Little Adventures in Tokyo: 39 Thrills for the Urban Explorer

"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.

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.

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.

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!