“Japan Travel Guide: Things I Wish I’d Known Before Going to Japan” by Yuki Fukuyama and Ken Fukuyama is a self-published detailed guide book aimed at first-time visitors to Japan. The authors, retired professors from the Japan National College of Technology, have been tour guides in Japan for over 30 years and put their knowledge to use in the 10 chapters of this guide.
It includes lots of useful stuff, from planned routes for sightseeing that have been improved for this re-edition to important facts such as when places are open, how much things cost, and tips for getting around.
The book focuses on the best places to visit in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kyushu, and Hokkaido, so if your destination is somewhere other than these places, it might not be worth your while. The book contains a number of maps of Japan to help you find your way. Although, in the age of Google Maps, I’m not sure how useful paper maps are for navigation anymore, although they do give a visual sense of an area.
There are money-saving tips and advice on finding good places to stay that match your budget and what you like. You’ll also learn about Japanese food, events, and festivals, giving you a taste of the country’s culture. It’s not just about the places; it’s about the experiences that make your trip special.
Those are some of the positive aspects of the book. So are there any negative aspects? Well, there is certainly room for improvement. Right off the bat, the authors really must correct the typo that appears on a small label on the front cover. The label reads: “Updated and Expended” instead of “Updated and Expanded.” Perhaps “expended” is a Freudian slip, as in, the authors expended their energy in penning this work?! In any case, it’s not a glowing start to a book representing a culture famed for its attention to detail. But given that this is a self-published book, using Amazon print-on-demand, the authors should be able to update their content without much hassle.
I was also not too enamoured with the printing quality, particularly the graphics. Some of the maps are difficult to read because they’ve been substantially reduced to fit the page bleeds. The photos are black and white and feel quite generic, which is at odds with the personable tone of the writing. There are other details that need fixing too, but I will leave those aside for now.
So I’m in two minds about this book. On the one hand, I think there’s definitely room for this guide. I really liked the idea of a couple writing about the places they love and sharing that knowledge and passion with the world. That’s the real attraction and strong point of this book. The authors are clearly proud of Japan and want to share the best the nation has to offer with the world.
On the other hand, I think they need to work with a professional editor, who could help rectify some of the formatting problems and really tighten up the overall quality of the book. So perhaps the authors might consider pitching a new version of the book to an established publisher?
Would I recommend it? Yes. Despite its quirks, I still think the book has value. I look forward to an even better future edition!
“Japan Travel Guide: Things I Wish I’d Known Before Going to Japan” is available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle formats.