Lonely Planet Kyoto [With Map]

I used this book along with three others on a recent trip to Kyoto. Some of the negative criticisms of earlier reviewers seem to have been corrected, though not entirely. But no other general guide (with a Kyoto section as part of a Japan guide) was more useful. I have some criticisms, but it is a useful guide. Maps could have been more detailed (as well as descriptions of where things were). Restaurants were shown on maps but, at best, within a block or two of where they were. Addresses for restaurants were given (doubtless accurate using Kyoto address standards) but don't describe the exact street each is on. For example, we went to Ichi-Ban (a yakitori restaurant in the Gion district) which was merely described as "3 minutes" from the "Sanjo Keihan" subway stop. The map in the book suggested it was on Sanjo-dori ("dori" means street or avenue) but the address didn't say so. The book also said it had "a" red lantern out in front (which is used by yakitori or grill restaurants). We did find it by asking a nearby florist shop, but it would have been useful if the description had said it was "on" Sanjo-dori and also that it had "several" small red lanterns and that it did not have an English name on the facade. (It was a good restaurant, incidentally, once we found it.) The same was true for Omen, a restaurant near the Silver Pavillion. No description other than it was "near" the Silver Pavillion and was shown on a very small map of the general area. A couple of local vendors directed us there. It is two short blocks south of the approach to the Temple on the street used by Bus 32. (It was a superb restaurant for lunch--I recommend it highly--as well as the sister restaurant on Shijo-dori a few feet west of the south end of Pontocho alley, a famous night location.) There were some recommended restaurants we didn't even try to find--partly because the maps and description seemed inadequate, but we found enough to satisfy us on a five day visit. The book could have been more useful in describing the details of the bus system. The busses cover most of the city quite well and the Tourist Bureau has a good (though very hard to follow--it takes intense study) map of bus routes. The presumption in the book is that most people will start from Kyoto station to reach various tourist sites. But, in my opinon, the most useful hotels are located within a third of a mile from the intersection of Shijo and Karawamachi "dori[s]" and several useful busses do traverse this intersection but don't go to the train station. Further, though "stops" are listed on the Kyoto bus map, the actual stops are often a block or so from the "listed" intersection and different bus numbers may have different stops for the intersection For example, busses at the Karasuma-Shijo intersection that traverse Shijo-dori stop either a block West of Karasuma OR a block East of Karasuma. We figured it out, but it took a couple of days as well as intense study of the Kyot

I read the reviews for this book before buying it and I was concerned about the complaints that the maps were horrible. However, there were no other recently-published guides to Kyoto so I decided that a guide with bad maps was better than no guide at all. So, I bought the book and I am happy I did. Yes, the maps for the book were bad and I am thankful to the other reviewers for pointing this out so I did not unknowingly try to rely on the maps and find myself lost. Here is the good news: You can get excellent maps for free in Kyoto Station. The maps in this book were helpful for a general outline of where things are in relation to one another, but I relied almost entirely on the free maps I obtained from the tourism office in Kyoto Station. If you are traveling to Kyoto, I recommend you do the same. The maps provided in the station were up-to-date, detailed, and extremely helpful. And, best of all, free! As most people traveling to Kyoto will arrive through Kyoto Station, picking up these free maps is easy and the first thing you should do when you arrive. Maps aside, I found this book very helpful. A friend and I traveled to Kyoto for the first time and had five and a half days in the city. Although I knew I could find resources for visiting Kyoto online, I wanted a small and informative book that I could carry with me everywhere and refer to whenever I needed it. This book provided exactly that. It was the perfect resource for a brief trip to Kyoto (combined with the free maps from Kyoto Station, of course). So if you're looking for a book that will help you find things to do while in Kyoto (as well as places to eat and sleep), I highly recommend this city guide in combination with the maps from Kyoto Station.

As the title indicated, this book is reasonably priced and practical. It does a very good job in introducing the history of Kyoto and the local custom. This is not only useful for traveling but also for gaining a better understanding of an interesting and graceful culture. The book also covers widely all of the points of interest, which includes a good selection of hotels and restaurants. One weakness of the book is the organization. The book separates places of interest and maps into two different section and this makes it difficult to cross reference. You have to make your own plans in connecting all the interesting places into one walk. It would be better if the book can organize a few walking tours that allow us to visit all the highlights.

This book has so many information about Kyoto.Especially accommodation sect is wonderful. My friend stayed at the Tour Club and he could enjoy his stay in Kyoto very much (Tour Club is recommended by this book as by far the best guesthouse.)Also information and comment about sites are useful.

Lonely Planet: Kyoto is one of the best investments you can make before your trip to Japan. Like all of the other Lonely Planet books, it is well-organized and interesting to read, with plenty of practical information (where to stay and what to see) plus a thorough section on language, history, and culture. Kyoto, Japan's imperial capital, has over 3,000 shrines and temples--it's essential to have a guidebook that explains, in detail, the form and function of the major ones and offers suggestions for seeing the smaller ones. I found the "Things to See and Do" sections especially helpful... in addition to the religious centers, Lonely Planet helped me find my way to Lake Biwa (Japan's largest lake) and to museums, shops, restaurants, and even a baseball game. If you are not planning a specific itinerary, it's easy to "flip and point" in order to find something that looks good on a given day. I was in Kyoto for a year and was not able to see half of the things that Lonely Planet covered, but for those that I did see, it really enhanced my experience. Lonely Planet is a good all-around book that won't let you down. It considers all budgets and offers suggestions for even the poorest student. If you aren't a native speaker of Japanese, it may help to have a copy of Lonely Planet's Japanese Phrasebook, just in case the guide doesn't go into enough detail.