Planning a trip in 2013

Hello, I am planning to go to Japan in 2013, and perhaps spend a month travelling around Tokyo, and adapting to the nature. Does anyone know perhaps an estimate of the costs this will have, as well as some travel destinations and spots, perhaps some more pointers that could assist me in my trip? This would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Pointers to budget related matters:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2410.html
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2028.html

Starting point for research on destinations:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623a.html

General pointer:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623.html

I will look into this information. Is there any other useful pointers that you may suggest to me?

Buy a guide book and read everything you can on this site.

This site has great information that has helped us plan two trips now ... and starting to think about a third.

You might find it helpful to provide a bit more detail so forum users can give you more detailed advice that matches to what you are interested in.

Are you planning to spend the whole month only in Tokyo, are you prepared to travel further afield on day trips or stay outside Tokyo to see something different? What is your budget level? What sort of things about Japan interest and attract you, is it the practicing the language, temples, history, castles, gardens, wildlife, nightlife, big city.

Search through this site and the net in general to get some ideas, you will find this forum very responsive to your questions.

I do not hope to stay in Tokyo. In all actuality, I want to travel all over Japan if that is the case. So I want to save up my money and perhaps have around $20,000 USD by the time I go out to Japan. Is that too much? Or do I need more? What's the best advice that I can have during this trip? What are some hotspots in Japan that people recommend?

Unless you typed an extra zero by accident, you will be just fine. You're not planning to stay in 5-star hotels every night for a month, right...?

As for hotspots, you definitely need to visit the links Uji provided you. No need to wait 2 years, click em now. And my advice would be: 1) visit those links, 2) google the places that look interesting to you for additional info, 3) write out a plan for your month in Japan and 4) have a blast in 2013, especially if you spend $20K.

Again you must read a guidebook and also the section called A-Z a the very top of this page as you question is too vague. Also we don't know what you really like.

I one month you cannot possible see all of Japan. Far too many things to see..and it would be too tiring and confusing.

Have you any idea of the huge number of fascinating things that you can see in the Kanto (Tokyo area..including Yokohama, Kamakura, Mt Fuji area and many other towns) and the Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe , Nara and more towns)?

Add the Hiroshima area and your month will be gone.

20 000 $ is way too much unless you book relatively expensive hotels..otherwise you don' t need that much...I could travel the whole month for $ 6000 including air fare to Japan, trains in Japan, hotels, food etc.

If you have $20,000 I suggest a budget trip around the world. Or you must be a person that stays in the best hotels and dines in the finest restaurants. If you are a budget traveler you can make $100 a day, unless you plan to go shopping.
You are smart to plan ahead. You have set a goal.
When you say get by on nature, do you mean you want to camp or go on hiking trips?
I suggest you check out Tokyo for a few days at least because it is one ot the biggest cities in the world!
I spent 6 weeks in Japan and spent about $6000 including rail pass and airfare.
I did stay at the J Hoppers hostels and ate at basic restaurants with a few nights out that were about $100 a night.
I suggest using this website and making a few penpals and they will help you have a great trip.
Hopefully you can give us updates on your progress.
Enjoy your planning!

this site have helped me plan 3 japan trips!
to kansai - kanto - hokkaido..
really informative!

if u require detailed maps - try google maps!
=)

You do not say what types of sites you are interested in, but my favorite areas are the Kansai and Chugoku regions.

Kansai has some of the former capitals (Kyoto, Nara, Asuka), so there are many traditional sites in these cities and throughout the region. Other great sites in Kansai include Ise Shrine, Hikone Castle, and Mount Koya (Koyasan).

The Chugoku region has a nice combination of sites but with less tourists than the Kansai or Kanto areas. It's home to Hiroshima with the atomic bomb museum and Genbaku Dome, Miyajima, Korakuen Garden and the Kibi Plains of Okayama, Kurashiki, and the castle town of Takahashi. The San-in Coast is beautiful and it also has great sites, like Matsue Castle, Izumo Shrine, Iwami Ginzan, and Mount Daisen.

All of the above sites are listed on this site or you can look them up independently.

If you figure out what you are interested, regions, etc. or choose some "must see" places, it will help people to give suggestions.

Thank you to everyone that responded on this post. I will look into the things that everyone has discussed here. I just wanted to make sure that I would be able to have enough money in order to basically equipped out there so I would not run into any financial troubles. I would like to best prepare myself because it would be the first time I left the country and none of my family lives out there. Yet, I will most likely limit my budget to less than $20,000. I have no intention of staying at 5 star hotels the whole time. It would be nice, yet, it is not necessary, so I will re-evaluate my plans and find out what is best for me, while doing more research about the country and all of it's attractions.