Marc - hard for me to comment since I'm an American/Japanese hybrid - born in Japan to Japanese parents, speak/read the language like a native (and can sort of write), but raised in America with all the cultural influences. I would find it hard to live in Japan. I have gone back and lived there for 2-3 months at a time (mostly during my college years) and while I enjoyed it for what it was worth, would have found it difficult to have stayed for longer. The Japanese culture is one that values uniformity - it is difficult to be outside of the culture and not feel somewhat isolated. Since I am Japanese, the societal expectations are higher for me than for pure Americans. As a "gaijin", allowances will be made for your lapses. Some Americans adjust very easily - others do not. The ones that become more Japanese as time goes on have an easier time of it, I think.

Sorry, getting awfully philosophical.

As an American, if you have no other skills to offer, you will always be able to teach English so you never need to worry about not having a job. :)

Korea/Hong Kong are a short hop away from Narita. I would think that it would be easy to explore Asia from Japan.

If nothing else, it will be a truly unique experience - a life/society that is very different from the one that you know now.

Masaki