Japan For First Time Travelers: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

This is a great book for use before you plan your trip and to take with you. I have wanted to go to Japan for a while but with the pandemic, that obviously isn’t going to happen for a while. I grabbed this book because I thought it would be something good to have when that time came. However, when it came in, I opened it and it was in such a great, EASY TO READ FORMAT that I breezed right through it. It got me excited again for something that I know isn’t on my immediate horizon!The book is broken down into sections based on travel, packing, travel within the country, activities, etc. It includes great details like traveling within Japan and how to use the railways and local airlines to travel between islands. There are pro-tips at the end of each section that highlights something really useful that ties all of the parts of a section together. Like traveling within the country whether by foot or rail, etc. and going to your destinations, a tip is provided to pull up a rail line map that includes all of the wards so you have a reference no matter where in Tokyo you are.There is so much included to make your trip smooth like booking hotels or hostels, where to eat, places to visit and when, and the appropriate customs (like removal of shoes). There is an entire section on health and safety and one on cultural tips like removing your shoes and bowing. Then a FAQs section with lots of little tips like mailing souvenirs home, taking pictures, and ordering food. I’ll definitely be packing this book when I do go! Fortunately, the book is not one of those “pocket” sized - which are never pocket sized - the dimensions are a little longer either way which allows for it to be much thinner and printed on lightweight paper so you can slip it into your bag without any bulge.What I really liked most was that it got me excited about traveling again. It made me think about planning and actually being in Japan which is something that I had lost excitement for over the past year.

Nice trip planner book to Japan. It's like going to the info booth. Sometimes it’s daunting to know where to start when you want to visit a foreign country. The author does a good job dispelling some of the mystery & reducing the anxiety.In addition, it’s nice to know some of the general & specific options, so you know how to save $ and get the most out of your trip, if that is important to you.Also, it’s great to know some of the details that could create a nuisance or minor embarrassment to you (i.e. cell service, tipping/preferred method of gratuities, customs, table manner norms, train service maximization, etc.).There are numerous suggestions of places to visit/stay, so you can do more research on specifics as you're getting your trip planned.

This is a pointless book if you have literally ANY other guide or read the WikiTravel page on Japan. It is 56 pages, in large type, of extremely basic and nonspecific information.The high ratings on this book are unbelievable!

The title says it all! This little book is packed with punch: it covers all of the basics as you plan your trip (when to go, where to go, how to get around, and planning activities), plus excellent tips on budgeting your trip, social customs, and places to stay and see. This book provides the perfect amount of detail, so you can find exactly what you need in a very organized, easy to read, and most-helpful way. The icing on the cake are the pro-tips throughout each chapter. Arigatou for making this great book... Planning your travel to Japan, in a nutshell!

Great beginners guide! Concise book that was easy to read as opposed to other thick overwhelming travel books. Small enough to be able to carry around while on the trip. Very helpful!

This book contains all the basic information needed when planning a trip to Japan. Most travel guides tend to be overwhelming and somewhat bulky. I like that this book is packed with information but light and easy to carry. A few of my favorites...I love the *Pro Tips* throughout the book, the basic Japanese culture tips are very helpful and much needed, as well as the tips for the FAQ’s, especially regarding electronics and the rail system. Great guide! Highly recommend!

This would have been a great book to have before my first trip to Japan! It contains new, useful information in a format that cuts through a lot of clutter found in other books. Excellent trip planner for any budget, and you can tell that the author is very familiar with Japan and its culture. Great links provided for those wanting additional info on discussed items. Worth the money!

Perfect book for travelers. Description accurate. Saves time without having to read hundreds of pages to decide what to do and see.

Not much substance to this book - not worth the money and very disappointing. I expected to have more of an insight to travelling in Japan and more cultural /etiquette tips - but there is hardly anything to it. I don't think there is anything in here that you won't find in a proper travel guide ie Lonely Planet/ DK etc If the font wasn't quite so big - and the words were printed on every page/ with smaller margins - it would probably classify as a leaflet.