I have lived on Okinawa, and I spent a week in Tokyo. The difference is that in the US, everyone has all of the comfort items such as internet, running water, and indoor plumbing. Even in Japan, which is considered the most advanced of the Asian countries, that is not at all the case. When you get outside of the major cities, those comforts are gone quickly.

Europe I have no real experience with. I would absolutely LOVE to spend some time in Germany, Ireland, and Russia though.