Must-See Japan: The complete insider's guide to seeing the best of Japan in one trip Paperback – May 28, 2016

This guide is exactly what I was looking for. In my preparations for my trip to Japan, I wanted a book that would give me concise suggestions about the must-see/eat things for a trip to the main areas of Japan (Tokyo and Kyoto mostly). This book does exactly that in a small 170-page form factor that makes it very easy to carry with you during your trip. I borrowed the Japan guides from Frommer’s and Lonely Planet from the library, and while those are great for someone who wants a literal encyclopedia-style travel guide with extensive maps, lists, reviews, historical explanations, and everything, I ain’t got no time to read all that! Don’t expect beautiful full color sweeping vista pictures of Japan in this book (although there are a few small pictures). If you want that, pony up the $50 for the giant guides.Tom Fay really seems like he knows what he’s talking about, and writes well. I love that on some of the first few pages he outlines, very simply, suggested itineraries for a one or two week trip to Japan (by recommending how many days to spend in each city/area). Those seem like the most common trip lengths for 80% of people. The book clearly highlights the “must-do’s” in asterisks and secondary priorities in bold, making it very easy to pick out things. It also still includes a little bit of extra content in a concise manner, with things like best day trips outside of Tokyo/Kyoto, and a “If you have more time” chapter that includes a quick page or two on other regions of Japan to explore. Plus, Tom includes links to websites for almost all sections in case you really do wanna do more extensive research on particular items. Very up-to-date (2017), wonderfully simple, and priced right! A great book for planning a trip to Japan.

Concise, insightful tips to navigate a 3-week first time trip to Japan! The author eliminates flowery editorial of his account traveling through this amazing country with limited English-speaking communication skills. Yet, the reader pauses throughout the book to digest the information and periodically refers to it like somewhat of a reference guide. Very helpful in navigating Tokyo and Kyoto specifically, as well as some of the cultural nuances your adventurous spirit may encounter!

I used Tom Fay's essential guide to Japan while planning my July 2016 trip to Japan. The information is up to date and has essential tips for etiquette in Japan, onsen instructions, eating, using public transportation, tipping rules and much more. The author included links that will direct you to official sites with more information and a resource page which is very helpful. The book has an excellent itinerary for visiting famous spots of Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, and Kyoto. My wife and I are planing on visiting places that are outside of the usual tourist stops and I'm using this book's recommendations for visiting the Tohoku region of Japan. Overall, this is a very concise and handy guide that I can use before and while I'm travelling in Japan in the near future.

Excellent, easy to digest guide about the must-see, must-do in Japan. The author is extraordinarily knowledgeable and helpful in dispensing advice for 1st time travelers in the beautiful country, his book is a must-have when planning your itinerary in the major cities as well as some off beaten paths in Japan. We followed his advice for Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo closed and found his advice on train logistics tremendously helpful. He's also a hiking enthusiast, photo-journalist to awesome places like Himalayas so we look forward to reading his blog and books on hiking adventures too. Whereas other travel books on Japan can be quite overwhelming (too much info) and hard to digest, Tom Fay's "Must-See Japan" was an easy read, easy to follow guide for our family excursions in April 2018.

I read this book on Kindle on my way home from 3 1/2 weeks in Japan, a visit that was part tour group, part on our own with my husband, and part with a daughter in law who grew up in Fukuoka. I thought the book highlighted our experience in Japan, but that was all, nothing more. It’s a pretty useful travel guide but that’s all. I prefer travel essays of personal expectations with more interesting and creative prose.

I visited Japan for the first time earlier this year and bought three books to read before going: A Geek in Japan, Super Cheap Japan, and this one. If you only want to purchase one then I would choose this because I got the most utility out of it from basic phrases, to specific places to see organized by area, to restaurant recommendations. This book has the perfect amount of content in that it has just enough detail without being overwhelming. If you're willing to go with two books I would also purchase A Geek in Japan because that one provides mostly cultural context and history whereas this one is just a travel guide.

It is a useful guide but other guides are more indepth, sharing more "tips" and "recommendations," as well as better maps and illustrations. IF you are only getting one guide, look at your options.

I bought 'Must-See Japan' a few months ago, to plan a trip I'm taking with my 13 year old son to Japan. Since then I've also done a lot of online browsing and read some other guides, but MSJ has, by far, been the most useful resource for me. Now that I'm back I can safely say that the information the book provides is concise, well written, and while covering all the necessary highlights also suggests cool side-trips and little known sites. It's also just a fun read: I've read it twice, and it was a real treat.