu is different, but not radically so.
If you're the kind of person who (like me) enjoys drinking a beer here and there, try your best to find Orion. My very favorite among any brewed in Japan, hands down. I was more an Awamori/sake guy when I was there, though. Good, good stuff with ice & water on a hot summer night.
I also <b>emphatically</b> suggest you find a tourist guide or some other source of an ENGLISH LANGUAGE Tokyo subway map before you even get on the plane. The subway is your friend, but not if you wind up stuck at the wrong end of the line with 300 Yen in your pocket.
J-League basbeall was one of my favorite things while I lived there. Tokyo has the Yoimuri (sp?) Giants, and I know Yokohama (right next door) has a team as well, though their name escapes me a the moment. It would be well worth a little research (or help from a local?) to go see a game in person, I think. It remains one mf my great regrets that I didn't do that myself.
Best advice I can give for ANY foreign travel: Don't be the Ugly American, *especially* when there's a language barrier involved. 95% of the time on mainland Japan, the people will do their best to make things easy for you so long as you're polite.
At the other end of the spectrum, if you find yourself face to face with two or more Japanese cops at a barroom (or other) brawl, your first punch is thrown at the one carrying a gun. Chances are he's the least skilled in martial arts.
That's what I've heard from *other* people, anyway. Heh.
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"Peace" is when nobody's shooting. A "Just Peace" is when we get what we want. - Bill Mauldin
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