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Fodor's Japan --One of the few up-to-date guides available to Japan, Fodor's provides a good introduction to the top sights throughout the country, with extensive chapters on Tokyo and Kyoto. Also included are walking tours, itinerary suggestions, and upscale hotel, restaurant and shopping choices, as well as tips on planning your trip, language and Japanese customs. $20.00
Gateway to Tokyo --If you're interested in visiting gardens, exploring temples, buying crafts, staying at a ryokan or eating regional specialties, this is the book for you. In addition, dozens of maps and starred ratings of the sights make touring a breeze, while the riveting historical and cultural overview provides the necessary background for your trip. $10.00
Kyoto: A Cultural Guide --Numerous walking tours in this ancient imperial city lead you to all the historical and cultural sights, from the geisha quarter and the Old Imperial Palace to an ancient nunnery and the Six Realms of the Dead. Good descriptions of all the sights and clear maps ensure you will find and enjoy everything there is to see. $14.95
National Parks of Japan --Explore mountains, coral reefs and fields filled with wildflowers in this new book by Mary Sutherland and Dorothy Britton. They guide you to 28 national parks throughout Japan, providing detailed descriptions, hiking information, travel tips and numerous maps. Nearly 200 photographs complement the text and bring the diversity and beauty of the Japanese landscape into sharp focus. Paperback edition. $28.00
Tokyo Museums --Thomas and Ellen Flannigan have divided their comprehensive guide by subject, so if you have a particular interest in architecture or sports (or even toys!), you can easily find the museums that correspond to your interests. Over 195 museums in Tokyo, Yokohama and Chiba are included here, from the Bicycle Culture Center to the Yokohama Doll Museum, and the authors provide museum hours, phone numbers and even train directions, making it as easy as possible to museum hop to your heart's content. $12.95
Weekend Adventures Outside Tokyo --Blending history, folklore and anecdote, Tae Moriyana guides you to sights in twenty towns within easy reach of Tokyo. These off-the-beaten path destinations include porcelain museums, fishing villages, ancient temples and tea gardens, perfect for both daytrips and overnight excursions. The names of sights, roads and restaurants are shown in both English and Japanese to make it easier for you to find your way around. $19.95
Berlitz Japanese Phrasebook $7.95
Berlitz Japanese Cassette Pack (one 90-minute cassette and the above phrasebook) $16.95
Lonely Planet Japanese Phrasebook $5.95
The Inland Sea --One of the leading Western experts on Japan, Donald Ritchie writes about travelling through the Inland Sea, the large lake-like body of water enclosed by three of Japan's four major islands, that is dotted with tiny islands few westerners ever visit. Ritchie stays in fishing villages and small terraced farms, and witnesses a Japan very different from the busy modern cities. He paints a loving portrait of this ancient side of Japan, as he takes us on a journey we will never forget. $9.00
NEW Inspector Imanishi Investigates--This fine Japanese crime novel by Seicho Matsumoto provides a compelling narrative of a murder investigation while at the same time elegantly capturing the tempo and morays of life in Japan. Imanishi Eitaro, family man, haiku poet and amateur bonsai horticulturist is a detective with the Tokyo police. When a body is found in a train yard, Imanishi and his team must identify the victim, the killer, and a most unusual murder weapon with only the faintest of clues. A treasure for mystery lovers, this book will be appreciated by anyone seeing insight into postwar Japan. $12.00
Looking For the Lost: Journeys Through a Vanishing Japan --Alan Booth, author of The Roads to Sata, takes us along as he explores three remote, largely unfamiliar, regions of Japan. In search of the ancient ways and connections that are steadily disappearing, Booth encounters a wide array of characters and numerous surprises. His opinionated descriptions of the land, the people and their history are by turns affectionate, humorous and critical-- but never dull. $15.00
Traveller's Literary Companion: Japan --Part of a series aimed at travellers who wish to delve more deeply into a country's literature and culture, this lovely anthology contains over 100 short stories, poems, folktales and novel excerpts. The authors, both well-known and obscure, include native writers, foreign observers and tourists. Editor Harry Guest provides biographical notes on each author, an introductory essay on Japanese literature and very helpful literary maps. A delightful accompaniment for your trip. $18.95