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Summary: The one book you NEED to come to Japan
Review: After spending about 3 weeks in Japan with this as my only guide book, I can honestly say you NEED to buy this book before traveling to Japan. I didn't make it to Tokyo, but I did go to Kyoto and Hiroshima, and this was great for both places. It also serves as sort of a mini-travel dictionary in a pinch as well as a quick guide to cultural practices. Just a note on how to put it to best use. I would glance through the first 25 or so pages before coming to Japan, and then read about each area you visit in more depth the day before going there. As far as using it for hotels, it's great. But I wouldn't worry too much about using it to find places to eat. You'll probably do better on your own (and have a few more adventures!).
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Summary: A Cultural Primer for the Ugly American
Review: An invaluable aid to those travelers with a desire not to offend their Japanese friends. This book teaches us how to behave according to a multitude of esoteric customs and practices such as how to close a yukata (a robe worn in a Japanese Inn) properly. Close it incorrectly and you are wrapped like their dead! Very, very offensive!
Many other helpful hints not found in books like Frommers - how to ride the Shinkansen (bullet train), what to bring when invited to a Japanese home, how to behave when invited to dinner, what to say when complimented by a Japanese, excellent suggestions to local restaurants and much, much more. Lots of traditional guide information as well.
The only Japan guide that adds a section on Okinawa and the Ryukyu Island chain.
A great read and worth every penny! Highly recommended.
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Summary: What happens when writers hate their subjects
Review: As some other reviewers here have noted, this book seems to have been written by people who don't actually like Japan, Japanese people, Japanese culture, or pretty much anything Japanese at all. As such, they spend too much of the book showing how they are so superior to everything Japan has to offer. If you follow this book, you will end up missing so much of what this fabulous (albeit, at times difficult) country has to offer. Well, OK, this book does have some useful information. But, you will be best off with just about any other guide book.
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Summary: Lonely Planet Japan was my bible
Review: Despite a few short-comings (maps that are far too small and lack detail) I found many interesting sites and places to stay through this book... And much helpful advice. I also appreciated the little history lesson associated with some locations; in a country full of mystery (and some weirdness), this book helped decipher much of what was going on. Of note, check out the bar called MAC in Hiroshima and be amazed at the CD collection! It's in the book.
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Summary: You Can Do Better
Review: Don't fall into the Lonely Planet trap. Just because they have a great reputation doesn't mean each title is worth the money. Some titles by Lonely Planet are well done, but this one is not. This book reads as though it was written by five hundred different people and no one bothered to edit it. Just one of many examples is how one writer hardly mentions anything about transportation, while the next gives detailed descriptions of all available train, bus and ferry services. This book would be greatly improved if there was some a standardized set of information was available for each ken. Instead, it is just a mix of badly baised facts in random order. However, the section at the beginning of the book is a good introduction to Japan, with lots of interesting tidbits and tales. That section is certainly worth a look but as for the actual travel information, I'd try another series.
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Summary: great tool
Review: excellent comprehensive tool. Having the most recent edition is critical to make good use of lodging and other recommendations (apart for the most common of attractions), correctly anticipate pricing, etc. I used my 7th ed heavily in June '01 and found its accuracy outstanding (had opportunity to compare to an earlier one which was already out-of-date). Faults - some diagrams too small (eg Tokyo subway should be a big fold-out) wish there were even more restaurant recommendations and info on food _in kanji_ w/ pronunciation would be helpful.
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Summary: great travel guide
Review: I absolutely loved this book. I took the shinkansen (bullet train) all over Japan and so it was good guidance to visit all the cities I traveled to : Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Oita. I was able to find all the cheap places to stay and met cool people along the way. The folks who criticized the city maps do have a point. For example, I was trying to find a dumpling place in Kyoto recommended by LP but it was so hard to make out where it was in the map. I finally found it half hour later but it was worth it. You have to realize that most streets in Japan are not numbered like it is in the US so finding the exact store can be trying at times. In finding maps for a particular city, i would go to the local tourist office which gave detailed info. This is my first LP book and overall, i found it to be a very good reference.
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Summary: Not bad, but I did find better...
Review: I bought this book, along with several others, including Frommers, for my trip to Japan a little over a month ago. I stayed in northern Japan--near Aomori and visited Tokyo, Sendai, Hachinohe and Morioka. Lonely Planet was helpful but, the book I used the most and relied on the most--with everything to neighborhood maps and out of the way places to eat and shop--was Rough Guide Japan. Same premise as Lonely Planet, but I found it more user friendly and it's information more beneficial. It was fun when I found a mention of a new car Toyota showroom to sit in and test drive models, and the world's only parasite museum. I didn't make it to the parasite museum in Tokyo, but the Toyota Amlux was interesting! Lonely Planet was good, but it didn't always have "mini maps" of the places they were talking about, and that left me confused. Also, they would give "circular" trips around a city, which was good, but if you didn't start out-or couldn't find-where they began, you quickly had no idea what or where they were taking you. There was plenty more in Rough Guide Japan than I found helpful in Lonely Planet, and Frommers just plain, well, sucked. It was my first trip there and the only other advice I can give is to get a rail pass as well as Rough Guide Japan!
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Summary: Indispensable book for traveler and foreign resident alike
Review: I can say I have used this book back to back during my 3 year stay in Japan and I should admit that without this book, all the travels that I had during my stay would have been nearly impossible. First caution, the background information section is full of stereotypes and should be read with great caution and for the rest of the book, every now and then you get a feeling that the author is somewhat narrow-minded, xenophobic, and has some personal political message to convey. This needs some getting used to. On the bright side, the amount of information on accomodation, food, entertainment, etc. is just right and they are also reliable. The kanji names for the places are also very helpful. The daily travel cost estimate is also good. You could do some money saving maneuvers but based on my experience it usually come quite close to what's written in the book. And the maps, they're the best part of this book. They're usually even better than the ones you can get from tourist information center, no kidding. Small caution, when you use the list of hotels/ryokan from this book, they're not usually the best bet. It's better to check with the local tourist information window when looking for an accomodation. This book will get you started, and it's a must have if you plan to travel around Japan or even, like I do, spend a small part of your life in Japan.
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Summary: frustrating!
Review: I found this book extremely frustrating to use. I'm sure the restaurants they talk about are great... if you can find them. I found the maps and directions extremely confusing. In some of the descriptions of how to get places, they say that the places are hard to find and that you should ask someone for directions. Well, that is why I got the guidebook - so it would tell me how to get there. The descriptions of the major tourist attractions in Kyoto and whatnot are fine... but those are big cities - not exactly off the beaten track so there are plenty of places to find that info. I live in rural Japan (Toyama-ken) and the information on this region is not comprehensive and some of it is inaccurate regarding the Gokayama region.
I was not impressed with this book yet it was the only book I saw tourists carrying when I was recently in Kyoto. I think there is definitely a need for a well-written book on Japan, but I'm not sure that this is it.
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