Trailblazer Guide Books

Engagingly written — all the guides from this stable are first class
 — Traveller

 Japan is steeped in legend and myth, perhaps the greatest of which is the popular misconception that the country is simply too expensive to visit. The truth is that flights to Japan are cheaper than they've ever been, accommodation can be great value, while the warm hospitality which awaits every visitor costs nothing at all. The real secret to travelling around the country on a budget, however, is the Japan Rail Pass. With this pass you can travel on some of the fastest trains in the world as often as you like for as long as you please - and all for one bargain price. Use this comprehensive guide in conjunction with a rail pass to get the most out of your trip to Japan.

• Practical information - planning your trip; suggested itineraries; what to take; getting to Japan
• City guides and maps - where to stay, where to eat, what to see in 26 towns and cities; historical and cultural background
• Kilometre-by-kilometre route guides - covering train journeys from the coast into the mountains, from temple retreat to sprawling metropolis; 33 route maps
• Railway service summaries - bullet trains and all routes in this guide
• Plus - Japanese words and phrases; customs and etiquette; 63 colour photos

NEW FOR THE FOURTH EDITION

• Route guides now include the recent extensions to the Hokuriku and Hokkaido shinkansen lines
• Additional information is given about the many private railway lines
• Greater coverage of popular tourist destinations such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Kamakura, Nikko, Hakone, Takayama and Shirakawa-go
• There’s also more information about areas off the beaten track including: Jigokudani (Nagano), famous for its ‘snow’ monkeys; the 'desert' (sand dunes) and sand museum at Tottori; the Tateyama–Kurobe Alpine Route, a journey across the northern Japan Alps using five different modes of transport; Kawaguchi-ko, where you can see Mt Fuji reflected in the lake; and the ‘art island’ of Naoshima, Shikoku 
• Highlights – new colour section at the front with ‘Best’ lists to help planning a trip 
•  Kanji and katakana now included for all place names

INTERVIEWS WITH THE AUTHOR

Japan by Rail author, Ramsey Zarifeh, on travelling in Japan.

1) 'Steve Wright in the Afternoon', BBC Radio 2, UK, on 20 July 2016

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0421mq5

 

2) National Geographic Radio, USA

http://bit.ly/Yg6eaW

 

 

 

 

 

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