Embarking on a journey to Japan is exciting, but choosing the right travel guide can be overwhelming. In this guide, we’ve curated a list of the best Japan travel books, perfect for various planning stages, from sparking inspiration to on-the-go insights.
You may not realise that there are different Japan travel guidebooks that make sense at the different planning stages, so here are my recommended travel guidebooks for inspiration, early planning and for while you are travelling. All of my top picks are recent releases, which are available from the Amazon USA and other country stores, and many are available in both printed and Kindle versions.
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Lonely Planet Japan
The Lonely Planet Japan travel guide book is a great option to get an overview of the major tourist destinations in Japan, and has a good balance of information and photos to help you plan your trip. Click here to check out the latest prices and to order through your local Amazon store.
Tokyo Maze – 42 Walks in and around the Japanese Capital: A Guide with 108 Photos, 48 Maps, 300 Weblinks and 100 Tips by Axel Schwab
If you are keen to get off the beaten track and explore Tokyo on foot then this is the guide book for you! Click here to check out the price and order through Amazon!
Tokyo Maze – 42 Walks is no ordinary travel guide. The author is no stranger to Japan either, having spent over 25 years visiting the country as a student, on work assignments and as a writer. He even lived in Tokyo for five years. Alongside all the main attractions, this guide takes you to places which don’t get a mention elsewhere. This 3rd edition has been carefully updated – all information is current as of August 2022.
Inside the guide:
- 42 complete walking tours to 500 sights in and around Tokyo.
- Recommend lunch-break and coffee-stop for each walk.
- 20 virtual walks and hints for virtual museum visits.
- NEW: Readability of 48 area maps improved.
- Each itinerary begins and ends at a railway or subway station.
- 108 high quality color photos offer first impressions.
- Over 100 insider tips aid readers in their pre-trip preparations and during their stay.
- 450 bookmarks enable travellers to access additional information on the Internet.
- A calendar shows at a glance which festivals are taking place at any given time.
- Online maps are available for 21 tours, featuring additional tips on accommodation, shopping, and food and drink.
- Personal Top 10 tips on architecture, observation points, parks and gardens, shopping streets and malls, boutiques, hotels, restaurants, fine arts and other museums, showrooms, theatres, temples and shrines.
Take Your Toddlers To Tokyo: An Infant Parents Planning Guide For What To Expect From Japan by Wisterian Watertree
Tokyo is a culture chock, and even more so if you bring your kids. But with 15 years of experience from living in Japan, and bringing up three children while traveling frequently in Tokyo and throughout the country, Wisterian Watertree has collected all his experience to make your trip easier. Click here to check out the price and order through your local Amazon store.
Take Your Toddlers To Tokyo is a step-by-step explanation of everything you need to know and do to get the most out of a visit to the Japanese capital while your kids are still in their strollers. From what happens when you land to how to find a toilet with baby-changing facilities in the subway, this book covers all steps of the trip to enable parents to prepare better and enjoy the trip more with their children. It is full of practical details such as where to find baby products while you are out in the city, how to get food suitable for children in family restaurants. It includes what to avoid and what you should absolutely do.
Everything in this book has been experienced by the author and his family, so let your children have a smoother ride than they had, and build on his experiences when you take your toddlers to Tokyo.
Tokyo Pocket Precincts: A Pocket Guide to the City’s Best Cultural Hangouts, Shops, Bars and Eateries
A favourite for many of our group members are these Pocket Precinct Mini Guide Books to Tokyo and Kyoto by a duo of Australian authors, Michelle Mackintosh and Steven Wide. Click here to check out the latest prices and order through Amazon.
Tokyo is a city like no other, a looming contemporary metropolis where every turn is a new adventure. There are bright lights and neon signs, bars under railway bridges, Michelin ramen and sushi, tech, toys and vintage shopping. The crazy, the cute, the chic and the traditional are all flourishing in this city’s broad thoroughfares and narrow lanes. Tokyo Pocket Precincts is crammed with all the tips you’ll need to shop, eat, drink and explore this truly surprising city, from your morning coffee to your evening on the town. Also included is a selection of ‘field trips’ to encourage you to explore outside the city, including Nikko, Hakone, Mount Takao, and the cute ‘Eno-den’ train from Kamakura to Enoshima and Fujisawa.
Kyoto Pocket Precincts: A Pocket Guide to the City’s Best Cultural Hangouts, Shops, Bars and Eateries
A favourite for many of our group members are these Pocket Precinct Mini Guide Books to Tokyo and Kyoto by a duo of Australian authors, Michelle Mackintosh and Steven Wide. Click here to check out the latest prices and order through Amazon.
Kyoto is steeped in history, tradition and beauty that reflect the changing seasons more than any other city in the world. There are 2,000 temples and shrines to visit, and the intricate culture of geisha, tea houses, Zen gardens and artisan crafts are just as important today as they were a thousand years ago. There are beautiful restaurants in centuries-old houses, but also some of the best street food in the world.
In this pocket-size travel guide, seasoned travellers Steve and Michelle offer a curated list of the very best cultural, shopping, eating and drinking experiences in Kyoto, as well as a few suggested field trips in surrounding areas. With a beautiful design, vibrant images and detailed reviews, you’ll easily navigate the city’s ancient pathways, through to its bonsai gardens. Konnichi wa and welcome to Kyoto!
Tokyo Geek’s Guide: Manga, Anime, Gaming, Cosplay, Toys, Idols & More – The Ultimate Guide to Japan’s Otaku Culture
Highly recommended by one of our Facebook Group members, if you are into Japan’s Otaku culture then you definitely need to check out this guide book. Click here to check out the latest prices and to order through Amazon.
Tokyo is ground zero for Japan’s famous “geek” or otaku culture—a phenomenon that has now swept across the globe.
This is the most comprehensive Japan travel guide ever produced which features Tokyo’s geeky underworld. It provides a comprehensive run-down of each major Tokyo district where geeks congregate, shop, play and hang out—from hi-tech Akihabara and trendy Harajuku to newer and lesser-known haunts like chic Shimo-Kita and working-class Ikebukuro.
Dozens of iconic shops, restaurants, cafes and clubs in each area are described in loving detail with precise directions to get to each location. Maps, URLs, opening hours and over 400 fascinating color photographs bring you around Tokyo on an unforgettable trip to the centers of Japanese manga, anime and geek culture. Interviews with local otaku experts and people on the street let you see the world from their perspective and provide insights into Tokyo and Japanese culture, which will only continue to spread around the globe.
Japanese pop culture, in its myriad forms, is more widespread today than ever before—with J-Pop artists playing through speakers everywhere, Japanese manga filling every bookstore; anime cartoons on TV; and toys and video games, like Pokemon Go, played by tens of millions of people.
Swarms of visitors come to Tokyo each year on a personal quest to soak in all the otaku-related sights and enjoy Japanese manga, anime, gaming and idol culture at its very source. This is the go-to resource for those planning a trip, or simply dreaming of visiting one day!
Onsen of Japan: Japan’s Best Hot Springs and Bath Houses
This gorgeous new release book about onsens (or hot springs) in Japan is well worth a place on your bookshelf. Click here to check out the latest prices and to order!
As a country blessed with natural geothermal energy, no trip to Japan is complete without an authentic onsen (hot spring) experience. Yet this world has remained a mystery to many western travellers, who are keen to take advantage of the onsen’s relaxing qualities and healing properties. Onsen of Japan is your entry into art of Japanese communal bathing.
Featuring listings for more 2500 onsens across the country, authors Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh have selected out the very best places to enjoy this quintessential Japanese experience – including traditional 7th-century baths, historic wooden buildings, open-air mountain springs, rustic neighbourhood baths, and big city super santos (aquatic centres). Alongside vivid descriptions and beautiful images, each listing includes a checklist with important travel information, such as price range, whether same-sex or mixed bathing is available, whether English is spoken, and if tattoos are accepted. A detailed introduction at the front of the book includes a guide to etiquette, onsen rules, customs and quirks, as well as information on different water types and their healing benefits.
The authors also offer tips on how to take a bath like a local, bathing in different seasons, the best places to take a foot bath (ashiyu) or hand bath (teyu), and where you can cook your own onsen egg. Slip off your clothes and ease yourself into the world of the Japanese onsen. One thing is for sure, taking a bath will never be the same again.
Japanese Inns and Hot Springs: A Guide to Japan’s Best Ryokan & Onsen
Japanese Inns and Hot Springs: A Guide to Japan’s Best Ryokan & OnsenThe gorgeous photos in this new release guide to Japan’s Inns and Hot Springs will inspire you to travel beyond the beaten track in Japan to find the extraordinary. This guide book is available as either a softcopy or Kindle edition. Click here to check out the latest prices and to order through your local Amazon store.
Richly illustrated and exhaustively researched, Japanese Inns & Hot Springs is the definitive guide to Japanese spas and hot springs known as ryokans.
It presents the finest ryokans in Japan, from historic properties like Hiiragiya in Kyoto and Kikkaso in Hakone to luxury retreats like Zaborin in Hokkaido and Tenku-no-Mori in Kyushu.
- In this Japan travel guide you will find:
- The 40 best Japanese ryokan and onsens for English-speaking visitors (including 13 in the Tokyo area and 11 in and around Kyoto and Nara)
- A description of the special features of each ryokan and what is included in your stay
- Tips on how to choose the right ryokan for you
- Practical advice on how to book a stay and a detailed etiquette guide
Above all else this ryokan guide reveals the enduring traditions of Japanese hospitality, a rich heritage reaching back a thousand years to the time when Japan’s hot spring bathing culture took root. The beautiful properties in this book also illustrate the unique design sensibility for which Japan is so justly renowned.
Indispensable tips on booking a Japanese ryokan that is right for you along with a detailed etiquette guide to staying at a ryokan and bathing in an onsen, as well as descriptions of the special features of each of the inns featured.
Japan Traveler’s Companion: Japan’s Most Famous Sights From Okinawa to Hokkaido
For true trip inspiration the Japan Traveler’s Companion: Japan’s Most Famous Sights From Okinawa to Hokkaido provides great photos and an overview of the major sights and culture of Japan, including:
- detailed itineraries for each region
- Information on the country’s 100 most important tourist sights, including 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Illustrated introductions to Japanese cuisine, popular culture, and Samurai history
- A map of each region with suggested walks
This guide book is available as either a hardcopy or Kindle edition. Click here to check out the latest prices and to order through your local Amazon store.
Zen Gardens and Temples of Kyoto: A Guide to Kyoto’s Most Important Sites
If you are keen to check out Kyoto’s Zen gardens and temples then this book is a great option to learn more about 50 World Heritage sites in Kyoto with lovely photos and detailed overviews of each site. This book will definitely inspire you to visit Kyoto and identify where you might want to visit while you are there. This book is available as either a hardcopy or Kindle edition. Click here to see the latest prices and order through your local Amazon store.
Super Cheap Japan: Budget Travel in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima and Surrounding Areas
The Super Cheap Japan travel guide book is the ultimate budget travel guide to Japan, full of the most useful, up-to-date information for a cheap holiday in Japan. This book includes guides to the major tourist destinations, tips to find cheap accommodation, food, attractions and more, and is a great option for both early trip inspiration and planning and also while you are on the go in Japan. This book is available as either a paperback or Kindle edition. Click here to see the latest prices and order through your local Amazon store.
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Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. If you book after clicking on one of these links then we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
You may also like to check out some of our other articles such as the following:
- The Ultimate Quick List of What to Pack for Japan and Tokyo
- Best Online Pocket Wifi Rental in Japan for Tourists
- Best Travel Bag and Luggage for Your Japan Trip
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Anne Sutherland-Smith is the creative force behind Pretraveller.com, a travel blog that specializes in offering insightful guidance for exploring Japan, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Her passion for these diverse and dynamic regions shines through in her expert advice, particularly in helping travellers stay connected with the latest in SIM cards, pocket WiFi, and eSIMs.
With an unquenchable thirst for Asian and Oceanian cultures, Anne has carved out a niche as a knowledgeable guide for those venturing into the bustling streets of Tokyo, the historical alleys of Kyoto, the vibrant scenes of Seoul, the scenic landscapes of Australia, the vibrant markets of Hong Kong, or the futuristic cityscape of Singapore. Her articles are full of practical tips and detailed information, ensuring travellers are well-equipped for their journeys.
Anne’s approach is grounded in providing reliable, authoritative travel content that enhances the travel experience. From navigating the complexities of digital connectivity on the go to immersing in the local culture, her advice is designed to make travel both enjoyable and seamless.