Customer Reviews

Little Adventures in Tokyo: 39 Thrills for the Urban Explorer

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When I first visited Tokyo, it seemed perplexing and impenetrable.

There are few well-known must-see tourist attractions from which to get your bearings; not like London with Buckingham Palace and Piccadilly, New York with Times Square and the Statue of Liberty, or Paris with Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower (though, confusingly, Tokyo has one of those, too.)

No, Tokyo is not a city of things to see, so much as a city where people meet to create and exchange ideas--and have a rollicking good time when they can. Rick Kennedy introduces the stories and personalities of this utterly fascinating city to us.

Most of the Little Adventures are walking tours with explicit directions, a godsend in a densely-packed, chaotically organised place with an unintelligible address system. A city of Tokyo's size and wealth can afford to indulge almost every whim, and Kennedy shows a good selection of whims, both the eccentric and the commonplace. Perfect example: without this book, I would never have visited the particular art supplies shop where the brushmaker who supplied Picasso still works. I visited Akihabara several times before discovering that the radio building had an upstairs level...full of antiques.

Since few people have the room to entertain at home, Tokyo abounds in restaurants, bars, and other social places. Rick seems to have visited all of them. (A sister publication and website, Tokyo Q, gives an even better guide to restaurants, as well as being funkier)

The only thing that keeps me from giving this guide five stars is that a few of these little adventures really do require some Japanese language skill to get the best out of them, which Kennedy seems to gloss over.

But it's wonderful gloss. While the information Kennedy gives us is useful, the great joy of this book is its charming, poised, mature style. Better than Bill Bryson, and often as funny. A real pleasure to read.

When friends visit me in Tokyo, I send them my copy in advance. I find that they're able to amuse themselves admirably while I'm busy, and I can enjoy myself with them when I'm not.

Next edition, maybe he'll add an orientation walk around Shibuya? I work near Shibuya and visit regularly, but it still baffles me.

"Little Adventures in Tokyo" does more than offer a guidebook to this amazing city, it also offers hints of the various flavors of Tokyo from the most famous to the most infamous. A great amount of information is packed into this slim volume. Each of the 39 adventures is a view point.

While not exactly an "off the beaten path" type of guide, there is plenty here to compliment a Lonely Planet or Frommer's. "Little Adventures in Tokyo" is more like having a friend showing you around his beloved city, from the top sites to his favorite hole-in-the-wall. Major attractions like Tsukiji, the famous fresh fish market (Adventure 10), are illuminated in fine detail. Interesting little bits like where to go for avante-guarde theater (Adventure 27) show an entirely different side. Variety is the key here, ranging from high priced to free, from esoteric to amusement.

The book is very well written, and can be read as a traveler's tales account of Tokyo in its own right, as well as used as a guide book. Several of the adventures I will never do, but I enjoyed reading about them all the same. It seems to be written a little more for residents than casual travelers, as several of the Adventures take some time.

The only word of warning is to take the prices with a grain of salt, as in Japan's rapidly changing economy things don't stay the same for long. I found everything to be about 100 yen more than the guide prices.

One of the enjoyable things about this book is that for the most part, they're all things to do and places to go that one has never heard of. I bought this book about 3/4 of the way through my stay of one year in Yokohama (just south of Tokyo), and I regret that I couldn't make more time to do more of the things in this book.

If you're on a whirlwind tour of Tokyo and/or Japan, you can leave this book at home. But if you'll be in Tokyo for even a week or more, I highly recommend trying the tea ceremony, seeing some minka, meditation, going to a public bath, etc. These are activities many Japanese people don't know about or don't take the time to do often. Moreover, they're activities that very few tourists (read: gaijin) do, so it is more of an enjoyable experience in my opinion.

Great book for those who enjoy places off the beaten path ...

Having this book on a recent trip to Tokyo was like having a personal tour guide who appreciates the funky and beautiful in this crazy city. The Adventures include both walking tours and destinations, some cover the tourist spots and some are far from the mainstream. His coverage of the tourist spots will give you a unique view of them, but also try some of the more quirky destinations.

I realised quickly that I wanted to carry this book with me every day. I followed 6 or 7 Little Adventures and each one was memorable. My favorite was the Old Tokyo neighborhoods near Ueno, followed closey by Asakusa and Minka-en.

I would recommended this book highly to anyone visiting Tokyo. It's an overwhelming city and this book will take some of the stress out of tackling it. The author's insights are fun and the directions and maps are easy to follow (or as easy as can be hoped for in Japan!). I just hope Mr Kennedy keeps updating this book because Tokyo is such a rapidly changing city. There was at least one instance where I did not see a shop that was supposed to be on a route, but there was a huge new building under construction in the general area.

I've been to Japan several times on business. I picked up Little Adventures in Tokyo for my second trip, and it was a fun read and great inspiration to get out and try new and different things. I recommend not to use it for a first trip because Japan can be so overwhelming and exciting that one does not need additional inspiration. Or, if it's a first trip, limit yourself to the simplest activities in the book, such as the department store opening and picnic. However, beyond that initial exposure, it is very encouraging and suggests such a variety of activities that everyone is bound to find something of interest.

There are a few caveats. First, as some other reviewers note, some of the adventures require Japanese. In particular, I suggest that you do NOT call the Shiatsu master unless you speak Japanese. He is a true professional, not a tourist attraction. I called him but quickly realized that he had limited English (and I have only very elementary Japanese). For expats who may live in Tokyo and wish to have extended treatment, go ahead. For tourists, give him a break! Instead, ask your hotel concierge for a referral.

Second, yes, some of the adventures are out of date. Tokyo is such a dynamic city that this is likely to happen to you several times. Restaurants and shops are continually moving around, at similar to any large US city but at 3-5 times the pace. Even online guides such as Tokyo Food Page that should be up to date often fall behind. One time I went to a very highly rated restaurant from an online guide, only to find that the whole building was fenced off and scheduled for demolition.

In short, the book is one of the most enjoyable and interesting guides to Tokyo -- but the "guide" part of it must be viewed cautiously. Read it and have fun!

If you visit, live or even are just curious about Tokyo, Little Adventures is a truly wonderful guide. I bought it on a whim, but it was invaluable when deciding what to do on my first visit to Japan. It's fascinating reading even if you never visit! With such a wide variety of trips, there will surely be many things that will interest you.

I admit I have a special happiness for this book. One of the happiest days of my entire life was a visit to Minka-en, because of this book's description. That day is one of the most peaceful, happy, and memorable memories of my entire life. It was worth 100 times the price of this terrific guide. Thank you, Rick Kennedy!

What a great, great book...I've been living in Japan for almost a year now, and am still trying to do some of the 'adventures' listed in the book. Even if you don't travel to Japan, you will enjoy this book and the detailed descriptions that give you a great feel for the essence of each location and Tokyo as a whole.

Like many reviewers, I've given this book to several people who have come to visit me in Japan. It will definitely inspire the adventurer in you, or help you overcome any fear of exploring the cited excursions.

Most travelers don't have the time to stop and look at the smaller details of Tokyo, or gamble on a dud. This book takes out the guesswork! And, gives you some secret spots you would probably never find on your own without spending a good amount of time here, and/or speaking the language. Out of the 39 adventures, there has to be at least a day's worth of adventuring for you, regardless of what you are looking for in Japan; history, food, art, or contemporary culture...

Tokyo is a big place (a banal, but accurate comment) and Kennedy has selected a wide variety of fascinating out-of-the way places to visit. When I used this guide, I endlessly beguiled by some of the "little adventures," although others were less than enticing. With 39 to choose from, however, there's a suggestion for people with wildly different tastes. One note: this is not a comprehensive guidebook, and the maps (especially for "A perfect cup of coffee") are a bit sketchy. If you have trouble reading maps and get lost easily, it's a good idea to cross-reference Kennedy's suggestions with other maps.

When I picked this book in Honolulu at a bookstore, I immediately thought it contained the type of adventures I wanted to do and experience in Japan. I travel to Japan quite a bit and last April 1997, I scheduled my trip around the suggestions made by Rick Kennedy. I particularly enjoyed the shiatsu by Dr. Suzuki, the climb to Mt. Ishiwari, the onsen (hot springs) in Gotemba, and many other sites. This book is different from other travel guides in that it allows you to experience different things in Japan. I will probably be going again soon, and would try the Zen meditation. Anyway, the book was so good my sister in law is looking it over to use it as a guide for her trip in March. I think travel guides and books should be written more in this way. Enjoy!

To even some of the most seasoned travellers to Japan, Tokyo is, as is on a global perspective, a convenient transit point. A hub for individuals jetting off to Asia, America, or even to more picturesque locales in Japan.

Our impression of Tokyo is commonly that of a post-war urban sprawl firebombed of traditional architecture by B29s. Not so, Rick Kennedy asserts.

In this handy little travel booklet (one assumes its size is not coincidental), you see the charms of the city gradually revealed to you. From the obscure and esoteric art of kohdo (or incense appreciation), to a day of indoor skiing, this book has enough to keep you occupied for a good two weeks. One wishes that an edition for kyoto is in the works.

The "adventures" - 39 in all - are mainly walking tours based on a theme. The touristy stuff is here, like the wee hours at Tsukiji Market, but expect also to find the hole-in-the-wall tempura joints and nomiyas.

Recommended, if you are in Tokyo with time to spare, not for the person with a 2 day stopover.