"I love Japan"

[Nebiki]

This is probably pretty easy ha, ha but my Japanese is so bad that it seems like such a hard task!
Soon I will be hosting some Japanese citizens in my home and I was hoping to be able to say at least a couple of lines by the time I have to meet them.
One of the many things I wish to be able to say is "I love Japan".
I thought about using "watashi koi Nihon" but I'm also aware that I could "Nihon dai suki". I was wondering if anybody could tell me if either of the phrases is correct? Or if they could give me the correct phrase to use.
Arigatou

 

[Mike Cash]

Use the latter phrase. Due to differences in grammatical structure (among other things) one cannot simply do a direct word-for-word substutition of Japanese words for English words and end up with an intelligible sentence.

 

[Damicci]

Love seems kinda strong. Don't want to come off weird.
Maybe just stick with suki and not daisuki.
日本は私の好きな国です。
Nihon wa watashi no suki na kuni desu.
Japan is my favorite country could work to i think.

 

[Keiichi]

or 日本のことが好きです。 I like the things of Japan.

Keiichi

 

[Elizabeth]

I'd rather be (I want to be) in Japan is pretty simple....日本にいたい。

Things of Japan may be more natural as 日本のもの if you mean the physical effects.

どの国のものでも、それぞれ違った味がありますね。

 

[vorpar]

Straight from my textbook, the simplest way to say you like something is:

(watashi wa) X ga suki desu. So: Nihon ga suki desu. 日本が好きです。