Rating: 
Summary: Japan captured in 2 weeks - Thanks to the LonelyPlanet Japan
Review: This was my first experience with the Lonely Planet series. It was great! Accurate, interesting, easy reading and invaluable. I was traveling with my two sons and the historical information enriched our visits and the detail allowed me to get some background that my son who had been there 3 years assumed I knew. We were able to get information on the smaller towns where my son was familiar. I am now buying Lonely Planet LA for an upcoming vacation, Lonely Planet New York, for my son who is going to college in New York and Lonely Planet DC so I can repay all the kindess that we received when our new found Japanese friends come to visit us in Maryland.
Rating: 
Summary: Not so good
Review: Though I think that Lonely Planet does lovely travel guides for many places (in particular, I like their Thailand guide), they dropped the ball for the book on Japan. Their information was average, and overly disparaging of some places. Details were sorely lacking for the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku, which are truly off the beaten path for most visitors to Japan and have many interesting sites/activities. The maps were also very poor, as well as the directions on how to get to places. Quite a few of us who were in Japan at the same time agreed that the Lonely Planet guide was definitely NOT the best for finding those hidden gems that Japan has within its shores. If you want a completely average and traditional tour of Japan, the Silver temple and Gold temple in Kyoto, the mania of Tokyo, and the Big Buddha in Nara, Lonely Planet suffices. But if you want any insight at all into anything off the main path, I would advise you to look elsewhere.
Rating: 
Summary: Lonely Planet Covers Japan
Review: Visitors to Japan often find that they've strayed into a land of startling opposites, a land where suburban sprawl gives way to the sensuous contours of a temple roof, where rustic red-lantern restaurants nestle in the shadow of the high-rise future. Lonely Planet's Japan is the ideal companion for exploring the intriguing culture and sights of classical and contemporary Japan.Nuts & Bolts: • over 170 detailed maps with keys in English and Japanese script • complete coverage of Japan's religious monuments, feudal castles, imperial villas and cultural treasures • full details on outdoor activities - hike, cycle or soak in a hot-spring spa • insights into local history and culture, including tips on regional dishes, handicrafts and festivals • latest details of places to stay, eat and to be entertained for all budgets
Rating:
Summary: Better guides available
Review: When I traveled in Japan with a friend, this was the book we brought with us. Within a week we were at a foriegn language bookstore in Tokyo looking for a better one. There are some things this guide does quite well -- it helped us out finding reasonably priced places to stay throughout the country, and the advice to get a JR pass was invaluable.
However, the book has a very negative, immature view of Japan as a country and travel in general. It seems to be written by bitter expatriates with a fascination with gaijin bars and the sex trade. Did I pay $1200 for plane tickets to go drink with Americans? The authors express a bias against culturally interesting sites, ancient and modern, that borders on the anti-intellectual. The cultural notes are dated, inaccurate, and shallow. After a while, we began to think, "If Lonely Planet doesn't recommend it, it's probably interesting." The maps, as many have mentioned, are almost useless. Ironically for a series which fetishizes getting off the beaten path, it's practically useless once you get out of the main tourist areas.
There are much better guides available. This entry has sworn me off the LP series for life.
Rating: 
Summary: Reader beware.
Review: While Lonely Planet produces many fine travel books, this one is disturbing and rather invidious. I get the distinct impression that the authors do not like or respect Japanese culture and some of the statements made are frankly, quite racist. For example- "Foreign travellers should be warned that medical services in Japan may not be on par with those of other developed nations." "Condoms are widely available in Japan, but generally only locally produced varieties, which tend to be on the small side." "Ainu traditions are re-enacted by sometimes listless performers and these tourist circuses can be pretty depressing- they are often combined with caged bears in a debased imitation of the Ainu's sacred Iyomante (Bear Festival)." While a few subtle implications are excusable, the entire book is rife with them. Despite these flaws, the book does give a good overview of places to stay and visit.
Rating:
Summary: A little Confusing and Disorganized
Review: While planning my trip to JApan I purchased this. It helped me alot. But, It took me a very long time to read through it. Alot of things are just packed on to one page and the format they use for one city is often different from the format on another city. Despite that I think this book is very wonderful and helped me a ton.
Rating:
Summary: A little Confusing and Disorganized
Review: While planning my trip to JApan I purchased this. It helped me alot. But, It took me a very long time to read through it. Alot of things are just packed on to one page and the format they use for one city is often different from the format on another city. Despite that I think this book is very wonderful and helped me a ton.
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