Everybody says Japan has a complicated gameplan.

I think it's super easy and fast boom and strong complete army. All you do is food + wood until your shrines is up. Food for vills / age up. Then it's pretty much gg.

Either FF with a shipment of gold + use shrine boom for FF for upgrades etc.

or

Just rush with like 30 muskets.

(Also Japan is the only civ I can build 3 town centers, have a great army, have a super good eco, with maxed vills on the right resoureces all at once, like macro and micro)

Edit: I had a harder time with India, imo.