Customer Reviews

Day Walks Near Tokyo (Origami Classroom)

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

 

 

A great little book that makes it easy to wander the best of the countryside around Tokyo. We used an earlier edition that had 25 daytrips around the city and it tells you how to get there, degree of difficulty, and a suggested route along the way. It also provides details on points of historical and natural interest along each walk.

It's great reading ahead of time, along the way, and afterwards.

I have lived in Japan for 3 years and I often go up to Tokyo. But every now and then, it is nice escape all of the noise and commotion.

Initially I took walks on my own with little direction and knowledge of the outlying areas, which was met with limited success. One day, I stumble across this book purely by coincidence; until now I didn't even realize a book like this existed.

The minute I picked this book up, I knew this was the book I had been looking for. This book provides detailed walks throughout the greater Tokyo area to some of the most picturesque areas you have ever seen. Areas that seem so far removed from Tokyo, I never could have imagined they existed so close by. Among the various walks covered are: mountain hikes, countryside strolls, walks along the coastline, and even walks to waterfalls. Additionally, each walk comes complete with detailed directions (with the Kanji), map, and even pictures.

If you have even the slightest desire to see the beauty that Japan has to offer or you just need somewhere to go to enjoy the peace & quite "Day Walks Near Tokyo" is the perfect book for you.

First of all I should say that I was simply amazed that "nature based" walking paths existed anywhere within one hour Tokyo. Kudos to the author for finding these, but I fear he is taking on the impossible and the first walk that I tried has disintegrated to a non-walk.

The walk itself was along the "Cape". I have lived long enough in Japan to realise that the sea is more of a supermarket and a dumping ground than a part of nature. It came as no surprise that this walk started out by the water treatment plant. As you continue past the locals burning their refuse on the beach (this appears to be a Japanese past time which although illegal, is certainly not policed), I discovered the paths uncut and generally unpassable.

Thirty minutes into the walk the concrete walkways had been completely washed away and appeared to have been in this state for years. I am not sure what the earwig like creatures were that lined the rocks, but you certainly would not want to be asleep on this beach.

Unfortunately this makes the book unreliable. I will find a couple more walks to attempt, but be aware that the author is delivering on a hard ask.