Hosts England failed to reach the 2015 quarter-finals after an "intense and claustrophobic" preparation period.

"Home World Cup, it was just completely unique," Marler, 29, said.

"When you look back at it, it was always bound to not be enjoyable, because of the intense pressure of it."

England face Italy in Newcastle on Friday in their fourth and final warm-up match.

Marler added to BBC Radio 5 Live: "You think it is going to be easier because you are at home, but it was actually harder.

"You are in the same place, and there weren't these experiences we can look forward to when we go away to Japan - a country with lots of different cultural things to get away from the rugby side of it."

In terms of preparation, boss Eddie Jones has mixed up the training camps this summer, with England twice training in northern Italy and each player enjoying a mandatory five-week rest following the regular season.

"There are always going to be comparisons made [with 2015]," Marler continued.

"The most noticeable difference from a players' point of view is the way the camps have been set up and the variation in down-time; the extra days we have had at home and away from camp have made it go a lot quicker.

"It's made a huge difference - but only time will tell. You can only [say for sure] in November or December [after the World Cup], but it feels good as it is and I'm in a good place and we have enjoyed the set-up.

"One of the biggest issues I had with the 2015 one was that we were stuck in [team hotel] Pennyhill Park for a good nine-week block and it was quite intense and quite claustrophobic. "

Having been involved in the Junior World Championship in 2009, Marler is one of the few England players to have visited Japan, and he believes the squad will revel in the cultural unfamiliarity of the Far East.

"There will be stuff out there we can get our teeth into to switch off from rugby, because it will be new to the majority of the squad," he added.

"We can watch some sumo wrestling and bits and bobs like that. I'm looking forward to it."