Anyone have experience with Japan

[NoHachi]

Hi,
Just thought I'd run this question by you guys, you never know where all of you have been hangin out.
Basically I'd like to ask whether anyone has had any experience with travelling and/or living in Japan? I have an opportunity to go and live in Tokio for half a year as a part of my masters thesis.
The subject of the research I would be doing is pretty interesting (making an overview of all usefull in-car electronic gizmo's they have, and then assessing whether there are ways in which the data they collect could be used to make better traffic flow and travel time predictions). Whats more, the airplane ticket and room-rent would be payed for by my university. Plus I get to publish my findings (if usefull) in a paper for one of the international publications, pretty rare for a student to get that chance.

Thing is, I'm kindoff worried about going in living in Japan. I have no idea of the sort of situation that I would find myself, the difficulties with communicating, finding my way around, getting in touch with other people, understanding the culture etc etc..

I wouldn't like to spend six months of my life in a social vacuum..especially now that I'm starting to have fun again.

Just so you know..Tokio isn't my only option at the moment. I could probably go to MIT in Boston as well, other options are Napoli, Dresden, Berlin etc etc But non of those are likely to come with the financial and educational benefits that Tokio offers.

Anyone out there who could give me an idea of how it is to live out there?

Thanks