Cool Japan

October 15, 2013

Few locations hold as much interest and require as thought-provoking a travel guide as Japan. This beautifully illustrated and formatted work by author and former TV producer Kajiyama (Ghibli Magic) is organized into three sections that focus on Kyoto, Tokyo, and Tohoku. The information related to Kyoto is framed in terms of heroes such as the fictional Hikaru Genji (created by novelist Murasaki Shikibu), warlord Oda Nobunaga, and reformer Sakamoto Ryoma. The section on Tokyo includes information on both traditional and new sights and on shopping and dining. Japan's poetry and folklore are reflected in the pages devoted to Tohoku, a seaside region devastated by the 2011 tsunami. Typical entries list address, contact information, a website, and historical nuggets. The title also includes full-color illustrations, photographs, maps, and a seven-page index; a single-page time line traces the history of the country from 14,000 BCE to 1931 CE. VERDICT This handy and readable guide is recommended for larger travel collections. Readers new to the country may prefer a more detailed work, such as Beth Reiber's Frommer's Japan.--Elizabeth Connor, Daniel Lib. at The Citadel, Military Coll. of South Carolina, Charleston

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