Newbie needing adivice

Hey guys I am completely new to this game downloaded it a few days ago what strategy is a good one to pick up easily and understand. Currently playing japan and just going for conquest victory but is there a great guide on basic city mechanics etc I know this is a noob question. Sorry in advance!

The best advice I can offer is trawl the forums and watch a few Let's Plays.

I don't play Domination, so this might be wrong, but focusing growth early is a really good idea for the other victory types at least.

Here are a few threads that will probably be of use.
3/4 City Tradition start
Libery Domination
Diety Domination Guide (Zulu)

I'm considering putting this in my sig. Science Science Victory Guide (Any Difficulty), by me.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=530940

The most important part is the beginning of the game so practice the first 60-75 turns or so.

General rule is build a scout first and explore, then you can make decisions about where to settle next by assessing the quality of the terrain, and you can meet other civilizations or city states and trade, and you can find ancient ruins which could net you gold, a big boost to culture, additional population, maps of the area, faith, or a free upgrade to your scout (who will become an archer).