index index index index 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.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.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).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. I have used Frommer's books for many years as travel guides and they are always very helpful. It's simple: Frommer's is the name you can trust for complete, easy-to-use, and up-to-date travel information. We're thoroughly committed to offering all the practical details in a fun, user-friendly format, and to helping readers discover the world in a whole new way. Our candid, authoritative hotel and restaurant reviews are the best in the business. They're incredibly detailed, and they include carefully chosen selections for every taste and budget. And we offer a wealth of sightseeing, sports, strolls, and special moments from the major tourist highlights for a first-time visitor to off-the-beaten-track discoveries that will impress even the most seasoned traveler. And it's all accompanied by our detailed, accurate two-color maps that show you the way.

Most guidebooks read like textbooks or promotional brochures, but not Frommer's. We know that readers turn to us when they're planning a vacation, so even though we take the details seriously, we produce guides with a sense of fun and discovery. And we believe that you can tell a book by its cover, so we don't settle for anything less than spectacular photography.

No wonder we're turning heads. And no wonder readers have rediscovered that Frommer's is the key to an unforgettable vacation.

Travel to Japan is booming! With the U.S. dollar up almost 10% against the yen over last year, American travelers now have more buying power in Japan than they've had in years. More Americans than ever before are requesting information from the Japan National Tourist Organization; inquiries at the New York office alone are double what they were last year. Tour sales are up 35-40% from 1996 to 1997, and one of the largest agencies selling Japan rail passes in America reports a whopping 200% increase in sales over last year.

Completely updated, and featuring an indispensible Japanese character key that makes it possible to recognize establishment signs on the street, this Frommer's guide is user-friendly and is a practical resource to the region's culture, cuisine, and customs. It's required reading for anyone visiting Japan! suria review reviews analysis analyze