Japan: The Complete Guide to Cities Old and New, the Mountains, Seacoasts and Tradition al Culture

by Fodor's Travel Publications Inc., David Scott

Experienced and first-time travelers alike rely on Fodor's Gold Guides for rich, reliable coverage the world over.  Smart travel tips and important contact info make planning your trip a breeze and detailed coverage of sights, accommodations, and restaurants give you the info you need to make your experience enriching and hassle-free.  If you only have room for one guide, this is the one for you.

The best guide to Japan, packed with essentials
Walking tours to temples, palaces, gardens, and castles
Shopping in traditional stores and techno-plexes
Country-wide details on getting around by train and bus
A cultural primer on food, religion, the arts, and society

Where to stay and eat, no matter what your budget
Smart hotels, centuries-old ryokan (inns), hot-spring resorts, temple lodging, and home-stays in minshuku
Elegant multicourse ryotei, steaming bowls of noodles, vegetarian temple cuisine, and sushi straight from the sea

Fresh, thorough, practical -- off and on the beaten path
Costs, hours, descriptions, and tips by the thousands
All reviews based on visits by savvy writer-residents
57 pages of maps, 16 vacation itineraries, and more

Smart travel tips
Fodor's Choice
What's Where
Pleasures & Pastimes
New & Noteworthy
Festivals
Further reading and videos to watch
A traveler's vocabulary
Complete index

Genres: Travel, Japan, Nonfiction, Reference, Cultural

656 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Fodor's Travel Publications is a United States-based producer of English-language travel guides and online tourism information. It was founded by Hungarian Eugene Fodor in 1936.
Fodor’s was acquired by Random House in 1986 and sold to Internet Brands in 2016.

Reviews

[Catherine Mustread · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this book to be a helpful and useful travel book. Though two or three years after publication date it was still satisfactory for my purposes and it was available to borrow from the library when I needed it. Highly recommend Tokyo for a travel destination.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Step 1 of planning this fall trip to Japan.

Lots of steps left 😋

Great book, lots to see for sure.

4.8/5

[Aaron Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fodor’s Travel. (22nd ed.). (2016). Fodor’s Japan. New York: Penguin Random House.

•Okayama’s Bizen pottery
•Nagoya: Ise-Shima, Kii peninsula
- p. 27-28

Shikoku
•seafood
•Tokushima’s Awa Odori fest
Kyushu
•Aso National Park’s Naka-dake volcano
•Nagasaki: streetcars
Okinawa
•relaxing canyons
•💦sports: snorkelling, scuba, coral reefs
Tohoku: Sendai, Mt Zao’s juhyo 🌨️firs, Matsushima Bay’s pine islands, Kakunodate, 📏Tazawa-ko lake
- p. 29-30

Naoshima Island: Yayoi Kusama’s sculptures, Chichu art museum - p. 44

Tokyo: National Art Centre - p. 55

•Western Kyoto: pre-book Koinzan moss temple
•Kumamoto: Suizen-ji Kobe’s 53 Tokaido post road stations
•Nagano: Kamikochi mountain village trails
•Shikoku: bicycle
•Okinawa: Ishigaki’s manta scramble
•Hokkaido: Niseko skiing
- p. 57-58

Kyoto Station: Kagaya kaiseki lunch (1300-1430) - p. 68

•Nagano: Kamikochi mountain village trails, Zenko-ji, Matsumoto-jo, folklore museum, Ukiyo-e museum, •Takayama Asa-ichi market
•Kamisanno-machi: samurai
- p. 100-101

Kanazawa: Naga-machi samurai - p. 101

Osaka history museum - p. 103

Tokyo:
•Tsukiji: Daiso sushi
•Ginza: Shiodome media tower, Yurakucho yakitori
•Asakusa: Nakamise-dori souvenirs, Kappabashi crockery
- p. 105-106

Ginza: Chidorigafuchi boat rental - p. 108-109

Yokohama: cup noodle museum, port, Chinatown - p. 110

NE Kyoto: Enrakuji - p. 111

Kobe: beef, earthquake memorial museum, Kitano-cho foreigner🏠, Chinatown, Mt Rokko’s cable car & Nunobiki Falls, Tetsujin 28 robot - p. 115

Shikoku: Matsuyama’s Dogo onsen - p. 115

Shikoku: Iya Valley’s river rafts & walking trails - p. 116

Naoshima: Benesse House museum - p. 116

Kyushu: Yufuin spa - p. 118

Okinawa:
•Naha🏘️
•Kerama🏖️
- p. 119

Nagano: Yudanaka/Kusatsu onsen, Hakuba treks, Hida beef - p. 121-122

Hokkaido: Nibutani Ainu culture museum - p. 123

Central Osaka: Hep Five🎡 - p. 132

Shikoku: Muroto🐬
Hokkaido: Asahiyama zoo
- p. 133

Washi: Kyushu’s Yame, Kyoto’s Kurodani, Nagoya’s Mino☂️🏮, Nagasaki🪁, Nara🖋️ - p. 152

Nagoya: Arimatsu handkerchiefs - p. 157

Kyoto: Daigoji, Shugaku-in - p. 1054

Eastern Kyoto Eikan-do painted doors - p. 1075

Kyoto: Bunnosuke Chaya amazake & warabimochi, Kurochiku Wabiza souvenirs, Murin-an, Nanzen-ji, Taien-en restaurant, Ninenzaka’s Machiya Starbucks - p 1081-1090

•Higashi-Hongan-Ji: 🥈largest wood structure
•Toji: towering pagoda
•Imperial Palace: NW fast-track for foreigners, 10am/2pm tours, apply🧑🏻‍💻beforehand
•Nishijin textiles: ¥1800 garment-weaving lesson & souvenir
- 48%

Northern Kyoto:
•Ichimonjiya Wasuke, Kazariya: 🍵, aburi🍡
•Hirano-jinja cherry blossoms
- 49%

Western Kyoto:
•Koryuji
•Arashimaya bamboo grove, Hozugawa river cruise, Sagano scenic railway, Adashino Nembutsu-Ji cemetery, Monkey Park, Tenryu-Ji’s Shigetsu vegetarian🍽️
- 49%

Kyoto food:
•Central: Gion Kappa Nawate robata-yaki, Izama🥬
•Eastern: Yudofu Kisaki tofu nabe, Omen🍜, Rakusho warabimochi
- 50%

Central Kyoto🍽️: Baan Rim Naam🇹🇭, 🇮🇹Ca’del Viale lychee mousse, Café Bibliotic Hello!, Café Independants/Chocolat, Ganko Takasegawa Nijo-en, 🇮🇳Kerala’s spinach/lamb/chickpea curry, chicken tandoori, Kyo-Machiya Suishin, Maeda Coffee, Zezekan Pocchiri - 51%

Kyoto🍽️:
•West: Arashiyama Yoshimura tempura
•North: In The Green🍕
- 51%

Uji’s Eirakuya🎁: RAAK tenugui hand towels - 53%

Zohiko lacquerware, Yamato Mingtei-tei, Yaya yufu kimono - 53-54%

Kobe: Arima onsen - 54%

Kobe Shushinkan sake pre-booked tours - 55%

Northern Kyoto:
•Hattoriryokuchi farmhouse museum
•Expo ‘70 commemorative park’s ethnology/folkcraft museum
- 56%

Kyoto🍽️
•East: Shunkoku Shunsai🇫🇷🇯🇵
•North: Batten Yokato yakitori
•West: Akashiya gyoza/ikayaki
- 57%

Kyoto🍽️:
•East: Taqueira la Fonda🇲🇽🌵🌮
•South: Planet3rd cafe, Shinsekai old town’s Yaekatsu skewers
- 57%

Central Osaka: Mr Kelly’s jazz club, Club Quattro, Hanshin food hall - 58%

Nara:
•Food: cha-gayu (🍵porridge), Nara-zuke (sake🥬)
•Crafts: sumi ink sticks, sarashi linen, akahadayaki🏺
- 58%

Nara🍽️: Wakakusa-yama - 59%

Nara crafts: Kobaien sumi ink, Kai界, Naramachi Shiryokan, Yu Nakagawa sarashi noren - 59%

Nara🍽️: Wakakusa-yama, Uma-no-me reservations, Yanagi-ja-ya warabimochi, Hiraso’s persimmon-leaf sushi/kudzu dried persimmon - 60%

Kite-Mite Nara shop - 60%

Kobe: Akashi-Kaikyo🌉, Mosaic🎡 - 61%

Kobe: Kitano-cho’s English/Weathercock🏠, Harborland, Meriken Park, Hyogo Prefectural Art Museum - 61%

Kobe: Mouriya Honten/Wakkoqu/A-1🥩, Bistrot Cafe de Paris, Cafe Freundlieb - 62%

Kobe: Motomachi🛍️, Nanae antiques - 62%

Western Honshu: Matsue’s Izumi Taisha & shijimi clams, Tsuwano, Hagi’s 🏺 & uni-don - 62%

Okayama: Korakuen, Okayama🏯 - 63%

Kurashiki Folkcraft museum - 63%

Kurashiki: Hamayoshi Mamakari-tei, 9494 Kushu-Kushu izakaya - 63%

Hiroshima: 5-Days Children’s Cultural Science Museum, Peace Memorial Park’s museum/hall/🔥/children’s monument - 64%

Hiroshima: Kamameshi Suishin’s grilled rockfish&🦪 - 64%

Miyajima: 5️⃣storey pagoda - 64%

Hagi: uni-don, Akiyoshido cave, Horiuchi samurai district, Jōzan🏺, Shizuki 🏯Park, Hananoe 🍵, Fujitaya soba - 65%

Tsuwano (Taikodani Inari-jinja, 🏯, Yuki carp, Aoki🍣) - 65%

Matsue (Lafcadio Hearn museum/🏠, Shinji lake, Matsue🏯, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿garden, history museum, Meimei-an🍵🏠, Yakumo-an soba, Izumo Taisha, Kawakyo’s shijimi clams) - 66%

Shikoku
•Takamatsu: Ritsurin Garden
•Tokushima’s Aug Awa Odori fest & Naruto whirlpool
- 66%

Shikoku food: Ehime’s 🍊/ tai-meshi, Kagawa’s sanuki-udon, Tokushima’s iya-soba, Naruto’s 🍠, Kochi’s katsuo - 67%

Takamatsu: Ritsurin Garden, Shikoku Village, Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum - 67%

Takamatsu: New Ginza Salon, Kitahama Alley🛍️ - 67%

Naoshima🏝️: Yayoi Kusama🎃, Chichu art museum, Benesse House museum, Minamidera art🏠, 🛁I❤️Yu - 68%

Naoshima island food (Garden, Café Salon Nakaoku) - 68%

Takamatsu: Konpira shrine - 68%

Tokushima: Awa Washi Dento, Otsuka 🖼️museum, Domannaka izakaya - 69%

Iya Valley: Yoshino river Happy Raft, walking trails, vine bridges, Chiiori🏠 - 69%

Kochi: Muroto Cape🐬, Harimaya🌉, Hirome/Nichiyo-ichi Market’s yuzu-an, Kochi🏯, Chikurin Temple, Katsurahama🏖️, Makino Shokubutsuen, Sakamoto Ryoma memorial museum - 70%

Kochi’s katsuo (Myojin-Maru, Tosa Ryori Tsukasa🆙🪜, Faust🍰) - 70%

Matsuyama: Dogo onsen, Ehime🖼️museum, Ishite-ji, Itami Juzo memorial museum, Matsuyama🏯, Botchan⚾️🏟️ - 71%

Matsuyama (Amitie bistro, Ladkey’s🇮🇳, Taihei🍣, Tipitina’s, Un Petit Peu🥐, Yushoku Shunsai Mejina bento/kaiseki) - 71%

Uchiko: wax museum & Kamihaga🏠, Machiya museum, Omori’s 🕯️workshop - 71%

Uwajima: Taga Shrine, sex museum, Togyu 🐂fight - 71%

Omishima🏝️: Shimanami Kaido🚲, Hakata🧂, Mare Gracia🛀, Oyamazumi Shrine - 71%

•Kagoshima: breaded pork cutlet, Sakura-jima🌋, Ibusuki🏖️
•Nagasaki: chanpon🥬🍜
- 72%

•Kumamoto: Suizen-ji Kobe’s 53 Tokaido post road stations, Kumamoto🏯, Takachiho
•Kagoshima: breaded pork cutlet, Sakura-jima🌋, Ibusuki🏖️, Kirishima-yaku Kokuritsu Koen🗻
- 72%

•Nagasaki: shippoku
•Kumamoto: 🌶️karashi renkon
•Kagoshima: breaded pork cutlet, satsuma-age🍥
- 72%

Fukuoka: Nakagawa River’s Canal City🛍️ Ichi-ran🍜, Iwataya5️⃣🛍️🎎, Ohori Park, Tenjin’s Horin Hakata🍜, Shofuku🛕 - 73%

Yufuin🧖🏻‍♀️: Kusonomori Museum, Kinrin Lake, Usa⛩️, Yunotsubo🛍️, Yutaka Isozaki🖼️🏺 - 73%

Nagasaki: Atomic💣Museum, ☮️Park’s Hypocenter - 74%

Nagasaki: Dejima🇳🇱🦪, Garde🍕🍝, Kairakuen🇨🇳🍜 - 74%

Nagasaki: Fukusaya’s Castella🍰, Amu/Hamanomachi🛍️ - 74%

Kumamoto: Suizen-ji Kobe’s 53 Tokaido post road stations, Kumamoto🏯, Aoyagi’s 🌶️karashi renkon, Suganoya Kamitoriten’s 🐎🥩 - 75%

Takachiho: 🛕/🏞️🛶, Amano Iwato🛕/Yasugawara🕳️, Nagomi🥩, Ten-an soba - 75%

Aso National Park: Naka-dake🌋, Aso🌋 Museum, Aso Nishi🚡 Kusasenri🥾 - 76%

Kagoshima: small🍊, Kumaso-tei’s tonkatsu & satsuma-age🍥, Sakura-jima🌋, Ibusuki🏖️🛁 - 76%

Kirishima-yaku Kokuritsu Koen’s 🛕🗻 & Ichi Nii San’s pork soba - 76%

•Ishigaki: manta scramble, Taketomi🛖/Iriomote🪸🌳
•Kerama/Miyako🏖️
•Naha: Kokusai-dori, 🏘️🏎️, Shuri🏯 (Shikina-en’s hexagonal pavilion)
- 77%

food: toFU, mozuku seaweed, champuru stir-fry, soki soba, koregusu🌶️sauce, kokuto black sugar, umi-budo🌊🍇, beni-imo🍠 - 77%

Okinawa Museums: Prefectural🖼️, Navy HQ Underground Park, Himeyuri☮️, Mabuni Hill - 77%

Naha:
•Museums: Chiraumi Aquarium, Tsuboya🏺’s Kiyomasa Toki, Chindami Sanshinten 🐍skin
•food: Blue Seal’s beni-imo🍠🍨, Jahana Kippan 🥥🍈, Kosetsu Ichiba market
- 78%

Naha: Hateruma izakaya, Mafali Café, Mutsumi/Ukishima🥬🍜 - 78%

Naha🌃: Black Harlem, Dojo Bar, Gold Disc, Rehab - 78%

Okinawa: Gyokusendo Cave, Daisekirinzan 🪨Park - 78%

Kerama: Tokashiki🏖️, Zamami🐋 - 79%

Miyako🏝️: Cape Higashi-henna, Ikema wetlands, Maehama/Yoshino/Irabu/Boraga/Nagamahama/Sunayama🏖️, Toriike pond, Chuzan’s goya champuru, Goya’s rafute🥓 & 🍠croquette - 79%

Ishigaki: Yonehara🏖️’s Imagine Cafe goya🧃 & 👕, Usagi-Ya’s fu, manta scramble - 80%

Iriomote🪸🌳’s Uehara (Urauchi River🛳️, Simanariasibi🥾, Hoshinosuna🏖️, Mansaku🛶) & Yonaguni🏝️➡️Taiwan - 81%

Sendai: Chuo-dori/Ichiban-Cho/Clis🛣️/ Furusato/Shimanuki🛍️, Asa-ichi market, Ginzan onsen, Gokoku⛩️, Zuihōden🪦, Osaki Hachiman🛕, Rinno🛕, Sendai-shi Museum, SS-30🗼👀 - 82%

Matsushima Bay: Fukuura🏝️, Godaido/Zuigan🛕, pines - 83%

Yamadera: Risshaku🛕🔥, Okunoin, Sakunami onsen - 83%

Morioka: Kamasada’s nanbu-tetsu iron, Gozaku🎋🧺🩴, Kogensha🛍️, Hanamaki onsen, Ho-on/Mitsu-ishi🛕, Iwate Park, Azuma-ya soba - 84%

Tazawa-zo Lake: Tamagawa ☢️onsen, Kuroyu hinabita onsen - 84%

Kakunodate🌸: Ando🏠 miso/soy sauce, Aoyagi-ke/Ishiguro samurai museum, Densho🏠🪵⚒️ - 85%

Hirosaki: Chosho🛕, Hirosaki🏯, Tsugaru-Han Neputa🛖, Anzu/Yamauta🪕, Kikufuji scallop, Yamzazaki 🍎🥫 - 85%

Aomori: Auga’s maguro, garlic, Murata Kogei folk🖼️, Nebuta🏠 papier-mâché🗿 & taiko🪘, Sannai Maruyama Iseki, Sukayu onsen, Nishimura danna-shu, Mitsu-ishi sashimi, Ippa/Hide-zushi🍣 - 86%

Akita: 🖼️Museum, Folk/Performing Museum, Senshukoen, Kawabata-dori - 86%

Tsuruoka: Haguro🗻’s Dewa-Sanzan🛕 & Zaishin⛩️, Gas🗻, Yudono🗻, Al Ché-cciano🇮🇹 risotto - 87%

Hokkaido:
•Hakodate: 🚃, 🐟market
•🗻Usa
•Otaru canal
•Kushiro wetlands
•Rebun/Rishiri🏝️
- 87%

Hokkaido food: tabehodai baikingu, jingisukan🐐, Wakkanai scallop - 88%

Hokkaido: Furano/Rusutsu/Niseko⛷️ - 88%

Hakodate: Yama🗻, 🚃, 🐟market, 🇷🇺Orthodox⛪️, Kanemori 🔴🧱warehouses, Motomachi (Public Hall, Northern People Museum, 🇬🇧Consulate), Hana Kitchen/Café - 89%

Hakodate: Meiji🍺Hall - 89%

Sapporo: Susukino🌃, Hokkaido🛕, Hokkaido Historical🛖, Hokkaido Museum, Hokkaido University Botanic Gardens, Nakajima Park, 🍺Museum/Brewery, Tokeidai🕰️🗼, Winter Sport Museum - 90%

Sapporo: Daruma 🐑jingisukan, Ebi-Ten Bun-Ten tendon, Kani Honke🦀, Keyaki🍜, Zazi🍝🍰☕️ - 90%

Otaru: canal⛴️, Aoyama Villa, Kita Tougarashi, Kitano🍨, Masazushi🍣, Takeda don - 91%

Niseko⛷️: Izakaya Bang2️⃣ yakitori, Jo-Jo🍔 - 91%

Furano: Farm Tomita’s lavender - 93%

Abashiri: Prison Museum, Northern Peoples Museum, Aurora Icebreakers, Nakazushi🐋 - 94%

Shiretoko: five lakes (Akanko onsen), peninsula🐻/🧊/🦅 , Godzilla/Oronko/Sankaku🪨, Kushiro wetlands, CafeFox/Nature🛳️, Nature Centre, Lake Mashū/Kussharo, Kushiro City Crane Park, Kamuiwakka/Iwaobetsu onsen, Rausu🗻 - 95%

Wakkanai: Rebun🏝️‘s uni, Rishiri🏝️’s Kutsugata🥾, Cape Soya🧭⬆️, scallops - 95%

Place names:
•-ken/to/fu = prefecture
•shi = city
•machi = town
•ku = district
•gun = county
•chome = block
- 95%

[Courtney (courtney & books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

A pretty average and outdated guide book giving a broad overview for all of Japan.

It took me forever to get through this, but I finally did it. Not sure how useful it will actually be for travel now.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were a lot of problems with this book, from typos to bad directions. Directions and addresses are nearly impossible to begin with in Japan, but this book just made it more confusing. And the maps weren't helpful either. Not only were they not to scale, but things would be placed in the wrong spot or a different place then what the listing suggested.

The listings for sights and activities were informative though. But there aren't a lot of budget-friendly options for dining and accommodation.

I would recommend Frommer's if you're going to Japan. I ended up using the online version of Frommer's a lot to get restaurant recommendations and additional information on sights and activities. Another thing Frommer's has that Fodor's doesn't are walking tour suggestions. We used the walking tours for Kyoto and they provided a great balance of visiting temples, taking breaks at restaurants/teahouses and shopping.

[s_evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a guide book about a large country, I think this does a good job. I was much happier using my lonely planet Kyoto guide (and looking up more on the Internet from this guide), but that's not the fault of a large-reach guide. I appreciated the day trips from Tokyo (one of which I planned as a stopover)? since I used it to orient myself to the country it has some great background info and the Tokyo section was good. Directions there are challenging without consulting friendly locals or a gps and even at times with both, still struggled!

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice guidebook–I really liked the pictures and that they give you information on train stations and travel times. I also loved that they recommended some bookstores in Tokyo! Probably the most bookish of all the guidebooks I've read so far.

My only complaint is that all the restaurants and hotels that are "Fodor's Choice" are really expensive, and vast majority of others listed aren't cheap either. If you need to travel on a budget you might want to search elsewhere.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did not help me plan my trip. It mentions Shrine after temple after onsen. We get it: cherry blossoms can be seen everywhere in the spring. There has to be more to Japan than that and Tokyo. And there is no help as far as times to book. It repeats "book in advance" but that could be any time. I'm getting more advice watching short videos.

[Simon Gianoutsos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have found this to be a good book to plan a trip to Japan. I have read this in conjunction with reading another travel guide and websites to ensure I get views from different perspectives, and found it to be useful. A few more pictures would have been good.

[Laverne Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for all travelers

Awesome pictures and easy to read format. The scope of the information is ideal for the novice traveler and detailed enough for the experienced traveler. I would recommend this book to all who enjoy travel.

[michelle]

Not bad for onsen baths and cheap tatami rooms.

[X-F Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly enjoyable writing of the places for sightseeing but falls short on giving all the necessary practical information on travel logistics that LP offers. Best to read both guides.

[Allan]

Does anyone read a travel guide like this in the same way one might a novel?
However, as a reference about Japan, I've found this pretty useful and interesting.

[Britt O'Duffy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know if I can fully count this as read, as I skipped those chapters that didn't pertain to our trip, but I definitely appreciated the tips from the sections I did read!

[Lily Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're traveling to Japan, I highly recommend picking this book up and giving it a read. I found it really helpful for plan my honeymoon! :D