Rating: 
Summary: Fabulous, worth every second spent reading
Review: I have been pulled in by the mystery and intrigue of Japan. As a student of Japanese and Japan, this book was invaluble to me. I picked it up at a local store on a hunch that it might have some good stories, little did I know this book would vastly improve my knowledge of the country, the people, and instead of something quintessentially Japan, something quintessentially human. This book represented numerous authors, all who had wonderful stories which were a joy to read. I found myself running through a gamut of emotions reading each one. It is quite easily the finest collection of stories I have read. I'm starting on my second time through now. I hope you find it as enchanting as I do.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous, worth every second spent reading
Review: I have been pulled in by the mystery and intrigue of Japan. As a student of Japanese and Japan, this book was invaluble to me. I picked it up at a local store on a hunch that it might have some good stories, little did I know this book would vastly improve my knowledge of the country, the people, and instead of something quintessentially Japan, something quintessentially human. This book represented numerous authors, all who had wonderful stories which were a joy to read. I found myself running through a gamut of emotions reading each one. It is quite easily the finest collection of stories I have read. I'm starting on my second time through now. I hope you find it as enchanting as I do.
Rating:
Summary: chaotic entropic empathic sporadic dharma bum extravaganza
Review: I lived in Japan. Wow. This book made me laugh as I remembered those images and feelings just out of reach of my hypothalamus. I would tear up with empathy as I felt those strange visions wash over me. This book takes its reader to an place not in Asia but inside the heart, touched by the floating world as a dream, a nightmare and comedy, a tragedy and a spiritual quest. Boy, do I sound sappy. Well, in a nut, it made me happy. Sigh.
Rating:
Summary: Like a a japanese meal
Review: Small portions, but so many courses.This book, consisting of lots of extracts from other peoples writing, serves as a good introduction to the nature of Japan. From the serious to lighthearted, most tales consist of people trying to understand, to reason and just plain survive in a foreign country that seems a little familiar yet very foreign. Stories from groups that consider cleaning toilets a ritual to stolen bikes and strange food. Each tale is a few pages long. Sometimes either a whole magazine article or chapter from a book, but complete in itself. One feature I liked was small boxed inserts on some pages from another writer which complimented or highlighted the story you were reading. At the end of each tale is an extra excerpt from someone else's story on the same topic. There's a little bit here for everyone.
Rating: 
Summary: informative but fun to read
Review: The concept for this travelling book is different from the others. Rather than providing readers with hard facts, it condenses essays written by travellers who have been to Japan to give the readers a feel of the country. To be truthful, I enjoy this format thoroughly as there's a human dimension to it. Some essays are compiled by Alan Booth, who is rather well known for his works about Japan & who has since passed away due to cancer but his legacy remains. Anyhow, some of the highlights of the book are writers' experiences in the love hotel & thus, collecting many green hair elastic band along the way; feelling like a Godzilla for crushing into everything due to the space constraint in Japan & the difficulty of adjusting to Japanese custom; skiing & playing beach volleyball INDOOR; visiting to the renowned Ryoanji Temple; disturbing visit to the Peace Park in Hiroshima; groping & fondling problem in the subway & thus, destroying the myth of all Japanese males being gentlemen; significance of cherry blossoms during spring time; a new but boring visit to the Noh theatre for the undiscerning & not to mention the sumo wrestling; the chaotic but harmonious existence among the fishmongers in Tskuji, the biggest fish market in the world; Osaka for having the rebellious spirit, dare to be different from the rest of Japan etc. Because the writers write as they see Japan, not all articles are for Japan but rather, the other Japan that you haven't seen before. I thoroughly enjoy the experience of reading the book as if I were there already. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: informative but fun to read
Review: The concept for this travelling book is different from the others. Rather than providing readers with hard facts, it condenses essays written by travellers who have been to Japan to give the readers a feel of the country. To be truthful, I enjoy this format thoroughly as there's a human dimension to it. Some essays are compiled by Alan Booth, who is rather well known for his works about Japan & who has since passed away due to cancer but his legacy remains. Anyhow, some of the highlights of the book are writers' experiences in the love hotel & thus, collecting many green hair elastic band along the way; feelling like a Godzilla for crushing into everything due to the space constraint in Japan & the difficulty of adjusting to Japanese custom; skiing & playing beach volleyball INDOOR; visiting to the renowned Ryoanji Temple; disturbing visit to the Peace Park in Hiroshima; groping & fondling problem in the subway & thus, destroying the myth of all Japanese males being gentlemen; significance of cherry blossoms during spring time; a new but boring visit to the Noh theatre for the undiscerning & not to mention the sumo wrestling; the chaotic but harmonious existence among the fishmongers in Tskuji, the biggest fish market in the world; Osaka for having the rebellious spirit, dare to be different from the rest of Japan etc. Because the writers write as they see Japan, not all articles are for Japan but rather, the other Japan that you haven't seen before. I thoroughly enjoy the experience of reading the book as if I were there already. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: i just wish all of the stories were new to me...
Review: This is a great book! Like all of the other Travelers' Tales Guides, it is well edited - filled with interesting, finely crafted stories by both well-known and newer writers. Keep in mind that if you've done a lot of reading on Japan (like me reading travel narratives on Japan in preparation for the JET program), you've probably already read some of the books that are excerpted in this book - Cathy Davidson's 36 Views of Mt. Fuji, Learning to Bow by Bruce Feiler, Pico Iyer's The Lady and the Monk... But overall, this is a great introduction to Japan and a nice selection of viewpoints for those of us who have already done some reading.
Rating:
Summary: To delve into the soul of Japan.
Review: This is a guidebook, the publisher asserts. Within its pages, you won't find recommendations for dining and accomodations in myriad cities like your usual Lonely Planet. What you hold, rather, is a collection of writings from various authors, ranging from the whimsical to the reflective, the amusing to the spiritual. Take for instance, Dave Berry's take on Kabuki, extracted from his book "Dave Berry Does Japan". He presents his own candid views on how the artform looks to the untrained western eye. The tradition of the onnagata (male actor playing the role of a female), is described much to my hilarity as "(John) Belushi playing the samurai whining transvestite". In contrast, are the writings of Lafcadio Hearn, whose zen like reflections betray his contemplative nature. The rest of the chapters examine topics as diverse as the indoor ski slopes in Japan, Tsukiji fish market, Sumo wrestling, and a Lesbian's night out. The latter is particularily telling, on how one can come out of the closet and yet remain repressed in preconceived gender roles that is, in essence, very Japanese. It is hoped, apparently, that the collective consciousness of the authors gives an invaluable insight into the psyche of this nation. Most of the chapters are excerpts from books on Japan by noted authors. The more well known being Pico Iyer, Nikos Kazantzakis, Alan Booth, Alex Kerr and Lafcadio Hearn. Having also read most of the cited references, I can vouch for the editor's ability to choose the excerpts which are both poignant and yet typify the author's style. Recommended for additional reading, not as a guide (as the publisher claims) to finding your way around.
Rating:
Summary: Capturing the essence of Japan
Review: What a great collection of stories, offering an insightful look at Japan and its people. The well-written stories come from a variety of authors, all of whom have very unique experiences to share. For anyone travelling to Japan, this book should rate as your most important resource; for the armchair traveller, this makes for a great read.
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