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quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
Make the most of your time in Japan.
From the sleek, neon-drenched hubbub of cities like Tokyo, to the more laidback charms of rural Shikoku or rugged Hokkaido, Japan is enthralling – a fascinating mix of ancient and modern, ethereal and other-worldly. With opulent imperial palaces, calm Zen gardens, cutting edge galleries and boisterous festivals around almost every corner, the Rough Guide To Japan helps you get to the heart of this captivating country. Illuminating writing and in-depth listings give you the lowdown on trendy shopping districts, stunning hikes, traditional inns and where to sample the finest sushi and sake on offer.
- Stroll the tranquil Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto.
- Hit Niseko’s slopes for stellar skiing and snowboarding.
- Immerse yourself in one of Beppu’s many famed onsen.
- Go tropical in Okinawa at one of Taketomi-jima’s beaches.
- Absorb the tradition and pageantry of a kabuki performance.
Published in February 2011, the Rough Guide to Japan is a comprehensive guidebook offering tourist tips and suggestions (including basic Japanese phrases and etiquette) and sections looking at Japan’s history and culture. I enjoyed the history and culture sections, but the book runs to over 800 pages, making me wonder if they could be missed.
The guide divides Japan into 11 areas – Tokyo, ‘Around Tokyo’, Northern Honshu, Hokkaido, Central Honshu, Kyoto & Nara, Kansai, Western Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa. There’s a good section on travel around Japan, including its famous bullet train system and each of the area sections give a wide choice of activities, including attractions and walks. However, while there’s a lot of suggestions on things to do, the maps and directions of the cities outside Tokyo (particularly Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima) were terrible to use – too small and not containing enough detail to help you practically navigate your way to an attraction. This was particularly true of Osaka, where I spent an afternoon trying to follow the instructions to a museum, only to find that they cut out about half way through, leaving me stranded and forced to ask passers by for directions. This was repeated with a number of attractions located outside the cities, with the Rough Guide neglecting to give transport directions, thus making them inaccessible unless you speak Japanese and can get a taxi.
Additionally, although the Guide tells you that where a public holiday falls on a Sunday, then the holiday will also apply the following Monday, it fails to mention that for many museums (particularly in Tokyo) if a public holiday falls on a Monday, then the museum will open on the Monday but close the following Tuesday. This cost me a certain amount of inconvenience and frustration when I ran up against it during my stay and it’s exactly the kind of thing a tourist should be warned about.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a general introduction to Japan, this is a good starting point but it’s not a book to take with you – it’s too heavy and the maps aren’t good enough. I’d recommend using it to do your research and then preload specific sites and maps onto a phone or tablet so that you can get around more effectively. Note that Rough Guides issued a new version in September 2014, which I’d suggest checking out instead of this.
The Verdict:
If you’re looking for a general introduction to Japan, this is a good starting point but it’s not a book to take with you – it’s too heavy and the maps aren’t good enough. I’d recommend using it to do your research and then preload specific sites and maps onto a phone or tablet so that you can get around more effectively. Note that Rough Guides issued a new version in September 2014, which I’d suggest checking out instead of this.
From the sleek, neon-drenched hubbub of cities like Tokyo, to the more laidback charms of rural Shikoku or rugged Hokkaido, Japan is enthralling – a fascinating mix of ancient and modern, ethereal and other-worldly. With opulent imperial palaces, calm Zen gardens, cutting edge galleries and boisterous festivals around almost every corner, the Rough Guide To Japan helps you get to the heart of this captivating country. Illuminating writing and in-depth listings give you the lowdown on trendy shopping districts, stunning hikes, traditional inns and where to sample the finest sushi and sake on offer.
- Stroll the tranquil Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto.
- Hit Niseko’s slopes for stellar skiing and snowboarding.
- Immerse yourself in one of Beppu’s many famed onsen.
- Go tropical in Okinawa at one of Taketomi-jima’s beaches.
- Absorb the tradition and pageantry of a kabuki performance.
Published in February 2011, the Rough Guide to Japan is a comprehensive guidebook offering tourist tips and suggestions (including basic Japanese phrases and etiquette) and sections looking at Japan’s history and culture. I enjoyed the history and culture sections, but the book runs to over 800 pages, making me wonder if they could be missed.
The guide divides Japan into 11 areas – Tokyo, ‘Around Tokyo’, Northern Honshu, Hokkaido, Central Honshu, Kyoto & Nara, Kansai, Western Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa. There’s a good section on travel around Japan, including its famous bullet train system and each of the area sections give a wide choice of activities, including attractions and walks. However, while there’s a lot of suggestions on things to do, the maps and directions of the cities outside Tokyo (particularly Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima) were terrible to use – too small and not containing enough detail to help you practically navigate your way to an attraction. This was particularly true of Osaka, where I spent an afternoon trying to follow the instructions to a museum, only to find that they cut out about half way through, leaving me stranded and forced to ask passers by for directions. This was repeated with a number of attractions located outside the cities, with the Rough Guide neglecting to give transport directions, thus making them inaccessible unless you speak Japanese and can get a taxi.
Additionally, although the Guide tells you that where a public holiday falls on a Sunday, then the holiday will also apply the following Monday, it fails to mention that for many museums (particularly in Tokyo) if a public holiday falls on a Monday, then the museum will open on the Monday but close the following Tuesday. This cost me a certain amount of inconvenience and frustration when I ran up against it during my stay and it’s exactly the kind of thing a tourist should be warned about.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a general introduction to Japan, this is a good starting point but it’s not a book to take with you – it’s too heavy and the maps aren’t good enough. I’d recommend using it to do your research and then preload specific sites and maps onto a phone or tablet so that you can get around more effectively. Note that Rough Guides issued a new version in September 2014, which I’d suggest checking out instead of this.
The Verdict:
If you’re looking for a general introduction to Japan, this is a good starting point but it’s not a book to take with you – it’s too heavy and the maps aren’t good enough. I’d recommend using it to do your research and then preload specific sites and maps onto a phone or tablet so that you can get around more effectively. Note that Rough Guides issued a new version in September 2014, which I’d suggest checking out instead of this.
