Kyoto: A Cultural Guide to Japan's Ancient Imperial City

Rating:
Summary: A good companion
Review: Kyoto: A Cultural Guide ... by John and Phyllis Martin is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow, and interesting companion to take along with you on your wanderings throughout Japan's ancient capital city. Organized in a series of "Tours," with titles such as "The 1,001 Golden Kannon of Sanjusangen-do, the General, and the Potter," the book whets your appetite for information, and delivers - in both historical and contemporary matters. I am using this book as a text for an English class teaching long-time Japanese residents of Kyoto; we are all learning from it. There is enough opinion included in the book to keep it from being dull, yet not too much to keep if from being informative. I would recommend it to newcomers and to old Japan hands, too.