Japan is likely to surprise you, especially in the autumn.

A newcomer is most struck by everything that's modern and Western and zaney,

but just turn a corner, as you know, and suddenly you're in somewhere ancient and mysterious and full of spirit.

Coming up, Pico Eyre tells us why he thinks fall is the ideal season to get to know the melancholy

heart of Japan. Among the Nordic countries, Sweden has a distinctive personality.

Big sister Sweden, she is, very concerned about that everybody should be treated equal,

everything should be fair.

Guides from Stockholm and Uppsala tell us how to make a trip to Sweden affordable any time of year.

And travel writer Robert Reed recommends immersing yourself into your next destination

before you even buy the plane ticket. One of the best things about getting

excited about a trip is trying to understand the conversation that's already in

place. This is what a travel writer does.

Learn how to travel like a pro in the hour ahead. It's Travel with Rick Steve's.

Author Pico Eyre explains why he thinks autumn is the ideal season to get to know Japan.

And don't fear the high cost of traveling to Scandinavia.

Guides from Sweden share tips on how the average Swede gets by. That's all a little later in the hour

ahead on today's travel with Rick Steves. We're at 877 333 7425. Travel writer Robert Reed wants you to know how to travel like the travel pros do.

It starts with deciding where you'll go next.

Robert, why not just follow what's on sale? Well, so often you see stories and travel coverage and just talking about where you can go because it's $50 off or something like that.

You know, I think that ultimately it's about following yourself. I mean the ultimate person that knows where you want to go and what you want to do is yourself and so don't let a deal

Change what you're going to do some people only have one trip a year, you know.

If that, you know. If somebody says you can get a cheap flight to Portugal and your travel

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