Lonely Planet Japan (Travel Guide)

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One of the most famous and joy-filled is the Yayoi Kusama Yellow Pumpkin sculpture waiting for you at the end of a jetty. The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's Japan, our most comprehensive guide to Japan, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled. Expect to get completely naked (modesty towels are allowed at some modern baths) and refreshed head to toe. I'm trying to get started on planning my trip to Japan, and someone said Lonely Planet is the best travel guide. The Oki Islands are an oasis of sea coves, the highest sea cliffs in Japan and pristine waters all to yourself.

I imagined that if I was somewhere in Japan I'd never been to before, and had The Rough Guide maps in front of me, they wouldn't have been much help on the ground. Every surface is a digital screen with a world of flowers, animals and scenery transporting you to another "planet.Pray to the kami of rice at Kyoto's Fushimi Inari-Taisha and its tunnel of vermillion torii gates, ask for good exam results at plum-tree decorated Tenjin shrine Dazaifu Tenman-gū, or pray for general good luck at what is thought to be Japan’s oldest Shinto shrine, Izumo Taisha. This is not a place for socializing, which is heaven for solo travelers who just want a good night’s rest in what looks like a spotless space station. The laneways of its former home at Tsukiji Market may have become a tourist-focused attraction, but restaurants across the country (especially in coastal towns) still sell excellent platters of sashimi and sushi prepared before you.

Don't worry – we're here to help with a round-up of the best things to do in Japan, both celebrated and under the radar. Personally, I don't think it necessary to update my guide books every year, or even every few years. His most famous work, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, might not be there, as it was last seen in 2012 at The British Museum, but with the help of the guidebook, you can find the prefecture of Kanagawa, along with the other 35 views of Mt Fuji, the series from whence it came. With its myriad islands, towering mountains and megacities, Japan can be a daunting destination to get around. Explore a bamboo grove in Arashiyama, marvel at Shinto and Buddhist architecture in Kyoto, or relax in the hot springs of Noboribetsu Onsen -all with your trusted travel companion.Even within the big cities like Tokyo and Osaka, it misses some of the more secret, but far more enjoyable things to do. The kami (deities) range from Princess Konohanasakuya, the Shinto deity of Mount Fuji, to founders of powerful clans, or neighborhood deities. If a passport holder a country on the visa-waiver list, you won’t need a visa to travel to Japan if you’re staying for less than 90 days. Lonely Planet's Japanese Phrasebook and Dictionary is your handy passport to culturally enriching travels with the most relevant and useful Japanese phrases and vocabulary for all your travel needs.

A man and his daughter wearing kimonos play with snow in a garden in Kyoto © Eriko Koga / Getty Images 2. Cherry blossom viewing is nature’s festival and attracts a global crowd – the pink and white blooms signal the end of March and winter. Nonguests are welcome to visit Hotel New Ōtani's beautiful 400-year-old Japanese garden, which once belonged to a Tokugawa regent.To read about them as it is, you have to navigate to the more general region, etc entry and find it from there.