John Hart Benson, Jr.

I am an unequivocal fan of the DK travel series. While my favorites are the Top 10 books, all DK books have such fabulous layouts, photographs, and presentation of information that they are invaluable. (Also, the Top 10 books only cover certain cities in prominent countries, so chances are good you will need other travel guides to cover those areas that aren't featured.) This guide is on the entire country of Japan, and I read it cover to cover.

The guide begins with some broad overviews of Japan, covering the country's history, art, culture, and religion. It then breaks into sections that focus on each of the main regions: a large Tokyo section, Central Honshu, Kyoto City, Western Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Okinawa, Northern Honshu, and Hokkaido. Within those sections, the guide provides a map of the area, with notable sights marked out on the map. The following pages then offer descriptions of the noted sites, some brief, some longer. Tokyo, as the main destination, receives a much larger section, and is itself broken down into different regions, with each region given its own map.

After the section that focuses on attraction sites, the guide moves into a new unit called "Traveler's Needs", which covers food, hotels, shopping, and special attractions like hot springs and amusement parks. Just as the prior section began with an overview of Japanese culture and history, this section also contains several broad overviews that frame the advice on where to eat, stay, and shop. Of particular help was the careful break down of the kinds of Japanese restaurants and the types of Japanese food sold at each, and the various sorts of accommodations available, from ryokan to capsule hotels. These descriptions are followed with extensive lists, again sorted by region. The book concludes with some travel tips, such as what to do in health emergencies and how to handle currency.

Fortunately, all of this information is presented in a very attractive package. The book uses plenty of maps, cross sections, and photographs to help readers clearly visualize what they are reading about. Also, each section is broken into small chunks of information, which makes it easier to process and organize. As always, the production values in a DK book are top of the line.

The most important question, of course, is how does a travel book work when it comes to actual travel. In this case, it worked very well. I read the book prior to our two week trip to Japan, and I found it a very valuable resource as I planned, prepared, and booked various hotels and tours. Furthermore, reading the extra materials, such as the historical overview and the explanation of food and restaurants, familiarized me with a lot of cultural information concerning Japan. It also made me even more excited for the trip! I highly recommend this travel guide to anyone looking for a book that covers the entire country of Japan. It is thorough, well organized, and easy to read.… (more)