DK Eyewitness Japan (Travel Guide)

I've always been a fan of DK books, and have recently become very interested in their travels guides. The cover design really grabs your attention, the layout throughout maintains a very clean and organized aesthetic while presenting gorgeous photos and illustrations. Content-wise, this little package hits all the main points, opens with one page sections that highlight the culture, people and geography of the land and then segues into a brief history and then each region in detail. It serves as a great guide and reference for your travels and then a keep-sake of your experience. What I really enjoy about these DK travel guides are the cool illustrations of famous buildings, castles grounds, temples etc. They give it a hand drawn appearance that feels like the maps of yesteryear. Very pleased with this guide and would highly recommend it!

Whenever traveling definitely helpful to have sn ew book to give you your top destination choices and tips. Also Japan is amazing

This guide was real helpful and came with maps and detailed description of all the beautiful places to visit while in Japan.

Good, but not as good as my other DK Guides.

This is one of the best travel guides I have ever used or seen. From the design and layout of the book to the background information (both culturally and logistically), to the seemingly endless number of suggested trips - and options - this is the perfect resource for anyone planning a trip to Japan - whether you’re ready to book tomorrow, or you’re still setting up the dream trip in your mind. The first part of the book is all about exploration, with a list of the top spots and most popular things to do, as well as a “getting to know Japan” section. Following these basics are suggested itineraries for Trips of any length - from a couple weeks down to a few days. Next (and in my opinion, the best part) comes ideas and suggestions based on travel preferences, whether it’s family travel, winter time travel, or trips for pretty much any interest- architecture, nature, food, bargain travel, traditional crafts, nightlife, sports, wine, and more. There is a large section on Tokyo, of course, which is broken down by regions of the city, and covers everything you could ever want to do in this amazing capital. Of course Japan is much more than just Tokyo, so the next section covers eight of the most popular cities, with a lot of information and detail on what to do and see in each. Finally, it includes a short section on what you need to know before you go, about getting around, and other general practical information, as well as an index to make it easier to find things. This book is invaluable for anyone planning a trip or going to Japan, and will definitely become a treasure.

I love DK Travel Books for planning/dreaming at home. I never take them with me because they seem to be better for planning than nuts & bolts when traveling. These are also excellent arm-chair travel books. All the beautiful color photos & diagrams focus the planning of a trip. We often travel with my elderly mother. I always buy her a DK travel guide so she can anticipate our travel. We both now have a library of DK books from our past trips. The book is beautiful & full of useful information, maps & photos. All the maps & photos are in full color. There is lots of information on the usual things like where to eat, museums, etc. etc. but where these guides really excel is in explaining the history of what you will be seeing in easy to see & understand diagrams, photos & writing. These guides are like small encyclopedias. Even if you are not planning a trip, these books are fun to read.

I received this copy of DK Eyewitness Japan specifically to write a review. That said, I try to be honest and open in all my reviews. (Please see the enclosed pictures.) This is a great book for a large variety of purposes. Are you a student doing a report on Japan? Then, this book is for you as it covers the history and locations in a very fine level of detail. Are you planning a trip to Japan. Then, this is the book for you. It has itineraries, points of interest, and even bits of the Japanese language embedded in the book. Are you an aspiring writer looking for more flavor text and information about a location in Japan to use in a story or book. Then, this is the book for you. The book is gorgeous, printed in four colors on a glossy background. The book is lavishly illustrated, and almost every page has pictures, a diagram, or a map on it. The book is sturdy. It is perfect bound with preformed turns that allow you to keep the book open when you set it down. The book is the perfect size to put in a bag, purse, or small backpack too. I love this DK Eyewitness guide to Japan, and you will too. I give this book my highest recommendation.

First, let me admit that I am a huge fan of DK's Eyewitness guides to anywhere. They have so many great features and content. The books have always been great for scanning through and getting excited for a trip somewhere, and where they may lack for deep information, they more than make up for in beautiful inspiration for planning a trip. The have dropped in quality of materials in recent years. The paper is no flat instead of glossy, the covers are not as tough, but the content is still dense and good. I absolutely love their integration of maps, especially the 3D, birds eyes views of blocks or in this case temples. All in all, I really love these books, but they have seemed to get denser and the font is getting smaller and smaller. It is not great for older eyes but great for pressing more content in. Also, I love these books because they generate lots and lots of ideas and help you avoid missing something in an area you are going. For me, this is what I want, but I know some people need nuts and bolts logistics of restaraunts and hotels, for that get a Foder's. If you are trying to get excited for a trip, get this one!