Gateway to Japan

Having lived in Japan for the past 6 years, I've had the opportunity to use all of the major guidebooks (and quite a few of the minor ones as well), and without a doubt, the most useful and informative guidebook is this one. Of course Lonely Planet has lots of information about restaurants and hotels, but you can get the tourist information center to help you with hotels and wherever you walk you can find plenty of nice restaurants. What you really want is a purpose to visit the places that you are visiting. Lonely Planet just tells you what things are, but this guidebooks tells you the history of each place, so you can understand why each place is important. If you're looking for a guidebook to tell you where the clubs, hangouts, and youth hostels are, then maybe this isn't the book you're looking for. However, if you're looking for a nice meaty book to feed you mind on, this is it.

I first used this guide when I lived in Japan, and I quickly realized it was the best guidebook I'd ever had. It is unbelievably detailed and informative. You can learn a tremendous amount about the culture, history, and people of Japan before you even step off the plane. You'll want to take this book, for example, when visiting the temples, since it provides a thorough exposition of their architecture and symbolism. What I like especially about this guide, however, is the fact that it's not just one in a series. Rather, it's the product of two people who really know and love Japan, and it shows in the quality of their writing and the depth of the coverage. I can't recommend it highly enough!By the way, one reviewer lamented the odd size of this book, but rest assured, this 1998 version is more compact and portable than previous editions.

Simply the best guide book I've ever used. The first third of the book explains, in easy sections, the key issues that drive the country and civilization. Shinto, Buddhism, History and Social Structure are well presented. The top sites are detailed, but you'll understand why they are important to Japan and what you should look for when you visit. During several of my side trips, I found myself (and the book) serving as the primary guide to my expatriot hosts who had visited the same sites many times. You'd be well served to bring along another guide to Tokyo or any japanese city for restaurant and hotel listings, although there are some suggestions in the guide.Why can't other guide books be like this?

I haved used the Gateway to Japan guide book on two trips to Japan. And I have to say, that this guide book is the best. This book isn't the most colorful, it doesn't list the best hotels and restaurants, however it does much more. The Gateway book tells you not only where to go, but also gives you in depth information and history about the locations. This is a book that will complement your trip and add background information to make your visits complete. ON a personal note, I got lost one day in '96 while trying to find the 47 Ronin temple. And thanks to the Gateway book, I was able to make it home. Again, its the best. This is the book to take to Japan.

This is my favourite guidebook to Japan. It's pretty chunky, and the shape is a little odd (Why so tall and thin?) but the information in here is just about the best you'll find. These two really love their subject and really love telling stories, too. Every time they describe a temple or shrine they try to give some interesting historical information about it. They also devote over a hundred pages at the beginning of the book to the history and culture of Japan. If that sounds like overkill, don't worry, it's all broken down into reader-friendly chunks, a page or two at a time. In the second part of the book, a region by region guide, they give plenty of suggestions for possible walks/half-day/full-day tours, etc. These are good for helping you plan out your trip in advance - no point in arriving and finding out that the place is three times the size you thought it was! Furthermore, the info. and maps are excellent. None of the scr! ibbled-out-on-napkin stuff here, we are talking graphic shading, altitude-showing, super-imposed-lay-out-displaying map-a-rama - OH BABY! LET'S KIOSK! Er...yes...well, the only possible bad things I can think of to say about this guide book is that the section on the whole of Japan north of Tokyo is a bit skinny, and it doesn't categorize the accomodation sections quite as clearly as, say, the Lonely Planet (see below). But that is a very minor point - overall, their accomodation info. is still just as extensive as any other guide.