Customer Reviews

New Japan Solo

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book differs from other English language guide books to Japan both in content and delivery. The book was useless for planning hotel and restaurant visits, but for maps and step-by-step instructions for visiting a site it was extremely valuable. Also, the writers often showed a sense of humor and honesty in playing down some popular sites, while not hesitating to recommend other less known sites. The book is small and light and definitely worth keeping with you on any trip to Japan.

The old edition of this book was given to me by other Americans in Japan when I lived there. Now I just gave one to a young cousin who's going soon. I was glad to see that it's a bit smaller now, because the weight was the only drawback when I used it back then! I found a few small things that missed updating (like the team that left Nishinomiya stadium in the early 90's), but it otherwise seems to be a thoughtful update of the same valuable traveling companion it was back then. The descriptions of which train and bus lines to take, travel times, where to walk (helpful in a country with few street names) and landmarks to guide you were absolutely irreplaceable helps. It's perfect for visitors or foreign residents who want to be free of tour groups and find worthwhile places to explore on their own. I toured some places on the Inland Sea side where fewer foreigners venture and found the book just as useful there as in Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, and Tokyo.

I spent three years in Japan and I had all of the major guidebooks, but none of them come close to this book. I just found that this book covers the material in an easy to follow manner. Also, the maps in this book are the best of any of the other books. You'll never get lost with this one. When I go back to Japan, this is the only guidebook I'll be taking with me.

Japan Solo became my only Japan travel guide starting with the 2nd edition. I've made more than 40 trips to Japan and used Japan Solo on every one. Because it emphasizes rail travel, this book and a Japan Rail pass make it easy to get around in a country that can otherwise be quite complicated. It's best coverage is around the large cities, but still does an adequate job for outlying areas. There's so much to see and do in Japan it's impossible to cram it all into one book. Japan Solo does a good job of getting the traveler to the more popular areas with ease. I would highly recommend it.

I'm staying in Japan / Tokyo for almost 1 year and have several travel guides. When I go on a trip, this is the guide which I take with me, and it helps to make the best out of each trip. The other guides, I can leave them at home. I went to Hokkaido (Akan NP, Sounkyo), Tohuku (Bandai-Kogen, Matsushima, Hirosaki, Towadako), Hirsohima, Miyajima, Himejii, Nara, Kyoto, Amanohashidate, Osaka,Nagoya, Takayama, Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Mt. Tanigawadake, Kamakura, Mt. Fuji, Izu Peninsula, Nikko and others. Almost all places highlights in the "Japan Solo" Guide.
The Book includes the Maps I needed, recommended transportation to the locations, accommodation in walking distance to train / bus stations, recommended itinerary and how to get to the spots.
No other travel book, I have, is so helpful in guidance.
For train schedules, I used the web [...]
I'm glad about this book because it essential helped me to make the most out of my Japan Visit.

The best thing by far about this travel guide is the maps. It really helped me out a number of times in the labyrinth that is Tokyo. However, i recently went on a sojourn to Osaka and i found the coverage to be a little lacking. On the other hand, it's coverage of Nara and Kyoto (more popular tourist destinations) are strong. In short, I recommend this book, but you will probably need to pair it up with something else (Lonely Planet Japan is pretty good) for a complete picture.

This book was very helpful in planning where to go and what to see when I went to Japan for two weeks. It has good recommendations for walking tours and cultural attractions and mentioned many areas that were overlooked by other guide books. Maps and directions were especially helpful. However, if you are looking for recommendations on lodgings and restaurants, I would get the Frommer's Japan book. Japan Solo lists hotels and inns, but gives no information about them other than location and price range. The Frommer book is also better organized for the first-time visitor so you can make decisions about your itinerary without being overwhelmed by too many choices.

I just ordered the 4th (1998) edition because we're visiting Japan this summer and my 1988 edition must be seriously dated. I've toured Japan extensively. For trip planning and practical guidance, especially if you're traveling by rail, this concise, well-organized book can't be beat. Not just the best travel book on Japan, the best travel book, period.

I have purchased multiple Japan travel guides and this was the most specific and useful of the bunch. It is especially suited for those times when you venture out on your own. The maps are for the most part very accurate and quite helpful. It is low on pictures, etc., but the information it contained made it the book I turned to first.

I have not actually bought this book. But I see that the latest edition was published in 1998 so I am reluctant to buy it because it seems that much could have changed in the last 12 years. I would not want to plan my day around going to a certain shop or restaurant only to find they are no longer in business. I drove 45 minutes out of my way through a bad neighborhood to eat at a Japanese restaurant with good reviews for being authentic here in America only to find they had gone out of business 3 months before. I was sooooo annoyed. I cannot imagine how quadruple annoyed I would be to have a time wasted on a precious day of a once in a life time vacation to Japan because of a book that is not 3 months but 12 years out of date. I wish they would release a newer version.