Sooner is better than later. Japan wasn't hit with nearly as much inflation as America and Europe, so prices haven't gone up much. As interest rates have stayed low in Japan, the yen has fallen hard against other currencies, making Japan a real bargain for tourists. I was in America during the Holidays, and was constantly shocked at how expensive things have become.

My lack of Japanese hasn't much held me back. You only need a few words to get around in Japan. "Good day," "excuse me," "I'm sorry," "thank you," and "how much?" With just these words, Japanese will gush "Nihon-go jouzu desu ne..." (Your Japanese is very good.)