I remember feeling the exact same mix of excited and nervous before my first solo trip… it’s a lot.
From everything I’ve seen and heard, places like Japan, Iceland, and a lot of Scandinavia come up again and again. Super safe, easy to get around, and people generally keep to themselves.
That said, I feel like “feeling safe” also depends on how comfortable the place is to navigate. Good transport, clear signs, not too chaotic… that stuff matters just as much.
Starting somewhere a bit easier makes a huge difference for that first trip.