2 comments about Tokyo (EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE).

1. I really like the DK travel guides. But, right away I was taken aback at the cover photo. The COVER PHOTO! The central building in the shot of Shibuya crossing hasn't been in existence for nearly a decade. Does this 2008 book promise to be up to date? No. I spent twenty minutes flipping through it and noticed some errors. On Map1, page 184, they show Hotel Sunroute Akasaka as being a little south west of Shinjuku Station. Pity those who seek to find that hotel at this spot. Actually, it is Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku Hotel that is here. On page 10 Tokyo Dome is referred to as an amusement park. It is not. It is a sports stadium. Next to Tokyo Dome is, indeed, an amusement park but it is called Korakuen. How much time are families going to waste finding that amusement park while looking for or asking directions to Tokyo Dome?
   
   Every time I pick up this book I find more egregious errors. I just noticed that the map on pages 86-87 has Mitaka in the mountains to the west of Hachioji. It is not. Mitaka is to the east of Hachioji about 20 some minutes via the Chuo Line or 23.3km.
   
   Yesterday I noticed that DK has written on page 60 that "Kinokuniya Bookstore has one of Tokyo's best selections of foreign books." It does, but not the Kinokuniya store the arrow is pointing to. That extensive foreign book section was moved to another, newer Kinokuniya more than a decade ago. It is referred to by the Kinokuniya company as the Shinjuku South Store. The arrow is pointing at the Shinjuku Main Store. In the Directory on page 145 we are led to find it on Map1, B1 but there is no Kinokuniya listed anywhere there. The Kinokuniya, which is most useful to non-Japanese readers of this book, or, at least one floor of it, should be shown to the south of Takashimaya below Tokyu Hands but there is no Tokyu Hands listed there either, let alone the bookstore in question.
   
   So, please buy this book if you think you might enjoy armchair travel to Tokyo, or if you enjoy looking at pretty pictures. But don't bring this book to Tokyo thinking it will help you out. Just when you least expect it, or when you need it the most, the faulty fact checking and negligent editing may very well stab you in the back with its inaccuracies.



2. I used this guide for a 2 day trip to Tokyo. I found that the city is a collection of different areas, each with its own vibe and things to do. The book does a good job of telling you what those differences are. As with other Eyewitness guides, it has an excellent set of pictures, some drawings and some photos, with annotations to help you understand them. The guide for restaurants was limited, but excellent. We used it to find a terrific sushi restaurant in Shibuya--Sushi Ouichi. I kept this book for my next trip. The maps were somewhat helpful. However, Tokyo is a maze of small streets. You'll need a much better map to find something off the main streets, and even then it will be challenge. The map for the sushi restaurant showed it on the right street but the wrong block.

5 comments about A Year in Japan.

1. As a child, I always had the fantasy of digging a hole all the way through to the other side of the world and taking a peek at life there. This book allows me to relive this fantasy. It is truly a gem and a breath of fresh air. As a kind of picture book for adults, it is filled with wonderful illustrations and interesting tidbits on life in Japan. It is a very relaxing book and a pure joy to read. Even though this book can be read in one sitting, I felt like I had traveled to Japan and back. Williamson does an outstanding job in presenting Japanese life, traditions, and culture.



2. Even before looking inside A Year in Japan, the fold-out back and front covers are wonders to behold. They contain smaller versions of the colourful interior illustrations and list topics that could be prompts for poems: Plum Blossoms, Signature Songs, Elegant Taxis, Electric Rugs, Indigo Fireflies, Lunch with a Geisha.
   
   Kate T. Williamson designed and illustrated her book as well as wrote a journal of her year in Kyoto, Japan. She was enamoured with Japanese customs and objects (like apples in foam cozies and mangos impaled on chopsticks to make less-sticky eating) and created a book to celebrate them.
   
   Williamson, who lives in New York City, studied filmmaking at Harvard University. Her love of travel and interest in sock design, along with a postgraduate fellowship, took her to Kyoto. For a year, she filled journals with her thoughts and sketches.
   
   While reading of Williamson's discoveries during her year of noticing, I was reminded of Natalie Goldberg who has also written of her travels to Japan to explore the land of her Zen teacher. But mostly I'm reminded of Goldberg because of the attention paid to the celebration and naming of everyday things. As Goldberg says, naming something "wakes you up to it". Both writers illustrate their work and I find pure delight in Goldberg's naive drawings, accompanying her poetry, just as I enjoyed Williamson's drawings and watercolours.
   
   As for the names, Williamson gives the names of the ordinary things in Japanese as well as English. Green tea is matcha, used in tea ceremonies. To sweeten the matcha one eats a piece of wagashi, of molded sugar or bean paste. The illustration is a cup of green on a stark white page as if the artist has just drawn it and presented it to the reader.
   
   Among Williamson's drawings are four pages of socks. She believes the popularity of sock stores and the proliferation of sock designs is partially due to the custom of removing one's shoes upon entering a home. She also studied shiborizome, a traditional textile art using sewing and indigo-dyeing. One of the first things Williamson noticed when she left the train station in Kyoto, was a display of washcloths in plaids and polka dots, "orange and turquoise, red and magenta, lime and navy". Women carry them in their purses for drying their hands in public washrooms. Of course Williamson drew them too.
   
   Rather than a chronological travelogue about her encounters and places visited, Williamson has written light-hearted and whimsical descriptions to remember Japanese customs, old and new. One of the old customs is "moon-viewing." Many old "residences have special platforms or rooms where nobles would gather to write moon-related verse as they gazed at the sky or into the moon's reflection in a nearby pond". There are sweets made especially for moon-viewing called tsukimi dango.
   
   Among Williamson's watercolour illustrations are those of Kyoto's flowers and plant life. Some of the coloured drawings take up a two-page spread such as the hydrangea (ajisai) and cherry blossoms (sakura). Cherry blossoms last for only a week and their fleeting beauty and impermanence is a reminder to be aware and present. I am reminded of Basho's haiku about the cherry blossom as a threshold between our inner and outer worlds.
   
   As in a journal, there are no page numbers. The type is even in script so that it is like a traveller's journal full of memories--but so very much neater! Williamson took such pleasure in how much thought goes into appearances and actions in Japan so that "details of beauty and nuances of word and deed are both expected and appreciated".
   
   Whether you can visit Japan or not, the book is a reminder and tribute to all things Japanese. It's also a reminder to appreciate what is unique and precious about what's in front of us. You could call it an appreciation practice.
   
   by Mary Ann Moore
   for Story Circle Book Reviews
   www.storycirclebookreviewsorg
   reviewing books by, for, and about women



3. A book full of fun and humor by Kate T. Willamson is just the thing I needed to relax this past week. With colorful images and interesting observations she brings a small piece of Japan for the readers to enjoy. Socks, blossoms, food and people are all subjects of interest to the author as she traveled about Japan for a year. Just have to wonder about her footwear fetish.



4. This is such a lovely book, with each page a gift of grace and beauty and humor as it seems to capture through its aesthetic, the sensibilities, colors and tone of Japan and the Japanese people. I have not yet had the opportunity to travel to this rich and fascinating country, but Kate Williamson's book is a delicious enticement to make it happen.



5. This is an even more beautiful book than I thought it would be. As with all illustrated books, how much you like it will depend on how much you like the illustrator's style. Luckily, I love Kate T. Williamson's style, rendered simply with black outlines and bright colours. I lived in Tokyo for three years and felt that she captured much of what is memorable and visually interesting about Japan - that I would've liked to capture myself if I could draw...

2 comments about Japan by Rail, 2nd: includes rail route guide and 29 city guides (Japan by Rail).

1. After reading all of the praise this book heaps on the Japan Rail Pass, I was very excited about purchasing one and doing some sightseeing before I begin my teaching job in Japan... Until I got to page 12 and read, "This pass cannot be used by anybody arriving in Japan for employment". The cost of rail travel without it is much too expensive. I'll probably leave this book at home.



2. I browsed through this guidebook in the bookstore before I bought it and was really impressed with how it covered almost all areas of Japan, provided ample maps and photographs, and had lots of practical detail information, like on lodgings, cheap meals, and unique attractions. Once I bought the book and started reading/researching for my trip, I was even more pleased with it as I thought it was written in a casual and practical style, giving ample hints and pointers to the best of the best and more than a few offbeat and unusual things to see in Japan. I bought my Japan Rail Pass and airline ticket and with this guidebook in hand, I had the most fun, interesting, relaxing, remarkable and indeed amazing trip of my life through the magical land of Japan. In every city (at every rail stop) I consulted this book and felt fortunate to have experienced some of the wondrous not-to-be-missed sites and attractions thanks to this book. It was an excellent resource, and I highly recommend it.
   
   If I had to mention any minor criticisms of the book, I'd just have to mention that the author's tastes/preferences in food differ a bit from mine, and I found some of his restaurant recommendations questionable. But that's a personal choice matter. Of course, his general recommendation to look for good eats near railway stations and in the basements of large department stores was absolutely true, and I found lots of great, delicious foods that I liked. Also, a large section of the book is devoted to railroad timetables and itineraries, and though it might be very useful to some people, I had a very enjoyable time being a more casual and free form traveler, just choosing whether to step onto a train or not on a whim. I personally found this section unnecessary. He mentions that there are 3 types of Shinkansen ("bullet trains"), the Kodoma, the Hikari and the Nozomi, but he doesn't really explain the difference between the trains. The Kodoma (meaning echo) is the slowest of the Shinkansen, stopping at every train station, hence represented by the "speed of sound". The Hikari (meaning shining light flash) is the intermediate speed Shinkansen that makes only limited stops in the biggest cities, hence represented by the "speed of light". The Nozomi (meaning hope) is the fastest of the Shinkansen and tend to go non-stop from one major destination to another i.e. Osaka to Tokyo, hence are represented by the "speed of thought". Finally, I had two particularly thrilling and entertaining special events on my trip. I attended a pro baseball game, and I witnessed the Hamamatsu Kite Festival. Though both are briefly mentioned in this book, the author does not convey how exciting, energetic, and moving these experiences are when witnessed firsthand. I've never seen anything like it! Japanese baseball fans are insane (yelling, singing, banging sticks for the whole game)! I thought perhaps because the author is a Brit that baseball was not really an interest. The Kite Festival was just beyond words (like a half million yelling, bugle blowing, drum beating Japanese in traditional costume flying giant kites in 60 man teams on this giant sand dune park, with a double row a quarter mile long of food, game, souvenir, and beer stands). And that's just the beginning of the revelry. It was truly interesting to see the Japanese people losing all their inhibitions and just going jubilantly wild at these events. All I'm saying is that the author should better emphasize that these Festivals and games are truly amazing in Japan.

5 comments about Exploring Kyoto: On Foot in the Ancient Capital.

1. The author does not try and hide her distaste for the modern aspects of Japanese cities, her focus is on the historical background of the sights and the tone of her writing is dry and almost textbook. If you are the type of person who reads all of the written information available on the plaques in museums and you love to learn about the history of the places you visit you will enjoy reading this book. The information has much more depth than what you will find in a typical tour book but not all of the major sights are covered.

   My problem with 'Exploring Kyoto' is that it is tries to be a collection of walking tours that you would carry and use as a guide but it does not work well in that way. For one the book is cumbersome and not organised in a way that is easy to follow on the fly. The maps are poor and the descriptions of the routes are not always clear. Sometimes it is not even clear where you need to start the walk. The text is more suitable to reading in a comfortable location before or after you head out.

   On the positive side, I had a really great time exploring the western outskirts of Kyoto with this book, and it gave me a look at the Goin district that was richer than I found elsewhere. It covers some of the 'must see' sights of Kyoto but I found its' strength to be in the lesser known sights in the outskirts of the city. If you plan to be in Kyoto only a couple of days this book may be unnecessary, there is a free pamphlet available at the tourist office called 'Kyoto Walks' that covers the main sights. If you will be in Kyoto a week or longer and want to visit some lesser known, historically fascinating sights, 'Exploring Kyoto' may be of value to you.




2. We purchased several guide books in planning our trip to Kyoto. This book was referred to far more than the others.

   If you enjoy exploring on your own and blazing your own, private path, I have not found a book that compares. Its detailed maps, descriptions and histories made our trip a joy. It's not full of information about restaurants and shopping, but the regular guides have plenty of that. As a walking guide or as a fun, insightful history of the city's sights and neighborhoods, it excels. It is also a fun read. We couldn't see all we wanted to in the days we were there, but we eventually get back to Japan, this book will be packed!




3. Exploring Kyoto is a wonderful guide for the independent traveler to Kyoto. Thanks to Judith Clancy's careful research, I have found places in Kyoto which I never knew existed and explored them in depth. Last month I spent two days in Ohara, a mountain village on the outskirts of the city, using the book as a guide. No other guidebooks in English cover this area but armed with the book, I wandered about finding temples that even Japanese ignored. I have done the same in Fushimi, a sake-brewing area to the south of Kyoto and at Nanzenji, one of the loveliest temples in the city.
   If you are adventurous and want to travel on your own, I urge you to purchase this book before you leave and plan your Kyoto visit to include at least one of her fascinating walks.



4. I found this book to be perfect,in every aspect, as a traveling companion for a trip to Kyoto. This book tells you in great detail about things that are off the beaten path and very much a part of kyoto's culture.
   I would highly recommend this book!



5. Old-fashioned stuff is nice, but why spend all of your time looking at history? For fun, go shop at JR Isetan in Kyoto Station, visit The Cube (it's a mall), Go eat at Neutron and see their cool art gallery, and if you're a modern girl/guy, go shop at Moohoop and Ciaopanic. Those stores are awesome, the Japanese equivalent to Urban Outfitters.
   
   This book is good for the historically-minded traveller.

5 comments about Frommer's Japan (Frommer's Complete).

1. I have used Frommer's books for many years as travel guides and they are always very helpful.



2. I bought this book because we were traveling to Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. I wish the Kyoto section had more detail, which is why I wish I would have purchased a city specific Tokyo and Kyoto guides separately. Books can get bulky on a trip, but I feel as if I missed a lot buying a Japan only book.



3. I had high hopes for this guide given Frommer's reputation for quality guidebooks that are slightly more upmarket than Lonely Planet. But, the paper quality is like cheap paperbacks in checkout aisles, there are no illustations/photographs, and the writers insert too much of their personality and preferences in the writing (at times the guide reads like a feminist critique of Japan). And there are few maps, which were difficult to read (colors would have been nice).



4. This is a great guide book. I used it on my very first trip to Japan and it really helped me experience a lot of things that I would have never been able to find or know about on my own. I traveled with a friend that is Japanese and there were things in this book that they didn't even know about. The maps of the cities are also accurate, which is a big help. My other travel partner had another book from a different publisher and it only listed pictures and locations about things to do. It didn't have maps or directions. I think that is what puts this product ahead of the others.



5. It is difficult to get really good uptodate travel books about countries in the far east. This book is good but not excellant. Just too many changes taking place especailly in countries like Japan. We found we could rely on information and data about historical landmarks and areas. Hotel and restaurant iformation changes so quickly you may be better off going to the internet.

1 comments about Tokyo Disney Made Easy: The Unofficial Guide to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.

1. I'm a diehard Disney fan, so visiting the two Japanese Disney theme parks (especially Tokyo Disney Sea) is high on my list of priorities. However, the thought of traveling to Asia is very intimidating to me. I studied Italian in high school, and as a result, I can get by in most European countries, and I had no problems when I visited Disneyland Paris (then Eurodisneyland) years ago. But Japan is a different story. I have no basis at all for reading or understanding anything in Japanese. Furthermore, in most ways, Japanese culture is more different from my own than Western European cultures are. So if I were to visit the Tokyo Disney parks, how would I even get from the airport to the hotel? How do park tickets work? Where would I stay? To my delight, this book answers all those questions and many more. This would not be a good resource (or, at least, the *only* resource) for someone who wanted to tour all over Japan. The information it contains is very targeted, but fortunately, it was exactly the information I've been looking for. It explains in great detail exactly how someone not familiar with Japanese language and customs can enjoy Tokyo Disneyland with minimal stress and uncertainty. As a bonus, it also tells you how to make informed decisions on how you spend your money and how you can avoid embarassing oneself or unintentionally appearing rude. So if you want to visit Tokyo Disneyland and don't know where to start, I don't think there's a better resource than this book. I recommend it highly.

3 comments about Michelin Guide 2008 Tokyo: Restaurants & Hotels (Michelin Guide Tokyo).

1. The Michelin guides first edition of the central Tokyo area introduces Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, French, Italien kitchen and 2 Steakhouses.
   
   Generally speaking for a first edition it attempts to make a decent choice of restaurants and its culture mixes.
   
   The excellent descriptions and carefully chosen words make for an inviting impression and an enjoyable read. The books format should fit in most bags but is slightly to big for your pockets.
   
   Most resturants lunch prices start at $25 but you will be surprised to find some gems for less within central Tokyo.
   
   Michelin guides are known for its quality of the chosen restaurants and in this regard the guide doesnt fall short.
   
   I really want to give the guide 5 stars but that would spoil the fun for a second edition. ;-)
   As a "local" living in Tokyo I would wish for more "features" in the second edition.
   
   - Japan has a wide variety of "local" kitchens, Okinawa, Saporro etc.
   rather than introducing non asian kitchens I believe more local variety should be present in the guide
   - Can we add categories for vegetarians, vegans, organic food, soya based food, health conscius cooking etc.
   - I was surprised to see only one Tofu based restaurant. I would expect more restaurants and definitely an introduction to Yuba, fried tofu based products etc.
   - Please write next to the photos what it is and which course or menu it belonged to
   - How about a list of top 20 restaurants which "tourists" usually dont find themselves.
   - Why not adding at the end a list of popular local drinks (beer, ricewine, etc) ?
   
   
   Summary:
   
   Let my comments not fool you, the Michelin guide historically introduces good places where to go and is worth its money.
   
   Keep in mind that almost non of the introduced places are where the locals go regularly for the everyday lunch. So you should be able to expect "a bit more" when going to any of the introduced places, after all thats what you pay for ;-)



2. Michelin guides are usually quite excellent. This one does not disappoint, with its helpful classifications by star, cuisine, neighborhood, as well as easy-to-read maps of an otherwise maze-like Tokyo, and last but not least, it's surprisingly good bind quality and affordable price.
   
   Normally, I appreciate being able to browse through the hundreds of choices from 1-3 stars, "Bib Gourmand" (value picks), and "Knife & Fork only" (no-star) picks. That gives me the option of mixing in a few star-based restaurants with a handful of more practical choices for my budget.
   
   However!! ...that's where this 2008 Tokyo guide throws me off a bit... In this first edition, all 150 restaurants have stars, which, admittedly, is something to be celebrated -- but instead of having 400+ non-star/value choices to complement the star-rated restaurants, you have, er... none!
   
   This isn't a deal-breaker, but is something one should be very aware of if you're like me and mostly looking for the value picks. Those of you with deeper wallets are unaffected.
   
   Some super-traditional, omakase-only (chef's selection) Japanese restaurants, including some listed, supposedly (according to magazine interviews and TV shows) do not take reservations in English, nor will they serve non-Japanese speaking tourists without a translator -- I found it interesting that the book made no mention of that. Just to clarify (not justify), the restaurant's reasoning is not based on racism, but that they feel they can't take that much money and claim to serve your needs if they cannot communicate with you and understand your wants.
   
   In any event, I'm sure Michelin will be looking to add more non-star/value restaurants in their second edition, at which point, this will be a solid 5-star pick for someone looking for an assortment of great places to dine/stay in Tokyo.



3. If you want to eat well in Japan and don't have much knowledge about where to go, this guide provides a very useful starting point. While my assessments of the food quality didn't agree with some of those in the Guide, the descriptions of the restaurants and the little location maps were spot-on. [...] I recommend this for the foodie tourist.

5 comments about Japanese: Lonely Planet Phrasebook.

1. I bought this on my first flight back from Japan after taking my first semester in Japanese. I thought that it supplied a ton of useful auxillary vocabulary to run with at the level of grammar I was capable of using. The book also has many slight mistakes, even I, a first year student, was able to pick out. It's got a few cute but dumb, potentially racist but we'll say ignorant drawings included. But so few that it cues one in as to how cheaply produced this probably was. I give it three stars though because I learned it forward and backward and broke it out numerous times to meet my needs in bars and train stations (never in restaurants for some reasons). And, to get me comic leverage in many conversations where I was not privy to the Japanese side of the chatter.



2. I found this very easy to understand, as did my husband who had no prior knowledge of the Japanese language. I read it many times before our trip, in order to remember important basic words.
   We referred to it many times during our trip, and it was very usefull. I would suggest everyone purchase it.
   Its small size is also great, easy to put in a pocket, backpack or handbag.



3. I feel this book is not only usefull for comunication with other people during my travel but also very well prepare to be user friendly. It was exellent in my trip to Japan have it with me.



4. Just like I said. The first part of this phrasebook helps you understand grammar, small phrases, and many words, but after that it just tells you a lot of the things like sentences and more questions and answers.
   
   I recommend this if you are travelling, but if you are just trying to learn the language, I would not recommend it because it's hard to remember all of the questions, answers, and phrases it contains from about the 1/4 to the end of the book.
   
   But it was really good in explaining grammar, pronouns, and many other things. So buy it if you want.



5. This book was invaluable to us in Japan. The size made it easy to carry around and it had all of the basic words and phrases that we needed to communicate. (We did supplement with a English-Japanese dictionary for some words, so that's why I've given it 4 stars instead of 5.)
   
   The English was spelled out to make it easier to pronounce the Japanese words. In cases when I butchered the pronounciation and was not understood, I could show the book to someone who would read the Kanji symbols to see what I was trying to say.
   
   The book was organized in a way that made it easy to find the phrase you were looking for. I bookmarked frequently used pages so I could access them even quicker. This was definitely a great reference for traveling to Japan.

5 comments about Old Kyoto: The Updated Guide to Traditional Shops, Restaurants, and Inns.

1. If you are visiting Kyoto for a few days or more, you need to purchase this book. The author tells you all of the amazing shops to go to that have real history and standing in Kyoto. When visiting these shops, I felt like I stepped into a piece of history. It isn't the only book you will need in Kyoto - I would also get The Rough Guide to Japan and use the Kyoto section or just another travel book on Kyoto that will provide info on temples and shrines. You can also just go to the visitors center at Kyoto station and get maps there. Bottom line: The old stores of Kyoto are slowly being replaced by new construction, so when visiting Kyoto makes sure to bring this book to see more than just temples and shrines !!



2. Great to have a guide that is focused specifically to Old Kyoto. It offers information beyond that of other travel guides and is perfect if you are interested in finding special places that may otherwise be missed. The author's personal knowledge and experiences there add to the quality of the book.



3. At first when I received this book, I was bummed that there were no colored pictures, but after I started reading it, I could not put it down. I really felt like the author was giving me a private tour of the shops, restaurants and inns featured in this book. I also bought Kyoto Seven Paths to the Heart of the City, which has beautiful and artistic photographs. I would recommend getting both books, one for the detailed information and one for the visual gratification of Kyoto. This book will go to Japan with us on our trip.



4. The book itself is exquisite, from its cover to its size, its binding, and pages. The text is well-written, witty, and quaint.
   
   The recommendations for accommodations are out-of-this-world beautiful!
   However, to our utter dismay, we could not even come close to affording the least expensive option - I am talking about hotel rooms which cost $500 and above per night. Granted, there were a few for $200 and above a night, but still....
   
   I recommend this book for someone (lucky) who wants the time of their life in the most astonishing of places to live and eat; without strings attached to money.
   
   For those of you out there who are middle class, just forget about getting this guide. It's a big tease.



5. This is a lovely book. The author lived in Kyoto for many years before moving back to the US. It has a listing of all the nice little shops and restaurants that you want to go to. These are (fortunately) not in most of the tourist guides. Note that this book does not include tourist attractions, so get something else for that.

5 comments about Time Out Guide to Tokyo, 5th Edition.

1. I did a fair amount of research before deciding to purchase this particular guidebook for my week-long trip to Tokyo. I read much of it on the plane ride over, which is when began to see some of its weaknesses. The book could have stood better editing, for one thing. On p. 11, for instance, a passage reads, "Emperors became largely figureheads, manipulated by a series of powerful regents from the dominant Fujiwara family. The invention of the kana syllabary, " etc., and then immediately following "The emperors were largely figureheads, manipulated..."!
   
   The writing, in general, though, is engaging, even if it very much underplays the intrinsic interest of so many sites in Tokyo. As an example, at the Meiji Shrine, "the treasure house...isn't that interesting." About the Meiji Jingu Gyoen garden at the same shrine, "It's neither large nor especially beautiful...." Now that might be just the frank information that a tourist wants, except that it seems to be the general attitude the book holds towards so many sites that I thought were more interesting than my "guide" suggested. I felt that I was traveling with a cranky aunt.
   
   Also, as another reviewer suggested, directions to attractions from subway stops are not always very helpful. Try, for instance, to find the Godzilla statue on the sole basis of the directions the guidebook gives. At least in that case, its lack of clarity gave me an opportunity for an amusing interaction with a shop clerk.
   
   For my part, I didn't like having to flip back and forth from the sections on sightseeing to the separate sections addressing food and lodging. When I am touring around, I like to be able to relate the locations of the good restaurants to the places I am visiting. This isn't easily done with this guidebook.
   
   My criticisms aside, I took this relatively slim volume everywhere with me. The maps aren't terrific, but they they were helpful. The schematics for the rail and subway system were indispensable. The historical context the book provides is concise and illuminating. The resources section at the back could stand some expansion on topics such as buying international phone cards.
   
   This is a good resource for a short trip. It's just that it could have been a better resource.



2. I was on a business trip for the first time to Tokyo and stayed over the weekend to do some sightseeing. Since I only had limited time I found the "Don't Miss Sights" section very useful, did most of what the guide had recommended and was very satisfy with their recommendations.
   
   I found the guide in general very informative on what to do, but don't rely on it to get you there. The major attractions are fairly easy to find but if you are looking for a specific restaurant, bar, club, etc., the map doesn't provide you with enough street detail and the addresses are only in English. My recommendation is to get a map in both Japanese and English to get you around.
   
   Train and Subway are the best way to get around, but the stations can be quite overwhelming. Again, the guide only provides station maps in English. You can purchase a pre-paid card in 1000yen, 5000yen and 10000yen for travel on the subway lines so you don't have to try to figure out how much to pay for each trip (most are between 160yen to 190yen). For JR lines, you will also need to purchase a separate pre-paid card at the station ticket offices. I heard from locals that there will be a common pay-as-you-go card (like Suica) you can purchase for both JR and subway by summer 2007.
   
   I ignored the sarcastic comments from the author since I did not buy the guide to get insight on Japanese culture. But it does make for some interesting reading on the subway/train.



3. Just got back from a trip to Tokyo and this book was great. I bought the Rough Guide to Japan as well as this book, and I was glad to have this book while in Tokyo. It provided tons of info and lots and lots of pictures...I like to have pictures when I travel, it helps me make quick decisions about what I want to see and when.



4. If you are looking for a very comprehensive guidebook on Tokyo, you won't get anything better than Time Out Tokyo. The Time Out guidebooks are almost always very complete with a wide range of activities, restaurant, and recommendations. There is also cultural information in there to help you get a little more acquainted with the cultural differences of the country you are visiting. No matter wat your purpose is for the trip, Time Out Tokyo is definitely a good buy.



5. Time Out has done it again. This is a great city guide, full of useful information. Easy to follow and
   a joy to look at. We are looking forward to taking it with us to Japan. I must say that everything
   that Time Out does is excellent, and I thoroughly recommend their publications to everyone.