1. ISBN13: 9780307378798
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Review :

Gripping, amusing, ultimately horrifying look at Japan's underworld

Having lived and worked in Tokyo in the 80's and 90's, I found Jake Adelstein's detailed narrative about Japan's criminal underworld fascinating. Most of his book is written with wry humor and the no-holds barred approach of a young, street-wise, foreign reporter fluent in the local language, who can explain the nuances and details of Japanese culture. Ultimately it is a horrifying tale of criminal exploitation, human cruelty, horrific violence and human misery -- very unsettling. Japan and Japanese culture have so many positive and admirable aspects, but this well-written book paints a horrifying look at the underside.

Rating :

This book is not 352 pages long...

Tokyo Vice is one of my favorite novels of all time. Not just because of the content within the confines of the hardcover, but because of the support the author has put behind it. This story covers such a wide spectrum of Jake Adelstein's life that writing it seems to have become his lifestyle. Which makes this book never ending. Once you finish the novel it points you towards a website: <[...]>. I read about this website with great doubt, the only reason I went to it was to see the one post I would expect on a personal website attached to a recent novel: "Sorry I can't update that often, very busy doing a book tour, etc., etc." Instead I found multiple posts as long as chapters in the book describing recent events that have happened since the novel finished. Not only are the posts well written like the novel, but he comments back in full to each comment left on his posts! Or in my particular situation I left him my e-mail and he sent a personal e-mail to me providing contact information since I was curious about going to Japan in the near future.

I can not believe the support behind this novel and I may pick up an extra copy to have in pristine condition (I have a tendency to rough up my novels when I read them the first time.) This is a novel for a new age where people are always connected to the internet, Jake's Twitter also provides access to any book tours that he may be on or whether he is going to have a reading here in America or back in Tokyo.

Rating :

Reportage that dances with personal memoir

This is how great Twitter can be: when I was just 20 pages into Tokyo Vice, I posted this update:
"Jake Adelstein's TOKYO VICE makes me want to be yakuza"

He responded the next day with:
"@calebjross It's supposed to have the opposite effect. :)"

Considering that this exchange was completely unanticipated, I was quite surprised by the direct line of contact with the author. I anticipated the exchange ending there. But, then I finished the book, and I realized how insulting my first comment could have appeared. Tokyo Vice is such an amazing story, one that, though filed under "true crime" touches on memoir. Adelstein's position as a reporter with the unique opportunity to out certain immoral (to say the least) yakuza behavior, bleeds into his personal life in deeply affecting ways. As soon as I finished the book, I posted again on Twitter:
"@jakeadelstein I must apologize for my earlier statement of wanting to be yakuza. I just finished TOKYO VICE. Incredible story, sir."

And he came back with:
"@calebjross Apology accepted. :)"

Such a gentleman. Tokyo Vice goes highly recommended.


Rating :

Great book, it was a page turner!

I heard about Tokyo Vice from the Daily Show and another friend who read the book. I finally started reading it and couldn't put it down. Jake Adelstein is great story teller and his experiences in Japan were incredible. I didn't know anything about the yakuza before reading the book, I'm interested in finding out more now. I highly recommend this book!

Rating :

Exellent Read! Fascinating window on the darker side of aspects Japanese culture and the human condition.

When I started reading this book I had a very different expectation as to its content based on my perception of Japanese culture. This book opened a fascinating window on darker aspects of that culture I was only peripherally aware of. It is also an interesting tale of slow self corruption where the fall is not from on high. Rather a fall from a place of moral ambiguity at best to a place that is way dark and twisted. One wonders if there is any true recovery from such a place but hopes that there is.

I highly recommend this book as a fantastic (if dark) read and a real page turner.

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1. ISBN13: 9781843539193
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Review :

The Rough Guide to Japan provides invaluable advice on everything from getting there (including overland routes) to tracking down the latest and best places to sleep, eat, drink and shop. There is comprehensive coverage of all the major sights – and many off the beaten track - from the northern tip of Hokkaido down to the islands of Okinawa, closer to Taiwan than Tokyo. Full-colour sections introduce manga and anime, arguably Japan’s most successful cultural export, its rich variety of festivals and its stunning traditional gardens. All this is accompanied by in-depth coverage of Japan’s history, religions, arts, movies and music plus a discussion of environmental issues. There are maps of all the main towns and tourist destinations, together with separate colour maps of the Tokyo subway system and the rail network in Osaka.

Customer Review :

difficult to read

The print in the book is faint and small which makes it difficult to read. Otherwise, the information in the book is helpful.

Rating :

Excellent, detailed guide for Japan

I purchased the Rough Guide for Japan based on the reviews and was not disappointed. It offers detailed information on all aspects of travelling, including local transportation, air/train/sea/ground ticket purchase and travel, customs, rules and regulations, etc, as well as great information on sites and eating. We spent 9 days in Japan and used the Rough Guide's recommendations on restaurants for every meal and were only disappointed 1 time (and that was likely due to our speaking very little Japanese). The information provided on how to get around and sightseeing attractions is very good and very detailed. There are several pictures and overall, I found it to be the best travel guide I have ever used. So much so that I bought Rough Guides for my next two trips. I would say that for a complete guide that covers everything from the beginning of your trip and buying tickets and packing, to getting around, seeing the sights, eating and culture, books, movies and art in Japan, this is your book.

Rating :

Excellent guide overall, although with a few significant omissions

Just came back from a memorable 6-day stay in Kyoto, and also used the book for an earlier trip to Tokyo which is far less interesting. Like most Rough Guides (I own more than 30), this book is excellent overall, with detailed descriptions, background information, and clear maps (unlike Lonely Planet, whose maps are a pain to read). Thought it was almost perfect until I researched the excellent japan-guide.com and Kyoto's official web site and realized how many sites were missing from this book. Kyoto has 17 World Heritage Sites, but 6 of them are not mentioned at all. The most glaring omission is probably the beautiful Ninna-Ji, which can be easily visited after the famous Kinkaku-Ji and Ryoan-Ji, the latter only a 10-minute walk away. Ninna-Ji is historically the favorite temple of Japanese emperors and is famous for a dense grove of late-blossoming cherry trees, so it's a must see if you've just missed the peak sakura season. Also missing is Daigo-Ji, which is easily reached on the subway and can be combined with a visit to Uji. With over 1000 cherry trees, it's probably the best temple to view cherry blossoms in Kyoto and very popular with the Japanese. The four other World Heritage Sites missing are the two Kamo shrines, Kozan-Ji and Ujigami Shrine near the Byodo-in.

Also missing from the book is Kiyamachi Street in the heart of Kyoto, probably the most beautiful street in Kyoto, at least during the sakura season. It runs along a small canal which is lined with cherry trees and crossed with little bridges, prettier and less crowded than the famous Philosopher's Path, and it's only a 1-minute walk west of the Pontocho restaurant street. The book also neglects to mention that during the sakura season, many sites (including the Kiyomizu Temple and the Nijo Castle) are open at night, which is a great time to revisit the sites as the buildings and flowering trees are beautifully lit. The Maruyama Park and the neighboring Yasaka Jinja are also open at night during this time and together host a lively night market, with lots of Japanese having hanami parties under the blossoming cherry trees. The Hirano Jinja is yet another excellent flower-viewing location that's not mentioned.

Despite all these shortcomings, I still give this book 5 stars because it does provide excellent coverage overall and there's simply no better English guidebook available. I hope the authors will read my comments and make improvements in the next edition. For those who read Japanese or Chinese characters, there's a brilliant "Kyoto Walking Map & Note" which I found at a 7-11 and was indispensable during my trip.

Rating :

Don't Leave for Japan Without This Guide

I used this guide to plan our 2-week vacation in Japan. It provides useful historic information of locals that we were interested. What I found the most useful was the transportation guides to the locals. We never got lost. The hotel and dining info was a bit limited, but it was a good start. I highly recommend this book to people who are traveling to Japan. If you're doing a self-tour for more than a week, make sure that you get the JR Rail Pass before you head to Japan. I'll now get the rough guides for Australia and New Zealand.

Rating :

AN EXCELLENT SOURCE TO ACCOMPANY THE TRAVELER



This very handy guide may be called 'rough' but at 1056 pages it is not exactly lacking pages or information. It provides 'invaluable' advice on A-Z for an enjoyable stay in Japan. And organization is one of this volume's strongest points. Anyone encountering Japan for the first time, if unorganized, will be in for not only a cultural shock but a practical time one as well. And time is money, but in Japan loss of time means you might not get to see all that you want to see. A guide such as this, with preplanning can and will make all the difference leading to an effective visit.

Living in Japan during the years 1962 through 1964, I have come to rely on the best guides to keep me up to day with contemporary Japan. This guide will be a boon and reward to any who use it. I also rely on the Insight Guide from Discovery but believe this volume, The Rough Guide to Japan, to be equally useful to the traveler. Offering information on sleeping, eating, and shopping it also helps with maps of major towns together with color maps of the Tokyo subway system. As anyone knows whose been there, help getting around Tokyo is always welcome.

That much used phrase "don't leave home without it" might be applied here to this very useful guide. Plus from my initial stay at Kamiseya, the best view you might ever have of Mount Fujiyama (Mt. Fuji) may be the cover photo on this travel guide!

Semper Fi.

Rating :

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1. ISBN13: 9781741790429
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
4. Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Editorial Review :

Nobody knows Japan like Lonely Planet. With more maps and language content than any other guidebook, this 11th edition unveils the very best of shopping in Tokyo, skiing in the Japan Alps, soaking in idyllic onsen (hot springs), trekking to Kansai's feudal castles, slurping soba at Kyushu food stalls, and so much more.

Lonely Planet guides are written by experts who get to the heart of every destination they visit. This fully updated edition is packed with accurate, practical and honest advice, designed to give you the information you need to make the most of your trip.

In This Guide:

Architecture chapter leading you from ancient temples to modern towers
Reliable advice from resident and specialist authors - and locals!
Japanese script in text and on maps makes navigation easy

Customer Review :

Don't waste your time/money/vacation

This book was only marginally useful.
- The maps were ambiguous at best, and completely wrong at worst (on multiple instances in multiple cities).
- Descriptions of sights were often wrong or misleading (don't bother with the "Pentax Forum" in tokyo. the address is wrong, and once you find it, it's completely lame (old cameras, and you can't even play with stuff, contrary to the book)
- Does NOT have the actual cheapest budget hostels in Kyoto or Tokyo.
- I didn't really like the writing style, but that's preference
- the eating establishments they suggest are completely random and often not the best/cheapest/or most interesting.

everyone i met traveling that had the rough guide was happy with it. in 20/20 hindsight i wish I had bought that book. everyone I met that had this book was equally disappointed.

Rating :

Excellent Book

Although I haven't still been to Japan, I like the book and feel that it supplies a lot of info - maybe even too much. The book also has Japanese writings for every place. It tries to give you info about accomodations for different budget. Again, as usually (but few exceptions) Lonely Planet is a good book to go.

Rating :

Alert -- there is a newer edition of this book!

On my most recent trip to Japan I used brought the Lonely Planet Guide and the Rough Guide. The Lonely Planet Guide is better across the board. It provides better recommendations for hotels and restaurants, better and more detailed advice on sights, and far better information on logistics (how to get places, whether to take the train or a bus, etc.). The Lonely Planet Guide is easier to use and, most importantly more likely to be accurate. The Rough Guide is ok; if that is all you have, you will be fine. On the other hand, given that you have a choice, I'd go with Lonely Planet.

All that said, the Lonely Planet Guide could use improvement. The section on Hokkaido is particularly thin -- not much information. On the other hand, there does not seem to be a guidebook for Hokkaido written in English. If you hear of one, please let me know.

Rating :

Very helpful

I bought this guide to Japan as I was going to be traveling around for about two months. The guide, although not indispensible, provided good information about cheap accommodation, perfect for my budget, and other measures to conserve my budget and things to do. Following suggestions from the guidebook I had some of my most favourable experiences in Japan, including going to a free outdoor hot spring, where there were no other people.

However, in many places the local tourist information offices are defenitely worth paying a visit, especially for maps, as the maps provided are not very clear nor detailed. I also found some of the places listed in the guide to have shut down.

The guide provides some useful background information about the culture of Japan, different types of foods to try out, and various etiquette notices on hot springs and other essential activities.

To conclude, the guide is a worthwhile buy, although in general it stays quite close to the tourist trail, and for the truly unique Japanese experiences off the beaten trail, very little is offered.

Rating :

A Great Way to Get Unexcited About Your Trip to Japan

This Lonely Planet Guide is another copy of all the previous Japan guides with all the same disappointments.

Coverage of areas outside of Tokyo and Kyoto is honestly rather shoddy, and they've kept the obnoxious negativity that makes an exciting trip to Japan seem like a waste of time. While other Lonely Planet guides are lively, with authors that seem to enjoy the travelling, Lonely Planet Japan's authors write as though they really don't like Japan. It is questionable whether or not the writers even visited the cities they are reviewing.

This guide is probably most useful as a reference of places to look up on your own in another source.



Rating :

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1. ISBN13: 9780756628765
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Editorial Review :

The guide that shows you what other travel books only tell you!

If you are planning a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, make sure you don't leave home without DK's Eyewitness Travel Guide: Japan. All aspects of modern Japan, as well as its history, art and ancient traditions are explained through informative text and spectacular photographs and illustrations. Learn about Japanese history and culture, and experience the exotic cuisine and entertainment. Over 800 full-color photographs, street-by-street maps, and aerial 3-D cutaways highlight all of Japan's major attractions. Japan's enormous variety in landscape (from near arctic in the north to sub-tropical in the south) comes to life like no other guide. Whether in Tokyo, Kyoto, Okinawa, Honshu, or Hokkaido this is the ultimate resource for all points of interest.

Customer Review :

Visual Delights to Enchant the Traveler to Japan

I work as a specialized travel planner for travel to Japan and use this guide as a complement to the materials that I send to my clients. Why? Because the guide is great for pictures, general descriptions, diagrams and for giving a very brief flavor of a place and works very well when in conjunction with detailed instructions. I suggest treating it as a "McGuide" - it satisfies the immediate need for a bit of information while you're on the road. On the other hand, I would never recommend this guide as the only guide to take to Japan if you're doing serious travel planning while on the road, since there's just not enough hard information to make critical decisions on what to see and do on any given day. Many other reviewers have pointed out that there are few suggestions, no prioritization and not much "how to". On my last trip to Japan we used it as a quick guide on what to see in the smaller places and then relied on the ubiquitous tourist board stands to get information on specifics (maps, flyers, etc.). For example, in Hakone it mentions the "circuit", but doesn't give enough information to know how to actually do it. We had to gather that information from our hotel and our Hakone Free Pass paperwork. This guide also omits some places that western travelers might find interesting, such as the art installations at Benesse House on Naoshima Island or Karatsu on Kyushu Island. The very best things about this guide: short tours (such as Kiso Valley or Saga Pottery area) detailed diagrams (such as the Gassho-zukuri houses and Toshu-gu Shrine in Nikko) and lots and lots of photos on the same page as the descriptions. Oh, and it's also a great guide if you can pre-plan your trip and don't want to spend your entire vacation with your nose in a book reading rather than experiencing the place. Japan is such a fabulous place to engage with the culture and this book can help you make the leap from reading/observing to engaging by taking away the reams and reams of text found in other books.

Rating :

Japan by DK books

After having the book for a month, I found that the printing on 2 pages of the index are blurred and very difficult to read.
Otherwise, the book is very informative with excellent photos on good quality paper. Wish the book were lighter in weight though.
When traveling, I'm always concerned about weight.

Rating :

Japan

Like all Eyewitness guides it gives a good overview of the country and culture,together with detailed description and pictures of the main sites.

Rating :

Excellent!

I have always liked DK's Eyewitness series of travel books, and "Japan" is consistent with their past quality. Chockful with useful information, and wonderful photographs. I particularly like their suggested "walks" amd maps. I do not use it for hotel selection and local travel details, but more for sightseeing information, cultural information, food, and such.

Rating :

Great guide book

I have owned this book for 6 years and have used it on my 5 separate trips to Japan. It's a great guide book for my needs. I love the pictures and diagrams of the different cultural sites to see, and it's fun to read. I think it's best for getting a sense of where to go and what to see, and it also contains many interesting tidbits of information & history on each site. I hate the guidebooks that are all black and white text, they are so boring. This is a far cry from those types of guide books. It may not be quite as useful for finding restaurants and hotels and for getting around Japan in general, but I still think it's adequate in these areas. My wife is Japanese so she helps me with that part. But she also loves this book because it has such great summaries and pictures of the different places to see. She has discovered much about her native country thanks to this book! We won't leave for Japan without it.

Rating :

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1. ISBN13: 9781933330648
2. Condition: NEW
3. Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
4. Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Review :

Better than Lonely Planet?....

I am preparing for a seven day holiday in Kyoto and needed a book that cited in detail the sites and attractions Kyoto has to offer.

Clancy's book is comprehensive, containing some 290 pages and over 30 images to support the descriptions of 30 walking routes covering Kyoto's sites and attractions. These routes cover all the major attractions, such as Kiyomizudera, Ginkakuji and Daisen'in, just to name a few. It also covers 'other' attractions such as the Kyoto Handicraft Museum and Umekoji Locomotive Museum.

The text is difficult to fault, given the detailed nature of the walking routes Clancy describes. Clancy's text is thoroughly researched, supported by the knowledge and information gleaned from her own lengthy stay in Kyoto and that of her colleagues, fellow tourist writer/s, local residents and local commerce operators.

The walking tour maps are simple line drawings, the use of which is integrated with the text. For example, turn right here, walk toward 'x' and similar instructions. No other comments can be made here; the usefulness of the maps will be disclosed when they are used walking the various routes in Kyoto shortly.

The images are all black and white, and the greatest criticism of the book. They often illustrate more obscure attractions referred to in the text, and thus they do not support the text and are of limited use (hence only giving the book four stars). I find that use of the internet to source pictures of the various attractions you are reading about alleviated these shortcomings though.

In closing, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking at doing sightseeing in Kyoto. Overall this book is infinately better than Lonely Planet Japan/ Kyoto in identifying the attractions and the history beind them. Make sure you source your own pictures though!

Rating :

Other stuff you should do

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.

Rating :

Offers detailed maps tracing each of thirty exploratory excursions

With its antiquarian history, buildings, memorials, and natural surroundings, Kyoto is one of Japan's prize destinations for tourists from around the world. Judith Clancy draws upon her experience and expertise arising from living in Kyoto for the last 38 years in "Exploring Kyoto: On Food In The Ancient Capital", a superbly written and thoroughly "user friendly" guide to what this beautiful city and its surrounding countryside have to offer. In this substantially revised, timely updated, and expanded new edition (offer two new routes, as well as including both a geographical and a cultural topography), "Exploring Kyoto" offers detailed maps tracing each of thirty exploratory excursions that range from the bustling downtown quarts to remote mountaintop shrines. Enhanced with more than thirty descriptive photos, tips on etiquette and behavior, as well as a full and complete index to all cited attractions and site, "Exploring Kyoto" is the ideal travel guide.


Rating :

The best

We used this guide to learn about Kyoto and to plan a trip. It is the most practical format for a book to design a journey in any country. It's swell.

Rating :

Great book for visiting Kyoto

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!

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