011 4 My wife and I travel internationaly at least once a year . The DK Eyewitness travel guides have proved indispensible . The big advantage of the DK guides is an extremely user friendly format that includes great photos on every page so you can see what they are writing about , full color cut-away drawings of buildings and museums , history and culture tips . . . I especially like the layout of the book . With the Eyewitness guides you will get a feel for the place before you get there and you will know what to expect at the various sites .
Other guides may have more details about hotel listings , restaurants , and other such minutia . The Eyewitness guides are more about the reason for going ( sites , history , culture ) and a little less about the logistics ( hotels , traveling in-country , etc . ) All that can be found on the web now , I rarely rely on travel books for that stuff anyway . Still , we usually take two travel guides with us , to cover all the bases . But , one of them MUST be the DK Eyewitness guide .
009 4 I only wished it had a map of the trains . Other than that it was a great reference . I could carry it with me all the time and it even has useful phrasebook . The visuals allow you to make quick decisions .
You probably still need to do a lot of research online if you want to find off-the-beaten path spots . For example , if you want to stay in a Buddhist temple in Koyasan you get more info from the web . But this is always the case if you want the most up-to-date information . By the way , I highly recommend checking japan-guide.com .
024 4 This book is great and very useful but I wish it had list of top tens ; like top ten places to visit , top ten gardens , top ten museums etc . Next time I might buy the Frommers because it has it
034 4 I have owned this book for 6 years and have used it on my 5 separate trips to Japan . It's a great guide book for my needs . I love the pictures and diagrams of the different cultural sites to see , and it's fun to read . I think it's best for getting a sense of where to go and what to see , and it also contains many interesting tidbits of information & history on each site . I hate the guidebooks that are all black and white text , they are so boring . This is a far cry from those types of guide books . It may not be quite as useful for finding restaurants and hotels and for getting around Japan in general , but I still think it's adequate in these areas . My wife is Japanese so she helps me with that part . But she also loves this book because it has such great summaries and pictures of the different places to see . She has discovered much about her native country thanks to this book ! We won't leave for Japan without it .
035 4 After having the book for a month , I found that the printing on 2 pages of the index are blurred and very difficult to read .
Otherwise , the book is very informative with excellent photos on good quality paper . Wish the book were lighter in weight though .
When traveling , I'm always concerned about weight .
042 4 I love this book . I looked at several other books , but they were not up-to-date . This is a great book for anyone planning to visit Japan . It is arranged by geographical district and has beautiful maps and / or pictures on every page . It is extremely informative and no matter what you want to know , you will probably find it in this book . I'm now using the book to document my photographs taken in various areas of Japan . The only drawback to this book is that , because of all the pictures and maps , it's printed on glossy paper and is quite heavy . I took it with me every day on a Japan tour , but kept it in my carry-on for reference . I found it too heavy to carry in my purse while walking on a tour .
044 4 This book is filled with good general travel info . There is so much to see in this amazing country , you could fill volumes , but this book is filled with enough usable info to get you to some great sites . When searching for a travel book on Japan , this is the one I chose and it was a good choice .
046 4 Beautifully written and illustrated . I really like the part about Japanese customs and manners . It has been very helpful .
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Turtleback )
The Eyewitness Travel Guide for Japan is a very good publication . I used the guide on a recent trip to Kyoto and therefore I will only be able to comment on the use of the guide in Kyoto .
In general the guide prepares you for Japan fairly well . I found Japan to be a land of contradictions in regard to dress . The youth of Japan show their rebellion by coloring their dark hair with red highlights and wear wild teased up hair styles . They wear gothic styles with a touch of S & M leather . The clothing selections and combinations are striking . However on the same bus or subway that you see youths with wild clothing , you will also see older women wearing the traditional kimono with obi sash . Take a careful look at these ladies and you will see how beautiful the clothes are matched and patterned . You may also see the beautiful Geisha and Maiko in Kyoto , visiting historic sites or traveling in hand pulled carriages .
In the 5 days I was in Japan I never saw the first piece of trash or garbage on the ground . I never even saw a cigarette butt on the ground . I was amazed at the cleanliness . One morning on an early walk , I found a monk carefully sweeping a public bridge of early autumn leaves .
Downtown Kyoto was full of high end stores and amazing displays of neon . The corner of Shijo and Kawaramachi is the Kyoto version of Times Square with the magnificent Takashimaya flagship store . However as you walk downtown Kyoto you will see small Shinto or Buddhist shrines hidden between buildings . At the gate there is a frequent water fountain and tin cups so that you can wash and purify your hands before entering the shrine . Many have incense and candles burning . Some contain amazing antique Buddhist statues . There is often a thick rope tied to an antique bell high above your head . Pull the bellcord , ring the bell and say a short prayer . Kyoto is a city of palaces , castles , fortresses , shrines , and temples . Most of the palaces , castles , and fortresses have wonderful gardens to explore . Many of the shrines and temples also have superbly beautiful gardens . Some of the gardens are called Paradise Gardens because they are meant to evoke the Pure Land or Buddhist paradise . The private gardens of the Emperor , which are located ajacent to his residence in the Imperial Compound , are such gardens . However , some of the temples have the dry-landscape gardens with carefully rakes gravel . The Japanese are major tourists in their own country and appreciate the careful garden landscape designs , especially the reflection of temples or a stand of autumn red trees reflected in a pool . The florists of Kyoto are experts in Ikebana , with stunning asymetrical arrangements of flowers . Go into florists shops while traveling in Kyoto to see the artistic arrangements of the owners . Garden shops often had impressive examples of Bonsai . The antique shops in Kyoto contain interesting ceramics and bronze castings . The prices were a bit steep especially in light of the fact that contemporary potters create similar work to the old masters of 400 years ago .
The Eyewitness Guide has a short history of Japan . Of interest is the odd pattern of the Emperor abdicating to become a reclusive monk and allowing a son or grandson to become Emperor . Interstingly the new young Emperor is charged with all the boring rituals of court ceremony while the reclusive retired Emperor rules the land without having to waste time on formal ceremonies . Also , at times in Japan's history , the country was actually run by a Shogun , a military dictator , while the Imperial family was concerned with ceremony without any real power .
Kyoto is a fantastic city to visit . The subway system is easy to understand once you take your first trip . The subway stops are convenient to every part of town and to many of the historic sites . The Gion district is gret fun to explore with its narrow stone roads and tiny shops . The Eyewitness map covered the central 80% of the city but there was no subway map in the guide . This would have been a nice feature .
Kyoto station , where all trains , subways , and buses meet , can be a bit confusing . Give yourself plenty of time since most of the signs are in Japanese and English signs are not available for every line , train track , or bus stop .
The Sanjusangen-do Temple is a ' must see ' item . It contains 1000 Kannon statues , all lined up in rows . In front of these 1000 statues are a series of goddesses , gods , demons , spirits that guard the 1000 Kannon statues . These works are superb . In the center is one very large Kannon carved 750 years ago that is impressive . The statues are housed in the longest wooden structure in the world .
Nijo Castle is also a ' must see ' item . It is a fortress within a fortress . The massive Karamon Gate marks the entrance into the area where the Shogun held court and lived . You are allowed to see his meeting rooms , residential rooms , study , and the large hall where he holds court ( the Ohiroma Ichi-no-ma ) . The gardens surrounding the buildings are incredible with orchards of cherry and plum trees . Like every historic building or shrine or temple , you must take off your shoes to enter . Of note is the nightingale floors in the Castle which were built to squeak to alert of a sneak attack .
The Gion district is great fun . Shijo street ends at the Yasaka Shrine , a compound that should be visited . The grounds of the Shrine link to Maruyama Park . From here , it is a short walk to the historic Kodaiji Temple which is superbly landscaped . The strolling paths are fun and will take you to the Yasakanoto Pagoda that stands high above the downtown area . The homes and inns in this region are exquisite with wonderful tea gardens leading into the entrances .
The Higashihonganji Temple is massive is reported to be the largest wooden structure in the world .
The Imperial residence within the Imperial Park is a fascinating group of buildings with residential and ceremonial buildings . I certainly enjoyed seeing the palace compound and fantastic gardens .
Shopping in Kyoto is very interesting . Pickle stores abound with pickled turnips , radishes , mustard greens , cherrys , plums , and other delicasies that we rarely see in the United States . The restaurants in the Pontocho region are good . We ate at Wontana and had the 9 course chef's meal ( called Kaiseki ) with a range of Saki selections . Expect many fish and duck dishes in Kyoto restaurants . Because I was in Kyoto for business we had Bento Boxes for lunch . They are a real treat with many tasty items . The sushi and sashimi was fantastic in Kyoto . The Maguro ( tuna ) and Snapper was excellent . When running around town , you may see Pocari Sweat , an oddly named soft drink . Be careful around tipping since it is not customary and may be offensive . Restrooms are frequent and well marked . Western style toilets in hotels and restaurants may be high tech with seat warmers and water sprayers and noise makers to disquise bathroom sounds . Some of these toilets start a slow trickle flush when you sit down to disquise noise .
I did not give the guide 5 points because there were a few things that were needed that could have been provided . A subway map of Kyoto would have been nice in the Kyoto section . However the major ommission in the book was a warning that ATMs are hard to find and may not take US banks or credit unions . I found that post offices had ATMs that would take Western cards but there were not many ATMs in Kyoto - so be prepared .
However , overall this is a good product , with beautiful pictures and basic good information .
001 4 This is sort of a Japan ! Wow ! type of guide , full of eye-popping graphics and catchy factoids . It is a very fun guide , and does a great job of engaging enthusiasm for Japan and its wonders . The makers definitely know their audience , and all of the weird and wild parts of the country and its culture are captured .
Nothing off the beaten path here , only the major attractions of each city / region are represented . It is wide but not deep . Pricing information and such is well done , and gives an accurate picture of what to expect . Tidbits of culture and history help explain what you will be seeing and make for interesting overall reading .
Even as someone living in Japan , I find this guide to be valuable and fun . It has sparked my interests in several sites and is a great reminder of places that I have been .
For a deeper travel guide , I recommend Gateway to Japan . That combined with Exploring Japan should be all you need to plan a snazzy and enjoyable trip .
002 4 Until recently , I was a devoted fan of the Eyewitness Guide series . ( My bookshelf holds their travel guides to France , Bali , South Africa , and even some US cities among others . ) However , my recent trip to Kyoto and Tokyo proved too much for the series and I thought other travelers deserved a warning .
The Eyewitness Japan volume is an interesting cultural introduction , but a woefully insufficient travel guide to this complex country , even for a very short trip such as the one I took . Some thoughts :
( 1 ) The maps ( particularly outside of Tokyo ) are not at all comprehensive . It would not be possible to find one's way around Kyoto , for example , without another guidebook . There is a high-level overview map of Kyoto ( without most streets marked ) and some cut-away maps of particular tiny areas , but you could not piece together one usable city map out of it .
( 2 ) The phrasebook is only four pages long and doesn't contain some of the most basic and useful information . Example : It doesn't contain the word for cash machine , and Japan appears to be a heavily cash-oriented country .
( 3 ) The hotel information is wholly insufficient . It lists few hotels and then gives only one short sentence about each hotel . It doesn't make any suggestions as to which neighborhoods would be better to stay in , either .
( 4 ) The greatest strength of the book is in its cultural information and its visuals . For example , after finding the Kyoto philosopher's walk on a map in another guidebook , we were able to learn from the Eyewitness book why it was named the philosopher's walk and some interesting ( but not particularly practical ) facts about the walk . However , here again there is a hidden weakness : unlike other guidebooks , the Eyewitness book doesn't seem to take a stand on which sites are worth seeing in limited time .
In such a complex country ( particularly if , like me , you do not speak Japanese ) , you need a more comprehensive and more opinionated guide . All in all , in terms of survival and travel enjoyment , you're better off with the other travel books we had with us : Lonely Planet Japan ( which has great opinions on what to visit ) and Time Out Tokyo . I also recommend the Berlitz phrasebook on Japanese to get around ; it's small and contains lots of useful phrases , although sometimes in strange places . Also , if you're leaving Tokyo , don't forget the bilingual maps .
Happy traveling !
Lydia
PS : This particular Eyewitness book ( perhaps I'd missed this on other trips ) seems oriented towards the high-end , perhaps business , traveler . Whereas the eyewitness guide described a particular Tokyo ryokan as having a convivival lounge area that encouraged travelers to meet people , exchange stories , and strategize about their travels , Eyewitness would describe a particular ryokan as not having a particularly nice view . Perhaps that's something to keep in mind , depending on your interests .
003 4 Having travelled to Japan on two occassions ( once as an exchange student and once travelling throughout the country alone ) , I was have mixed feelings about this book .
Although the book is very well designed and has beautiful pictures ( it is nice to show to guests who don't know about Japan ) , some of the most interesting things are skimmed over ( for example Arashiyama in Kyoto has only a short description ) . I was also very disappointed when I visited Osaka-Castle , as the inside was very much like a museum , and I had expected the reconstruction to have replicas of the original interior decoration . The travel guide did not explain that the interior is completely modernized .
The other problem is that some of the rural areas - Toyama and Akita for example weren't really covered .
Nonetheless , there is no better travel guide of Japan on the market ( at least designed for English speakers . ) There is also coverage of the Ken-rokuen and the various temples .
Although I think the book is well worth the money , I would also recommend that anyone with Japanese language skills check out the area specific guidebooks designed for Japanese travellers to supplement the information in the book ( there are many excellent magazine style ones on large cities such as Kyoto ) , and ask friends and acquantiances before travelling to spots far from where you are staying .
004 4 I do hope DK will publish individual Eyewitness guides to Kyoto and Tokyo . To fit all of Japan into one guide is an unreasonable task , so I considered this book to be an overview at best . Even so they managed to include a great deal of detail and I found it extermely useful throughout my recent trip to Japan . There were many instances where Eyewitness Japan gave more detailed information on a particular sight than the Lonely Planet city guides for Kyoto and Tokyo .
I love the way the Eyewitness guides organise the information in a way that is similar to how you will actually tackle it when traveling ; first by region than neighborhood . It is all very visual and user friendly , but also quite meaty when you dig into the information . One word about the maps , which I found excellent ; very few streets in Japan are labeled , only the major ones , and many streets don't have names at all , so street names are not really relevant . I often found myself orienting myself by the last shrine I passed .
Like many people I find the Eyewitness guides to be an excellent resource in planning and navigating my travels , as well as a nice keepsake for my bookshelf when I return . I find their strength to be in guiding you around and explaining the major sights , I look elsewhere for information on dining , lodging and the off-beat . No single guide is good for everything . In fact if it were up to me I would eliminate the hotel and restaurant sections of the Eyewitness guides all together because they are so weak . I loved this guide for what it is , an excellent overall view of Japan .
005 4 I recently completed a 19 day trip to Kyoto and Tokyo . If there is a perfect comprehensive guide to Japan I have yet to find it , despite buying 6 of them . I did find this guide very helpful for locating sights in two specific ways . First , they are numbered and the numbers are clearly shown on maps ( at least for major cities ) . It is surprising how few guidebooks successfully accomplish this seemingly elementary and essential task . Second , the pictures were very helpful in spotting sights on the ground . I found that getting oriented in Japan was more difficult than in European countries I've visited and pictures really helped . Plus , it makes a great souvenir . I primarily used this book and Gateway to Japan for sightseeing . They made a good combination .
006 4 This book is , hands down , the greatest travel guide that I have ever used . With breathtaking photos , incredibly useful illustrations , and great information relating to cultural and historical context , it provides a fantastic reference for any traveler . I don't really understand the complaints of others who stated that it had to be used with other guides and that it didn't condense the information into the you have one day in Tokyo - this is what you must see format . Seeing as how a travel guide is exactly that ; a guide - a tool to be used in conjunction with other resources , I feel that some may have expected too much . While this book may not be as textually comprehensive as other travel guides , most of those read like stereo instructions - this book , on the other hand , does not bore the reader and is rich with poignant detail . I survived on a solo trip to Japan using this guide and , while it is true that I utilized other resources , that's half the fun of traveling - getting out there and talking to people , finding out what to do and how to do it . Which leads me to my second aforementioned point - no , this book does not say here's what you should do if you have 15 minutes in Kyoto . I can't stand such books and don't comprehend our societal gravitation towards such instructional material . To me it shows that we are becoming lazy and want others to tell us what to do as opposed to make decisions for ourselves . Which leads me to my final point : this book is great and easily holds the reader's interest but , because it is not one of the types of books that I have begrudgingly discussed , it is not intended to be used as a sole means of guidance . Therefore , while this book is tremendously useful during one's travels , I would recommend purchasing it in advance and using it as a research springboard during one's trip planning . Trust me , you will not be disappointed .
P.S . I frequently read sections out of this book ; it is quite interesting even when not engaged in travel .
And , on a final note : Japan is the most spectacular place that I have ever traveled to . It is a nation that is lusciously rich with vivid beauty and fascinating culture . It has such an intriguing history and the people are absolutely phenomenal . If you stumbled upon this review because you are simply thinking about going , I vehemently encourage you to take the plunge , hop on a plane , and get over there ! Oh yeah , and buy this book before you do : )
007 4 I have lived in Tokyo for 3 months and have spent another 3 months traveling in Japan with this guide . My favorite thing about the guide is the photos . While other guidebooks have an elaborate description of a town or site , I find the Eyewitness Travel Guide ( ETG ) to have a briefer one with some great photos . While a picture may be worth a thousand words , as someone who loves to take travel photos , I have personally found the photos to be MORE useful in selecting destinations than the other guides . I also find that after seeing the photos , I feel a little familar with a destination when I arrive there .
Another nice plus I have found is the size of this guide . This book is narrower than the other guides , and I can slip it into an oversize coat pocket . That may seem silly , but it makes the book a bit more handy .
I suppose the downside is that this is a guide to JAPAN . It is not the most comprehensive guide to Tokyo and Kyoto . ( Trying to do both is probably unreasonable for any book . ) So if you are going to spend more than a week in Tokyo or Kyoto , and going full out every day , then you will eventually exhaust the details of this guidebook . In that case , I would recommend you pick up a city guide for those locations . Also , as someone who has spent a lot of time in Hokkaido , I find the section devoted to the northern island to be too brief .
If you are traveling around Japan , or even considering traveling to around Japan , this is a wonderful guidebook . But if you will ONLY be going to Tokyo or Kyoto , much of this guide will be wasted , and it may not be your best option . But if you are visiting the two big cites and other parts of Japan , , you can always pair this with another guidebook .
I have found the best use for this book is to read this ETG and another guide [ Frommer's online ] in advance . Then when I travel I bring this one with me , and pick up some of the local tourist guides .
008 4 I thought this book covered a lot of Japan and not just the main cities . It was nice to read about so many of these places , many of which I've never even seen when I lived in Japan . I thought the detail was good and allowed me to envision being there .
After reading this I read another book on Amazon called No Elbow Room by Kenneth Andrews , and found that one totally amazing . It took me so much further into the Japanese culture and business world . The 2 books together really made me feel like I knew Japan .
010 4 DK Eyewitness Travel Guides certainly live up to their motto - The guides that show you what others only tell you . Their Japan guide is no exception ; it's full of photographs , maps , three-dimensional graphics of castle and temple compounds , and has tons of background information about all possible sites you'd want to visit and about virtually all facets of cultural life .
It doesn't reveal to you only the most popular or famous places , but also tells you about more well-kept secrets in the Japanese countryside . One example is the Buddha hiking trail in Kamakura ; it's not a major attraction ( though the Buddha it leads to is ) , but it's a great hiking trail , and the guide lets you know to look for it . Also , the Japan guide magnifies streets for you in town and city maps . . . for instance , Eastern Gion in Kyoto is a district made up of a warren of small streets , but there are a lot of sights to see there , including temples , pagodas , shrines , antique shops , and old unpaved roads . The Japan Guide gives you a magnification of that part of the map , showing clearly what roads intersect with other roads and pointing out the places of interest .
Definitely a worthy investment if you're planning a trip to Japan . This colorful , extensive , informative guide will give you info on practically all aspects of your trip - places both famous and obscure , food , hotels , shopping , transportation . . . and you'll absorb a lot of info reading it .
012 4 Excellent guide to Japan . My wife and I just spent two weeks in Japan and frequently used this book during our trip . We spent 5 days in Tokyo , 6 in Kyoto , and 1 in Hiroshima .
Pros :
Easy to carry size and lightweight .
Pictures of a large number of sights .
Accurate information reference opening times , travel directions , locations , and phone numbers .
Book is not an overkill of info . Provides a brief intro for each sight .
Well orgnaized and easy to use .
Shopping and entertainment section at the end of each section .
Chapters on Tokyo , Kyoto , and regional chapters .
Also includes the dates of special events at each sight .
Cons :
No walking routes , tour routes , or prioritation of sights .
If you travel to Japan , we also recommend you bring another tour book to doubletap two sources . We used another Kyoto book for Kyoto since there was so much to see in the city .
Enjoy your trip ,
A . Cerella
013 4 I agree that this Eyewitness guide is perhaps best for shorter trips to Japan - depth is lacking for more extended journeys . It is perfect for main stops - Tokyo and Kyoto are covered really well , and there is a good section on more rarely visited Okinawa ( you get the sense that the authors really love that most southerly of all Japan's prefectures ) . The coverage of other places is perfectly adequate for a one-day stop over there .
I can nit-pick on small things : maps could be more detailed , more subjective focus could be given to sightseeing in order to prioritize more meaningfully ( Frommer is the best for this at the moment ) and there is the old problem of being too sparing on useful websites . However , it is still head and shoulders above the competition , and if you want to lug around just one book , this is it .
The section on accommodation and restaurants is superb , I have not seen more inspired ( and inspiring ) descriptions and depictions of Japanese food anywhere else . True , graphic representation of communal bathing facilities in ryokan guesthouses made me firmly make a choice of a Western-style hotel ; but at least I am glad that the guide was honest with me .
Transport section ( buying railway tickets , finding your way ) could have been more helpful and give some handy tips instead of noting that findining an address is pain in the neck . Language section is perfectly adequate for the scope of this book .
Unless you intend to spend more than three days in Tokyo or Kyoto , you really do not need separate guides for these cities .
The best thing ? Guiding you towards reasonable prices and not selling the usual story of price doom and scare travellers off with proverbial $10.00 cups of coffee . Yes , you can spend this kind of money in Ginza - so what ? You don't need to . Of course if you eat Kobe steaks and fugu fish every day , meals will be pricy . But who says you need to do that ? What's wrong with noodle bars and bento boxes ? Thanks Eyewitness for not trying to bang the old drum of scaremongering and gently leading the reader through the maze of a totally different culture .
If you are going to Japan for , say , a week or ten days , this will be money well spent . Highly recommended .
014 4 My wife and I enjoy to travel and we have been to many places and we have used the DK Eyewitness Guides a number of times ( see my homepage ) . We bought the Japan guide to start planning our trip to Japan in May 2005 and we found the guidebook useful ( as usual ) . We used it to find out where to buy tickets for a sumo match in Tokyo , we used it to navigate around Tokyo , we used it when we came to a restaurant in Kyoto where the two old people behind the counter didn't speak any English etc . We also found it very useful when we went to the castle at Himeji and found out that there was no guided tours in English . The book has lots of pratical information in my opinion or maybe it is just me that are getting used to this style in guidebooks . I do find the DK Eyewitness guides to be far more interesting that e.g . Lonely Planet , Frommer's etc
015 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Paperback )
I'm not normally a fan of Eyewitness travel guides . Yes , it's nice to have pictures , but they come at the expense of information and the heavy paper required to show them off to full advantage makes these books too heavy to take on vacation ( in my opinion ) . I've also seen pictures that looked oh-so-compelling in an Eyewitness Guide , but they turned out to be of the one attractive thing in an otherwise drab , dirty city . Yet there are things to like about these guides and this one is no exception .
Unlike other guides you can get an idea of what places and attractions look like , which is especially helpful in a country like Japan , which has about a bajillion Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples . Reading about them alone probably wouldn't help you pick amongst them so here the pictures really help . The sections on cultural differences and practical tips for travelers are especially useful in this book .
The main weakness of this book is that it is heavily focused on Tokyo and Kyoto , and smaller places get short shrift . A number of reviewers have noted that maps and helpful phrases are not very complete , but I don't think you rely on a travel guide for those . A smaller phrase book that you can carry around and show to Japanese people would be more helpful , and I always buy a map of any place I am visiting for more than one or two sights or at least get the free ones the hotel inevitably gives you . Detailed maps would make this book unwieldy and even heavier than it is .
People have also noted that there are very few hotel and restaurant recommendations . This is always true of Eyewitness guides , but with the internet so easily accessible these days , this is less of a problem than it used to be . TripAdvisor.com , Expedia.com , Japan-guide.com and other travel sites have comprehensive and up-to-date hotel and restaurant info and traveler reviews and are far more useful than a book that has to go to print months in advance of being available . They are also indispensable for things like finding lodging at a Buddhist temple in Koyasan - - this guide mentions that you can do it , but doesn't tell you how . The internet is far more useful for things like that .
Finally , Eyewitness Guides don't have recommended itineraries geared to specific interests or time tables like some other guidebooks , and it is a definite weakness of the series . [ . . . ]
This book isn't perfect , but it's a useful tool in helping one plan and appreciate a trip to Japan , especially for those desiring a somewhat touristy experience .
016 4 I'm not normally a fan of Eyewitness travel guides . Yes , it's nice to have pictures , but they come at the expense of information and the heavy paper required to show them off to full advantage makes these books too heavy to take on vacation ( in my opinion ) . I've also seen pictures that looked oh-so-compelling in an Eyewitness Guide , but they turned out to be of the one attractive thing in an otherwise drab , dirty city . Yet there are things to like about these guides and this one is no exception .
Unlike other guides you can get an idea of what places and attractions look like , which is especially helpful in a country like Japan , which has about a bajillion Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples . Reading about them alone probably wouldn't help you pick amongst them so here the pictures really help . The sections on cultural differences and practical tips for travelers are especially useful in this book .
The main weakness of this book is that it is heavily focused on Tokyo and Kyoto , and smaller places get short shrift . A number of reviewers have noted that maps and helpful phrases are not very complete , but I don't think you rely on a travel guide for those . A smaller phrase book that you can carry around and show to Japanese people would be more helpful , and I always buy a map of any place I am visiting for more than one or two sights or at least get the free ones the hotel inevitably gives you . Detailed maps would make this book unwieldy and even heavier than it is .
People have also noted that there are very few hotel and restaurant recommendations . This is always true of Eyewitness guides , but with the internet so easily accessible these days , this is less of a problem than it used to be . TripAdvisor.com , Expedia.com , Japan-guide.com and other travel sites have comprehensive and up-to-date hotel and restaurant info and traveler reviews and are far more useful than a book that has to go to print months in advance of being available . They are also indispensable for things like finding lodging at a Buddhist temple in Koyasan - - this guide mentions that you can do it , but doesn't tell you how . The internet is far more useful for things like that .
Finally , Eyewitness Guides don't have recommended itineraries geared to specific interests or time tables like some other guidebooks , and it is a definite weakness of the series . [ . . . ]
This book isn't perfect , but it's a useful tool in helping one plan and appreciate a trip to Japan , especially for those desiring a somewhat touristy experience .
017 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Turtleback )
The Eyewitness Travel Guide for Japan is a very good publication . I used the guide on a recent trip to Kyoto and therefore I will only be able to comment on the use of the guide in Kyoto .
In general the guide prepares you for Japan fairly well . I found Japan to be a land of contradictions in regard to dress . The youth of Japan show their rebellion by coloring their dark hair with red highlights and wear wild teased up hair styles . They wear gothic styles with a touch of S & M leather . The clothing selections and combinations are striking . However on the same bus or subway that you see youths with wild clothing , you will also see older women wearing the traditional kimono with obi sash . Take a careful look at these ladies and you will see how beautiful the clothes are matched and patterned . You may also see the beautiful Geisha and Maiko in Kyoto , visiting historic sites or traveling in hand pulled carriages .
In the 5 days I was in Japan I never saw the first piece of trash or garbage on the ground . I never even saw a cigarette butt on the ground . I was amazed at the cleanliness . One morning on an early walk , I found a monk carefully sweeping a public bridge of early autumn leaves .
Downtown Kyoto was full of high end stores and amazing displays of neon . The corner of Shijo and Kawaramachi is the Kyoto version of Times Square with the magnificent Takashimaya flagship store . However as you walk downtown Kyoto you will see small Shinto or Buddhist shrines hidden between buildings . At the gate there is a frequent water fountain and tin cups so that you can wash and purify your hands before entering the shrine . Many have incense and candles burning . Some contain amazing antique Buddhist statues . There is often a thick rope tied to an antique bell high above your head . Pull the bellcord , ring the bell and say a short prayer . Kyoto is a city of palaces , castles , fortresses , shrines , and temples . Most of the palaces , castles , and fortresses have wonderful gardens to explore . Many of the shrines and temples also have superbly beautiful gardens . Some of the gardens are called Paradise Gardens because they are meant to evoke the Pure Land or Buddhist paradise . The private gardens of the Emperor , which are located ajacent to his residence in the Imperial Compound , are such gardens . However , some of the temples have the dry-landscape gardens with carefully rakes gravel . The Japanese are major tourists in their own country and appreciate the careful garden landscape designs , especially the reflection of temples or a stand of autumn red trees reflected in a pool . The florists of Kyoto are experts in Ikebana , with stunning asymetrical arrangements of flowers . Go into florists shops while traveling in Kyoto to see the artistic arrangements of the owners . Garden shops often had impressive examples of Bonsai . The antique shops in Kyoto contain interesting ceramics and bronze castings . The prices were a bit steep especially in light of the fact that contemporary potters create similar work to the old masters of 400 years ago .
The Eyewitness Guide has a short history of Japan . Of interest is the odd pattern of the Emperor abdicating to become a reclusive monk and allowing a son or grandson to become Emperor . Interstingly the new young Emperor is charged with all the boring rituals of court ceremony while the reclusive retired Emperor rules the land without having to waste time on formal ceremonies . Also , at times in Japan's history , the country was actually run by a Shogun , a military dictator , while the Imperial family was concerned with ceremony without any real power .
Kyoto is a fantastic city to visit . The subway system is easy to understand once you take your first trip . The subway stops are convenient to every part of town and to many of the historic sites . The Gion district is gret fun to explore with its narrow stone roads and tiny shops . The Eyewitness map covered the central 80% of the city but there was no subway map in the guide . This would have been a nice feature .
Kyoto station , where all trains , subways , and buses meet , can be a bit confusing . Give yourself plenty of time since most of the signs are in Japanese and English signs are not available for every line , train track , or bus stop .
The Sanjusangen-do Temple is a ' must see ' item . It contains 1000 Kannon statues , all lined up in rows . In front of these 1000 statues are a series of goddesses , gods , demons , spirits that guard the 1000 Kannon statues . These works are superb . In the center is one very large Kannon carved 750 years ago that is impressive . The statues are housed in the longest wooden structure in the world .
Nijo Castle is also a ' must see ' item . It is a fortress within a fortress . The massive Karamon Gate marks the entrance into the area where the Shogun held court and lived . You are allowed to see his meeting rooms , residential rooms , study , and the large hall where he holds court ( the Ohiroma Ichi-no-ma ) . The gardens surrounding the buildings are incredible with orchards of cherry and plum trees . Like every historic building or shrine or temple , you must take off your shoes to enter . Of note is the nightingale floors in the Castle which were built to squeak to alert of a sneak attack .
The Gion district is great fun . Shijo street ends at the Yasaka Shrine , a compound that should be visited . The grounds of the Shrine link to Maruyama Park . From here , it is a short walk to the historic Kodaiji Temple which is superbly landscaped . The strolling paths are fun and will take you to the Yasakanoto Pagoda that stands high above the downtown area . The homes and inns in this region are exquisite with wonderful tea gardens leading into the entrances .
The Higashihonganji Temple is massive is reported to be the largest wooden structure in the world .
The Imperial residence within the Imperial Park is a fascinating group of buildings with residential and ceremonial buildings . I certainly enjoyed seeing the palace compound and fantastic gardens .
Shopping in Kyoto is very interesting . Pickle stores abound with pickled turnips , radishes , mustard greens , cherrys , plums , and other delicasies that we rarely see in the United States . The restaurants in the Pontocho region are good . We ate at Wontana and had the 9 course chef's meal ( called Kaiseki ) with a range of Saki selections . Expect many fish and duck dishes in Kyoto restaurants . Because I was in Kyoto for business we had Bento Boxes for lunch . They are a real treat with many tasty items . The sushi and sashimi was fantastic in Kyoto . The Maguro ( tuna ) and Snapper was excellent . When running around town , you may see Pocari Sweat , an oddly named soft drink . Be careful around tipping since it is not customary and may be offensive . Restrooms are frequent and well marked . Western style toilets in hotels and restaurants may be high tech with seat warmers and water sprayers and noise makers to disquise bathroom sounds . Some of these toilets start a slow trickle flush when you sit down to disquise noise .
I did not give the guide 5 points because there were a few things that were needed that could have been provided . A subway map of Kyoto would have been nice in the Kyoto section . However the major ommission in the book was a warning that ATMs are hard to find and may not take US banks or credit unions . I found that post offices had ATMs that would take Western cards but there were not many ATMs in Kyoto - so be prepared .
However , overall this is a good product , with beautiful pictures and basic good information .
018 4 The Eyewitness Travel Guide for Japan is a very good publication . I used the guide on a recent trip to Kyoto and therefore I will only be able to comment on the use of the guide in Kyoto .
In general the guide prepares you for Japan fairly well . I found Japan to be a land of contradictions in regard to dress . The youth of Japan show their rebellion by coloring their dark hair with red highlights and wear wild teased up hair styles . They wear gothic styles with a touch of S & M leather . The clothing selections and combinations are striking . However on the same bus or subway that you see youths with wild clothing , you will also see older women wearing the traditional kimono with obi sash . Take a careful look at these ladies and you will see how beautiful the clothes are matched and patterned . You may also see the beautiful Geisha and Maiko in Kyoto , visiting historic sites or traveling in hand pulled carriages .
In the 5 days I was in Japan I never saw the first piece of trash or garbage on the ground . I never even saw a cigarette butt on the ground . I was amazed at the cleanliness . One morning on an early walk , I found a monk carefully sweeping a public bridge of early autumn leaves .
Downtown Kyoto was full of high end stores and amazing displays of neon . The corner of Shijo and Kawaramachi is the Kyoto version of Times Square with the magnificent Takashimaya flagship store . However as you walk downtown Kyoto you will see small Shinto or Buddhist shrines hidden between buildings . At the gate there is a frequent water fountain and tin cups so that you can wash and purify your hands before entering the shrine . Many have incense and candles burning . Some contain amazing antique Buddhist statues . There is often a thick rope tied to an antique bell high above your head . Pull the bellcord , ring the bell and say a short prayer . Kyoto is a city of palaces , castles , fortresses , shrines , and temples . Most of the palaces , castles , and fortresses have wonderful gardens to explore . Many of the shrines and temples also have superbly beautiful gardens . Some of the gardens are called Paradise Gardens because they are meant to evoke the Pure Land or Buddhist paradise . The private gardens of the Emperor , which are located ajacent to his residence in the Imperial Compound , are such gardens . However , some of the temples have the dry-landscape gardens with carefully rakes gravel . The Japanese are major tourists in their own country and appreciate the careful garden landscape designs , especially the reflection of temples or a stand of autumn red trees reflected in a pool . The florists of Kyoto are experts in Ikebana , with stunning asymetrical arrangements of flowers . Go into florists shops while traveling in Kyoto to see the artistic arrangements of the owners . Garden shops often had impressive examples of Bonsai . The antique shops in Kyoto contain interesting ceramics and bronze castings . The prices were a bit steep especially in light of the fact that contemporary potters create similar work to the old masters of 400 years ago .
The Eyewitness Guide has a short history of Japan . Of interest is the odd pattern of the Emperor abdicating to become a reclusive monk and allowing a son or grandson to become Emperor . Interstingly the new young Emperor is charged with all the boring rituals of court ceremony while the reclusive retired Emperor rules the land without having to waste time on formal ceremonies . Also , at times in Japan's history , the country was actually run by a Shogun , a military dictator , while the Imperial family was concerned with ceremony without any real power .
Kyoto is a fantastic city to visit . The subway system is easy to understand once you take your first trip . The subway stops are convenient to every part of town and to many of the historic sites . The Gion district is gret fun to explore with its narrow stone roads and tiny shops . The Eyewitness map covered the central 80% of the city but there was no subway map in the guide . This would have been a nice feature .
Kyoto station , where all trains , subways , and buses meet , can be a bit confusing . Give yourself plenty of time since most of the signs are in Japanese and English signs are not available for every line , train track , or bus stop .
The Sanjusangen-do Temple is a ' must see ' item . It contains 1000 Kannon statues , all lined up in rows . In front of these 1000 statues are a series of goddesses , gods , demons , spirits that guard the 1000 Kannon statues . These works are superb . In the center is one very large Kannon carved 750 years ago that is impressive . The statues are housed in the longest wooden structure in the world .
Nijo Castle is also a ' must see ' item . It is a fortress within a fortress . The massive Karamon Gate marks the entrance into the area where the Shogun held court and lived . You are allowed to see his meeting rooms , residential rooms , study , and the large hall where he holds court ( the Ohiroma Ichi-no-ma ) . The gardens surrounding the buildings are incredible with orchards of cherry and plum trees . Like every historic building or shrine or temple , you must take off your shoes to enter . Of note is the nightingale floors in the Castle which were built to squeak to alert of a sneak attack .
The Gion district is great fun . Shijo street ends at the Yasaka Shrine , a compound that should be visited . The grounds of the Shrine link to Maruyama Park . From here , it is a short walk to the historic Kodaiji Temple which is superbly landscaped . The strolling paths are fun and will take you to the Yasakanoto Pagoda that stands high above the downtown area . The homes and inns in this region are exquisite with wonderful tea gardens leading into the entrances .
The Higashihonganji Temple is massive is reported to be the largest wooden structure in the world .
The Imperial residence within the Imperial Park is a fascinating group of buildings with residential and ceremonial buildings . I certainly enjoyed seeing the palace compound and fantastic gardens .
Shopping in Kyoto is very interesting . Pickle stores abound with pickled turnips , radishes , mustard greens , cherrys , plums , and other delicasies that we rarely see in the United States . The restaurants in the Pontocho region are good . We ate at Wontana and had the 9 course chef's meal ( called Kaiseki ) with a range of Saki selections . Expect many fish and duck dishes in Kyoto restaurants . Because I was in Kyoto for business we had Bento Boxes for lunch . They are a real treat with many tasty items . The sushi and sashimi was fantastic in Kyoto . The Maguro ( tuna ) and Snapper was excellent . When running around town , you may see Pocari Sweat , an oddly named soft drink . Be careful around tipping since it is not customary and may be offensive . Restrooms are frequent and well marked . Western style toilets in hotels and restaurants may be high tech with seat warmers and water sprayers and noise makers to disquise bathroom sounds . Some of these toilets start a slow trickle flush when you sit down to disquise noise .
I did not give the guide 5 points because there were a few things that were needed that could have been provided . A subway map of Kyoto would have been nice in the Kyoto section . However the major ommission in the book was a warning that ATMs are hard to find and may not take US banks or credit unions . I found that post offices had ATMs that would take Western cards but there were not many ATMs in Kyoto - so be prepared .
However , overall this is a good product , with beautiful pictures and basic good information .
019 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Paperback )
If you're going to Japan I recommend this book for 95% of your travelling pleasure and information . It may not have EVERYTHING about Japan or be as detailed as other guides , but the true point of a guide is to be concise and accurate .
It's not too large so that you're carrying around a dictionary which hurts to walk with ; makes you embarrassed to show ; or vividly display's to the country that you're a tourist . It's not too small that you have to squint to read ; is easy to lose ; or hard to find the information you require .
The layout is precise , colourful , and common-in-sense . The chapters each have an apparent colour and mark a different region of Japan . Within each region are the major cities present plus some notable other areas ( eg : Hot Springs , Mountains , and Beaches ) . There are plenty of pictures , diagrams , charts , important information sheets , etc , throughout the book . ( eg : each region has a breakdown map of cities / notable places ) . Within the major cities , there are landmarks , attractions , and neat notable nooks mentioned throughout . Everything is followed by an appropriately concise paragraph . This is how it should be to me : A brief description of what you are going to see so that you do not have your nose buried in the book when you should be viewing the sites and yet still have a background to what you are viewing .
I think every guide book should have many pictures , maps , etc , so that you can help visually reference yourself , which you will need to do in Japan . There is so much packed together in this country that it's easy to get lost . There are pictures literally on almost every page of this book , which provide excellent landmarks for your travels . The maps are not overwhelming ; they only display the required information .
I obtained 15 + guide books and maps during my travel to Japan , however this one book was the reference I carried with me everywhere I went . Until you tour Japan often you are going to want a book like this one for everywhere you go .
020 4 If you're going to Japan I recommend this book for 95% of your travelling pleasure and information . It may not have EVERYTHING about Japan or be as detailed as other guides , but the true point of a guide is to be concise and accurate .
It's not too large so that you're carrying around a dictionary which hurts to walk with ; makes you embarrassed to show ; or vividly display's to the country that you're a tourist . It's not too small that you have to squint to read ; is easy to lose ; or hard to find the information you require .
The layout is precise , colourful , and common-in-sense . The chapters each have an apparent colour and mark a different region of Japan . Within each region are the major cities present plus some notable other areas ( eg : Hot Springs , Mountains , and Beaches ) . There are plenty of pictures , diagrams , charts , important information sheets , etc , throughout the book . ( eg : each region has a breakdown map of cities / notable places ) . Within the major cities , there are landmarks , attractions , and neat notable nooks mentioned throughout . Everything is followed by an appropriately concise paragraph . This is how it should be to me : A brief description of what you are going to see so that you do not have your nose buried in the book when you should be viewing the sites and yet still have a background to what you are viewing .
I think every guide book should have many pictures , maps , etc , so that you can help visually reference yourself , which you will need to do in Japan . There is so much packed together in this country that it's easy to get lost . There are pictures literally on almost every page of this book , which provide excellent landmarks for your travels . The maps are not overwhelming ; they only display the required information .
I obtained 15 + guide books and maps during my travel to Japan , however this one book was the reference I carried with me everywhere I went . Until you tour Japan often you are going to want a book like this one for everywhere you go .
021 4 Being a pretty busy person , and usually hating to read travel guides , I find that the DK Eyewitness Guides are the only ones I can stand reading - in fact , I find them enjoyable .
Their main force is that you don't have to imagine whether a destination would be something for you - the guide shows you what to expect , where others just tell you about it . That is the series ' main force : They are very easily digestible .
That said , an Eyewitness Guide can't stand alone - especially not one about such a complex place to visit ( for westeners ) as Japan . My wife usually acquires a Lonely Planet guide for the place , and I read the Eyewitness Guide , and the two complement each other nicely .
The Eyewitness Guide doesn't contain enough detail to really enable you to find your way around - for instance , not all sights are listed with opening hours , and entrance fees are never mentioned . With the high prices in Japan and excentric opening hours , these are very relevant pieces of information . You don't want to travel for an hour in an overcrowded train
just to find that the site is closed !
The maps in this book are pretty good , but could be better . Finding your way around in a Japanese city is difficult even for the Japanese , and the Japanese and maps don't really go together that well . For this reason , faulty maps are not what you really need - here , it turned out , the maps in the Lonely Planet guide were more precise .
On the other hand , the book has an excellent phrase book - a lot of useful phrases , including I'd like to make a reservation and How do you eat this , makes the book very useful , and we brought it everywhere ( even for dinners ) for that reason . Here , it vastly surpassed the Lonely Planet guide , and as the Japanese typically don't understand English at all , it's almost indispensable !
Being a fan of the Eyewitness Guides , I was at first slightly disappointed by this book compared to the ones about NYC and Paris , but I grew to like it more and more with actual use . Still , it can't stand alone , and that is its main disadvantage .
022 4 I lived in Japan for two years and I took a couple of guides with me . I love this one . It has beautiful pictures , lots of facts , and contact information for hotels and restaurants ( although I think the internet is the best place to find hotels because it is more updated ) . Some attractions are especially treated in this guide with diagrams and cross-sections to explain the whole experience . It even mentioned my little town ! This is the guide I bought for my sister when she came to visit ! It's great !
023 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Turtleback )
This book is great and very useful but I wish it had list of top tens ; like top ten places to visit , top ten gardens , top ten museums etc . Next time I might buy the Frommers because it has it
025 4 This is a great and fascinating guide to Japan . Every page is full of captivating illustrations and interesting information on arts , culture and history around Japan . However , although this is an excellent book to look through and read before going to Japan it is not advised to take this book and this book alone on a trip to Japan . The information on accomadation , restaurants and language is rather vague and sketchy therefore it is best to get a more detailed travel guide on such matters .
026 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Turtleback )
This is wonderful book full of great pictures , fun facts and interesting snippits . It is very entertaining and remains interesting thru out . It is well written with the American Traveler in mind .
Major attractions of each city / region are covered . It covers a lot of area and provides a great overview without getting to deep into any one place . It gives pricing information and as such is well done . Interesting historical and modern facts are given about locations adding to the fun .
I used it on a 2006 trip to Japan and found it very useful . It was especially helpful in the preliminary planning stages of our journey .
For a more encompassing travel guide , I recommend Gateway to Japan and Exploring Japan . These three along with a common phrases book or electronic translator should be about all someone would need to have an enjoyable trip !
027 4 This is wonderful book full of great pictures , fun facts and interesting snippits . It is very entertaining and remains interesting thru out . It is well written with the American Traveler in mind .
Major attractions of each city / region are covered . It covers a lot of area and provides a great overview without getting to deep into any one place . It gives pricing information and as such is well done . Interesting historical and modern facts are given about locations adding to the fun .
I used it on a 2006 trip to Japan and found it very useful . It was especially helpful in the preliminary planning stages of our journey .
For a more encompassing travel guide , I recommend Gateway to Japan and Exploring Japan . These three along with a common phrases book or electronic translator should be about all someone would need to have an enjoyable trip !
028 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Turtleback )
This little book was a fantastic guide through Tokyo on my recent first trip to Japan . It got us to all the important sites and explained their significance . I love having all the pictures in the book - it is often the only way I can tell if I am in the right location .
However , I must admit that it was more fun to use this book as a general guide and wander around , discovering the interesting sights off of the beaten path after you have seen the major tourist attraction in a location . This guide seems to cover the major tourist sites only ( which is typically what I want to see on my first visit to a new country ) .
Also , this appears to be a very popular book with tourists - there were many times when we could spot fellow tourists because they were carrying this same book , often in spanish , italian , or one of the other many languages that this guide is translated into .
029 4 This little book was a fantastic guide through Tokyo on my recent first trip to Japan . It got us to all the important sites and explained their significance . I love having all the pictures in the book - it is often the only way I can tell if I am in the right location .
However , I must admit that it was more fun to use this book as a general guide and wander around , discovering the interesting sights off of the beaten path after you have seen the major tourist attraction in a location . This guide seems to cover the major tourist sites only ( which is typically what I want to see on my first visit to a new country ) .
Also , this appears to be a very popular book with tourists - there were many times when we could spot fellow tourists because they were carrying this same book , often in spanish , italian , or one of the other many languages that this guide is translated into .
030 4 I found this book to be very helpful with good information . I liked that it was small ; easy to carry and that I could find information quickly and easily . Hope to buy more like it when I travel again .
031 4 A travel buddy recommended this for our upcoming trip to Japan this fall and I was very pleased with the content and layout . It's well worth the $16 investment . . . lots of interesting cultural factoids and clear pictures . . . plus the usual list of hotels , shops and restaurants . Will update this review when I get back from Tokyo .
I've gotten back from Japan and while this guide was useful , I relied mostly on research from the internet for interesting sights and restaurants . Still . . . this is a good value so dont hesitate to buy : )
032 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Paperback )
We just travelled in Japan for two weeks and found this book to be very helpful both in pre-planning the trip and on the trip . It is a handy size to carry around . We also took the Lonely Planet guide and we used this one a lot more .
033 4 We just travelled in Japan for two weeks and found this book to be very helpful both in pre-planning the trip and on the trip . It is a handy size to carry around . We also took the Lonely Planet guide and we used this one a lot more .
036 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Paperback )
I have always liked DK's Eyewitness series of travel books , and Japan is consistent with their past quality . Chockful with useful information , and wonderful photographs . I particularly like their suggested walks amd maps . I do not use it for hotel selection and local travel details , but more for sightseeing information , cultural information , food , and such .
037 4 I have always liked DK's Eyewitness series of travel books , and Japan is consistent with their past quality . Chockful with useful information , and wonderful photographs . I particularly like their suggested walks amd maps . I do not use it for hotel selection and local travel details , but more for sightseeing information , cultural information , food , and such .
038 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Paperback )
I work as a specialized travel planner for travel to Japan and use this guide as a complement to the materials that I send to my clients . Why ? Because the guide is great for pictures , general descriptions , diagrams and for giving a very brief flavor of a place and works very well when in conjunction with detailed instructions . I suggest treating it as a McGuide - it satisfies the immediate need for a bit of information while you're on the road . On the other hand , I would never recommend this guide as the only guide to take to Japan if you're doing serious travel planning while on the road , since there's just not enough hard information to make critical decisions on what to see and do on any given day . Many other reviewers have pointed out that there are few suggestions , no prioritization and not much how to . On my last trip to Japan we used it as a quick guide on what to see in the smaller places and then relied on the ubiquitous tourist board stands to get information on specifics ( maps , flyers , etc . ) . For example , in Hakone it mentions the circuit , but doesn't give enough information to know how to actually do it . We had to gather that information from our hotel and our Hakone Free Pass paperwork . This guide also omits some places that western travelers might find interesting , such as the art installations at Benesse House on Naoshima Island or Karatsu on Kyushu Island . The very best things about this guide : short tours ( such as Kiso Valley or Saga Pottery area ) detailed diagrams ( such as the Gassho-zukuri houses and Toshu-gu Shrine in Nikko ) and lots and lots of photos on the same page as the descriptions . Oh , and it's also a great guide if you can pre-plan your trip and don't want to spend your entire vacation with your nose in a book reading rather than experiencing the place . Japan is such a fabulous place to engage with the culture and this book can help you make the leap from reading / observing to engaging by taking away the reams and reams of text found in other books .
039 4 I work as a specialized travel planner for travel to Japan and use this guide as a complement to the materials that I send to my clients . Why ? Because the guide is great for pictures , general descriptions , diagrams and for giving a very brief flavor of a place and works very well when in conjunction with detailed instructions . I suggest treating it as a McGuide - it satisfies the immediate need for a bit of information while you're on the road . On the other hand , I would never recommend this guide as the only guide to take to Japan if you're doing serious travel planning while on the road , since there's just not enough hard information to make critical decisions on what to see and do on any given day . Many other reviewers have pointed out that there are few suggestions , no prioritization and not much how to . On my last trip to Japan we used it as a quick guide on what to see in the smaller places and then relied on the ubiquitous tourist board stands to get information on specifics ( maps , flyers , etc . ) . For example , in Hakone it mentions the circuit , but doesn't give enough information to know how to actually do it . We had to gather that information from our hotel and our Hakone Free Pass paperwork . This guide also omits some places that western travelers might find interesting , such as the art installations at Benesse House on Naoshima Island or Karatsu on Kyushu Island . The very best things about this guide : short tours ( such as Kiso Valley or Saga Pottery area ) detailed diagrams ( such as the Gassho-zukuri houses and Toshu-gu Shrine in Nikko ) and lots and lots of photos on the same page as the descriptions . Oh , and it's also a great guide if you can pre-plan your trip and don't want to spend your entire vacation with your nose in a book reading rather than experiencing the place . Japan is such a fabulous place to engage with the culture and this book can help you make the leap from reading / observing to engaging by taking away the reams and reams of text found in other books .
040 4 This guide book is the most current and much better than others out there ! The pictures are not dated ( you could tell by the eighties hairdos in other guide books ) and DK Eyewitness travel are usually better than other ones out there . The only thing is that it's more focus on Tokyo than other cities , so if you are looking into Osaka and other cities , it's not as detail as Tokyo !
043 4 This review is from :
Japan ( Eyewitness Travel Guides ) ( Turtleback )
This book is filled with good general travel info . There is so much to see in this amazing country , you could fill volumes , but this book is filled with enough usable info to get you to some great sites . When searching for a travel book on Japan , this is the one I chose and it was a good choice .
045 4 I recently bought this book and went to Japan for 7 days and thought overall that this is an excellent book . The survival guide is a must read and covers a LOT of stuff .
I used certain places mentioned in the book about Osaka , Kyoto and Tokyo .
I could easily figure out what I wanted to do and what NOT to do .
As with any travel book , you should get a detailed brochure when you actually get to the place of interest . This book is very good at giving an overall picture of the place .
Highly recommended .
047 4 Currently I am a student and I am studying Japanese . Next year our teacher has given us a chance to go to Japan , and I want to learn more about it before I go so I decided to buy the Eyewitness Travel guide to Japan . Which is a great book to relate to the historical parts of Japan and also the tourist attractions and hotels . This book also contains great pictures of the main attractions , hotels and some of the history about Japan . This book is great for people who know apsolutely nothing about the country and I would reccomend it as a must to buy ! ! !
048 4 I wouldn't call this a travel guide so much as a beautiful little glance at Japan . It would be wholly unusable for someone actually trying to get around an unfamiliar area - I suggest a Lonely Planet instead .
