Buddy,

Many parts of Japan are that beautiful. Some parts are a concrete jungle.

I have a picture of my wife in front of Ginkakuji in Kyoto that is absolutely gorgeous. Kyoto is touristy, but not to be missed. We went there on our honeymoon almost 30 years ago, and stopped off for a day when we went back three years ago.

Miyajima is beautiful.

I always liked Kintai bridge and castle in Iwakuni.

They built some horrible elevated roadway through the rice field in front of my in-law’s house in Higashi-Hiroshima. That ruined a scenic view of the mountains. What used to be a small country village is now a University town with its own Shinkansen station.

When I first met my wife’s parents, I was the only Caucasian in sight. Now it is not unusual to see even people in Arab garb strolling through the local mall…

You should go. Japan has a unique charm, and the language is not that big of a barrier. The only drawback is that it is fairly expensive.