Frommer's^® Japan , 6th Edition

by Beth Reiber

• ISBN13: 9780764565540
• ISBN10: 0764565540
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-06-01
• Publisher: Frommers

Summary

You2ll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer2s. It2s like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go--they2ve done the legwork for you, and they2re not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. Every Frommer2s Travel Guide is up-to-date, with exact prices for everything, dozens of color maps, and exciting coverage of sports, shopping, and nightlife. You2d be lost without us! Japan can be a bewildering destination, but Frommer2s helps you travel like a pro, with practical tips on getting around, communicating, conducting business, and navigating the local etiquette and customs. We2ve included precise directions to every establishment, and dozens of accurate maps. You2ll also rely on our handy appendix of useful phrases and our Japanese character key, which allows you to easily recognize establishment names when you see signs on the street. In case you2re worried about Japan2s high prices, Frommer2s brings you dozens of listings for affordable accommodations and restaurants. Look for candid reviews of the best accommodations, from plush, high-tech business hotels to moderately priced bargains and authentic ryokan. Meticulously researched, Frommer2s Japan is the only guide you2ll need to experience the best of this exotic land. With Frommer2s in hand, you2ll see it all, from the swirl of Tokyo2s nightlife to the traditional Japanese flavor of Kyoto. Whether you want to visit majestic shrines and temples or explore the serene landscapes of the Japan Alps, it2s all here in one insightful, user-friendly guide.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	ix
What's New in Japan	1	(3)
The Best of Japan	4	(20)
The Best Travel Experiences	5	(1)
The Best Temples & Shrines	6	(2)
The Best Gardens	8	(1)
The Best Castles, Palaces & Villas	9	(1)
The Best Museums	10	(1)
The Best Small Towns & Villages	11	(1)
The Best National Parks	12	(1)
The Best of Old Japan	13	(2)
The Best of Modern Japan	15	(1)
The Best Spas & Public Baths	16	(1)
The Best Outdoor Adventures	17	(1)
The Best Traditional Ryokan	18	(1)
The Best Western-Style Hotels	19	(1)
The Best Affordable Japanese-Style Places to Stay	20	(1)
The Best Culinary Experiences	21	(1)
The Best Destinations for Serious Shoppers	22	(2)
Planning Your Trip to Japan	24	(63)
The Regions in Brief	26	(2)
Visitor Information	28	(2)
Entry Requirements & Customs	30	(1)
Money	31	(3)
The Japanese Yen	32	(2)
When to Go	34	(9)
Calendar of Events	36	(7)
Health & Insurance	43	(2)
Tips for Travelers with Special Needs	45	(3)
Getting There	48	(2)
Flying for Less: Tips for Getting the Best Airfares	50	(1)
Escorted & Package Tours	50	(2)
Getting Around Japan	52	(8)
Tips on Accommodations	60	(10)
Tips for Saving on Your Hotel Room	66	(4)
Packing Tips	70	(1)
Suggested Itineraries for Seeing Japan	71	(16)
For first-Timers	71	(2)
Regional Tours	73	(5)
Fast facts: Japan	78	(9)
Settling into Tokyo	87	(75)
Orientation	88	(11)
Tokyo's Neighborhoods in Brief	96	(3)
Getting Around	99	(8)
Fast facts, Tokyo	102	(5)
Where to Stay	107	(23)
Family-Friendly Hotels	112	(18)
Where to Dine	130	(32)
Family-Friendly Restaurants	137	(25)
Exploring Tokyo	162	(52)
The Top Attractions	164	(6)
Frommer's Favorite Tokyo Experiences	168	(2)
Five Unforgettable Ways to Immerse Yourself in Japanese Culture	170	(2)
Parks & Gardens	172	(2)
More Museums	174	(3)
Spectacular City Views	177	(1)
City Strolls	178	(8)
Searching for Old Edo: A Walking Tour of Asakusa	178	(5)
In the Heart of Trendy Tokyo: A Stroll Through Harajuku & Aoyama	183	(3)
Especially for Kids	186	(2)
Spectator Sports	188	(2)
For It's Ichi, Ni, San Strikes You re Out	189	(1)
Shopping	190	(11)
Tokyo after Dark	201	(13)
Side Trips from Tokyo	214	(37)
Kamakura, Ancient Capital	214	(7)
Shogun Country: Nikko	221	(6)
Yokohama, City of the 1st Century	227	(7)
Climbing Japan's Most Famous Mountain: Mt. Fuji	234	(2)
Hakone: By Mountain Tram, Cable Car Ropeway & Boat	236	(9)
Goblins & Good-Luck Talismans	239	(6)
Izu Peninsula, Tokyo's Playground	245	(6)
The Japan Alps	251	(23)
Matsumoto, Gateway to the Japan Alps	251	(7)
Along the Nakasendo Highway: Tsumago & Magome	258	(2)
Takayama, little Kyoto of the Mountains	260	(9)
Rural Shirakawago & Ogimachi	269	(5)
Kyoto & Nara	274	(69)
Orientation	275	(3)
Frommer's Favorite Kyoto Experiences	276	(2)
Kyoto's Neighborhoods in Brief	278	(1)
Getting Around	278	(3)
Fast facts: Kyoto	280	(1)
Where to Stay in Kyoto	281	(14)
Where to Dine in Kyoto	295	(13)
Exploring the City	308	(19)
Suggested Itineraries	308	(10)
Walking Tour: A Stroll Through Higashiyama-ku	318	(5)
Walking Tour: The Philosophers' Stroll	323	(4)
Imperial Villas & Temples Within Easy Reach of Kyoto	327	(3)
A Summer Spectacle: Cormorant fishing	328	(2)
Shopping Kyoto	330	(3)
Kyoto After Dark	333	(2)
A Side Trip to Nara	335	(8)
The Rest of Western Honshu	343	(119)
Nagoya	343	(13)
P-Ping! Pachinko Parlors	349	(7)
Ise-Shima National Park	356	(9)
More of Old Japan: Kanazawa	365	(10)
Osaka	375	(24)
Family-Friendly Restaurants	393	(6)
Kobe	399	(13)
The Temples of Mt. Koya	412	(4)
Himeji, A Castse Town	416	(5)
Okayama: Gateway to Shikoku	421	(7)
Countryside Delights: Okayama Prefecture's International Villas	425	(3)
Kurashiki, Market Town of Many Charms	428	(8)
Off the Beaten Path: Matsue	436	(9)
Hiroshima	445	(12)
Miyajima, Scenic Island in the Seto Sea	457	(5)
Shikoku	462	(19)
Takamatsu	462	(9)
Matsuyama Castle & Dogo Spa	471	(10)
Kyushu	481	(67)
Fukuoka	481	(9)
Take Me Out to the Ballgame	487	(3)
Beppu, King of the Hot-Spring Spas	490	(7)
Off the Beaten Path: Miyazaki	497	(8)
Kagoshima	505	(11)
Southern Kyushu's Top Spa: Ibusuki	516	(4)
Kumamoto	520	(8)
Nagasaki	528	(15)
Unzen Spa & Its Hells	543	(5)
Northeastern Honshu-Tohoku	548	(19)
The Pine-dad Islands of Matsushima	549	(8)
Kakunodate, Town of Samurai Homes	557	(3)
Towada-Hachimantai National Park: For the Active Traveler	560	(7)
Northern Japan-Hokkaido	567	(35)
Hokkaido Essentials	567	(2)
Nakodate, Southern Gateway to Hokkaido	569	(4)
Sapporo	573	(11)
Noboribetsu Spa & Shikotsu-Toya National Park	584	(7)
Another Island Mother People; The Ainu of Hokkaido	589	(2)
Sounkyo Spa & Daisetsuzan National Park	591	(4)
Akanko Spa & Akan National Park	595	(7)
Appendix A: Japan in Depth	602	(33)
1 History 101	602	(7)
Here and Zazen: Buddhism in Japan	604	(5)
2 Japan Today	609	(2)
The Magical World of Vending Machines	610	(1)
3 Minding Your Ps & Qs	611	(5)
The Home-Visit System	613	(3)
4 Dealing with the Language Barrier	616	(2)
5 Tips on Dining, Japanese Style	618	(9)
6 Cultural Snapshots: Japanese Arts in Nutshell	627	(4)
Sumo	629	(2)
Recommended Reading	631	(4)
Appendix B: A Glossary of Useful Japanese Terms	635	(6)
Appendix C: A Japanese-Character Index of Establishment Names	641	(9)
Index	650