Customer Reviews

Japan (Insight Guides)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Have been living in Japan for over 3 years. Then came back home. After few years I wanted to keep my knowledge of Japan and the various places to visit, restaurants and roads.

This is book is amazing in details, very accurate, all pages are color, all pages comes with loads of images and details about Japan.

I have been searching and comparing many traveler guide books to Japan. And this one come easily on the top [for non Japanese speaker]

Highly recommended, Happy reading :)

Insight Guides Japan, 5th Edition, 2008
Edited by Alyse Dar
Apa Publications GmbH & Co. Verlag KG
$23.99
ISBN 978-981-282-084-6
[...]


For 40 years, Insight Guides has been at the forefront of travel guides, offering accurate, reliable information to various destinations around the world in its extensive series of award-winning guidebooks. "Insight Guides Japan" continues this tradition, as the complexities concerning the Land of the Rising Sun are unlocked in yet another entertaining and INSIGHTful offering from Apa Publications. The Japanese archipelago is one of the most fascinating places in the world, though it continues to baffle seasoned visitors and first-timers alike. Utilizing the method of merging full-color photography with text which it pioneered in the 1970s, Insight Guides gives the reader not only reliable and practical information on itinerant destinations, but a better understanding into the land of Sushi and Anime from a historical and cultural standpoint. There are healthy doses of essays and mini-factoids written by local experts on the subjects covered, including history, geography, people, performing arts, culture and food. One of the many mis-conceptions I've always had of of Japan was that it had the highest suicide rate in the world, which the guide points out is considerably lower than that of Finland's. I was also surprised to discover that the baseball pitch count in Japan is recorded in the reverse order of its U.S. counterpart, and that Okinawan Sake is made using Thai Rice. These and other captivating articles on the Japanese Garden, Religion, Sumo, and Kimonos are just the tip of the iceberg. In the "Places" section, destinations are often accompanied with commentary on historical and cultural background. From Tokyo's Ginza to Kyoto's temples, from the mist-shrouded serenity of Nikko to the snow-capped mountains of Hokkaido and the tropical islands of Okinawa, it's all here. Complimenting this wonderful resource are the beautifully rendered, full-colored maps with sites that are easily cross-referenced in conjunction with the text and vice-versa. The back of the book provides a plethora of useful info; the "Travel Tips" section advises on how to get around, an A-Z index of practical information, accommodation, and restaurant listings with up-to-date pricing and rates. Rounding out the excursion are website listings and a Further Reading list of recommended books on anything and everything about Japan.

If you want a guide with the typical tourist trap listings, then by all means pick up a copy of Lonely Planet, or Fodor's Japan. If you're like me and are looking for something deeper, maybe learn a thing or two about this country's history, culture, and customs, you'll find it in "Insight Guides Japan", arguably the best travel guide ever written on Japan. My only regret is that I didn't have a copy on hand during a visit a few years back. It would've made my trip a much more pleasurable experience...5 STARS

It shows there would not be any troubles on tour when you read
it carefully as itmentioned all the important facts which is needed
for tour. I feel very satisfied for my travel to Japan with this book.

I found his book to be very comprehensive on Tokyo & surrounds but less informative on the rest of Japan, so not my choice if Tokyo is not the main destination