Read Online DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Japan John Benson 9780756694739 Books

Product details Series EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE Paperback 416 pages Publisher DK Travel; Revised edition (March 18, 2013) Language English ISBN-10 0756694736

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Japan John Benson 9780756694739 Books Reviews

• We are currently using this guide book to plan our first trip to Japan. It's is thorough & well organized. Being that we are unfamiliar with Japan & the thousands of places to visit, the lists, maps, & attractive photographs help steer you in the right direction.
  
  In the past, we mainly used online guides (lonely planet, trip advisor, & blogs) to plan our international travel. Now that I see all the info & locations I have not come across online, it makes me realize that printed books are also essential.
  
  I love that the maps are organized by not only major cities, but the areas within the city (e.g. Northern Tokyo, Central Tokyo, etc.). Having the sites plotted on the map is something that very helpful for efficient planning of multiple sites per day. The book also includes rough maps of major museums & many street level maps.
• DK guides were recommended to me by a member. I can understand why. The illustrations and photos are beautiful. The transit maps are easily understood and street by street maps are very helpful. I like the section on phrases in the back because although most Japanese speak or understand at least a little bit of English they do appreciate it when you try to speak in Japanese. This is considered to be a sign of respect of their culture. The guide has lots if unexpected tidbits that can save a lot of frustration, like how impossible it is to find a street address. Not even the locals an do that. l highly recommend these great books.
• I love the DK travel books. They are filled with pictures, cultural information, and place descriptions. I'm a visual person, and I really appreciate the many, many photos in the DK books. I can look at the pictures of the shrines and decide if it's worth it to me to go out of my way to visit, or if I should stick to the beaten path. The descriptions, hours, pricing, transportation options, and restaurant info is also very helpful.
• Fantastic book that breaks down all the regions of Japan plus some of the larger cities in more detail. The pictures are fantastic!! The Survival Guide in the back is not to be missed. Some incredible tid-bits in there that really help you understand the cultural differences in Japan and how to act so you don't look like the clueless tourist. A lot of "ah-ha's" in that section if you read it while you are in Japan. We took this book with us everyday and really helped us to prioritize what to see, plus to know when things were open, etc.
• With the internet today I didn't want a guide with 58 thousand restaurant and hotel suggestions. I wanted photos of things to see, what they're about and why they're important. That is this guide. I borrowed several from the library and this is the only one worth purchasing to take with me to Japan. It's a bit heavy- I wish it came in an e-format for my e-reader! But it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for the content. I even bought a copy for my parents who will be visiting me in Japan!
• Used this last March and found the practical information at the back of the book spot on. My sister-in-law is going in May this year and so I sent the updated edition to her and she loved the visuals and the advice on preparation for the trip to Japan. She was most interested in the cultural tidbits and the customs. She wanted to be cognizant of dos and don'ts so she would be a welcome traveler. Although she's going on a tour, she will have some free time to plan side trips and this book was the ticket for her to choose those places of particular interest to her.
• I like the series because you get pictures. I recommend these for brainstorming regions that you'd like to see. This will not provide walking tours, detailed maps, or day-to-day plans. Too bad Rick Steves doesn't have an Asia series because he is the king of "follow my lead" tour guides
• The DK Eyewitness Guides are excellent in most respects beautiful color illustrations, succinct yet comprehensive descriptions, and useful advice. However, they are quite heavy and difficult to carry about. In the long run, I would leave these at home and take a lighter book with me. They do look good on the bookshelf as a record of one's travels and reference guide.