Customer Reviews

A Birder's Guide to Japan

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I bought this book because it was the only affordable bird book of Japan that I could afford. I guess that I was expecting a bird guide that helped me identify species etc., something like a field guide. This is not such a book. If you already have identification books, or are already able to identify east asian birds, then this book will tell you the hot spots and help you plan a birding trip. It's got maps, useful vocab, and lots of other information about the surrounding areas of some good birding locations. Just don't expect any help with identification.
Since I don't get to travel a lot, I don't think I'll ever get a chance to use this book, and I'm still at a loss when it comes to identifying local birds.

This book gives detailed coverage to birdwatching sites in most of Japan, particularly Hokkaido and Honshu. Kyushu and the southern islands (Amami, Okinawa, Ryukyu) also receive decent coverage, but lovely, off-the-beaten-track Shikoku is completely overlooked for some reason.
Apart from the usual info on species, trails, access and acccomodation, there is a lengthy chapter on coping with Japanese culture.
Despite the fact that it was published years ago, I would certainly recommend taking it, as Japan is probably the most stable country in Asia, where even prices have changed very little over the years.