Best General Japan Travel Guides
Spotlighting the originality and creativity of the Japanese, debunking myths about them, and answering nagging questions like why they're so fond of robots, author Hector Garcia has created the perfect book for the growing ranks of Japanophiles in this inspired, insightful and highly informative guide. "Comprehensive and well informed, A Geek in Japan covers a wide array of topics in short articles accompanied by numerous photographs, providing a lively digest of the society and culture of Japan." — Martin Varsavsky, entrepreneur, founder of Fon and Safe Democracy Foundation. Among many topics, A Geek in Japan covers traditional culture, history, character, work, society, manga & anime, music, movies & television, Tokyo, and visiting the rest of Japan. "While not a traditional guidebook, A Geek in Japan certainly makes a reader want to hop on a plane to experience everything firsthand." "Hector Garcia's A Geek in Japan is a lightweight but enjoyable romp through modern Japanese culture, seen through the eyes of its writer, an amazingly inquisitive young Spaniard living in Tokyo."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A must have if you are interested in Japan, want to travel to the country, live there, like technology, manga, history, modern life or if you just want to enjoy a nice, interesting and entertaining book."
"I had read this book already."
"If you have a child that is completely obsessed with Japan this is THE book to buy."
"This book was received probably and was both informational and fun to read."
"Very informative, lots of pictures."
"A Geek in Japan is a 21st century guide to both the traditional aspects of. Japanese culture and the latest in Japanese popular cullture in Tokyo."
"It has a good mix of colorful pictures and actual information that make it perfect as a coffee table book or as a book to actually get some information about Japan."
"I thought the book was for the younger crowd but it is well worth reading for older people as well."
Ramen at Home offers simple, step-by-step recipes for authentic and creative homemade ramen. !” ―Jean-Baptiste Meusnier, Owner of Kodawari Ramen Paris and winner of the 2017 Palme d'Or de la Restauration.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Many recipes include a "Did you know" "Tips" or "From the store" section which includes information to speed things along, interesting tidbits, or preparation tips. While photos do not accompany the recipes, each chapter heading begins with gorgeous, full-color photos."
"It is also full of photos of what the final recipe should look like, making it easier to choose the soup you want to make. I used one of the recipes to make this beginner soup with ingredients I had on hand and it came out real good!"
"The book is set up in several parts. The way the book is set up it also allows you to pick and choose your toppings and noodles based on what you can easily find in your local stores rather than having to special order anything or go to a specialty store for the items."
"Living in a small town, some of the ingredients aren't readily available, but a trip to the Asian market in the bigger city next to us led me to most of it and ordering online is always an option as well."
"I absolutely love it!"
"It talks all about how the idea of ramen came about, tools used to prepare it, different ingredients commonly used to make homemade ramen, how to prep and cook the noodles as well as the broth, toppings, and many different recipes. I am definitely looking forward to making several of these recipes for myself and my family, especially since I would rather us eat homemade ramen over the cheap instant store kinds."
This graphic Japan travel guide is the first of its kind exploring Japanese culture from a cartoonist's perspective. Whether you're ready to hop a plane and travel to Japan tomorrow, or interested in Japanese culture, this fun and colorful travelogue by noted comic book artist and food blogger Abby Denson, husband Matt, friend Yuuko, and sidekick, Kitty Sweet Tooth, will present Japan in a uniquely and fascinatingly. "Abby Denson's Cool Japan Guide: Fun in the Land of Manga, Lucky Cats and Ramen offers great insider-tips on some of the best foods and attractions in a kicky comic book style." "Comic book artist and food blogger Denson (Dolltopia) fills this hip and handy travel guide with her expertise as a frequent visitor to Japan and her bright and vibrant illustrations." "Each chapter opens with a with a well-conceived list of Japanese vocabulary words and the back matter offers a directory of suggested sightseeing locations as well as web-based travel resources. Relying on delightful cartoon illustrations, this creative, nicely designed title details travel preparations, the homestay experience, food, shopping, and festivals."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It feels that this was written for manga fans who haven't had a lot of experience traveling."
"Loved this book."
"A wide variety of interesting things are covered, but very briefly."
"My son recently asked for a trip to Japan for his 11th birthday."
"Very cute and fun to read guide to Japan."
"My 14 year old daughter who is an OTAKU loves it."
"This book is so much fun to read!"
"Was a gift, my sister said she really liked it abd was really helpful."
Best Japanese Travel Guides
Spotlighting the originality and creativity of the Japanese, debunking myths about them, and answering nagging questions like why they're so fond of robots, author Hector Garcia has created the perfect book for the growing ranks of Japanophiles in this inspired, insightful and highly informative guide. "Comprehensive and well informed, A Geek in Japan covers a wide array of topics in short articles accompanied by numerous photographs, providing a lively digest of the society and culture of Japan." — Martin Varsavsky, entrepreneur, founder of Fon and Safe Democracy Foundation. Among many topics, A Geek in Japan covers traditional culture, history, character, work, society, manga & anime, music, movies & television, Tokyo, and visiting the rest of Japan. "While not a traditional guidebook, A Geek in Japan certainly makes a reader want to hop on a plane to experience everything firsthand." "Hector Garcia's A Geek in Japan is a lightweight but enjoyable romp through modern Japanese culture, seen through the eyes of its writer, an amazingly inquisitive young Spaniard living in Tokyo."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a superb book for those who are interested in everything related to Japan."
"We all certainly heard about Japan with all those clichés about bald samurais, white geishas, nerds with pimples, cafés with servant maids, censored porn and terrific buildings living up to the sky and beyond... Summarizing this country just like that feels kind of sad, isn't it?"
"This is an awesome book!!"
"I haven't finished it yet but I am already writing a review because so far it's been great."
"A must have if you are interested in Japan, want to travel to the country, live there, like technology, manga, history, modern life or if you just want to enjoy a nice, interesting and entertaining book."
"I had read this book already."
"If you have a child that is completely obsessed with Japan this is THE book to buy."
"This book was received probably and was both informational and fun to read."
Best Kyoto Travel Guides
Down the cobbled paths and behind the tranquil noren curtains of Kyoto, the old way of life goes on, nurtured in the restrained furnishings of the traditional inns and in the old shops where fine handmade items still add a touch of quality to life. "Diane Durston ... leads us into the secrets and hidden beauties of the city with a grace and warmth that are themselves reflective of the vanishing traditions they celevrate. "Durston's book is an eloquent look at seven neighborhoods where everyday life in Japan continues despite the crush of modernity...." — Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love learning of the centuries old histories of some of these shops."
"Dealing primarily with food, lodging, and traditional shops, Diane Durston's guidebook is a good starting place when planning a trip to "the Old Capitol" of Kyoto."
"Diane's writing is wonderful!"
"This was my favorite book for learning about Kyoto before going there."
""Old Kyoto" is not a guidebook, but rather an insider's guide on interesting attractions and mom-and-pop shops you should visit if you are in Kyoto for a while."
"I found some of the places described and had varied experiences -- the salesperson in the paper shop seemed to barely tolerate foreign visitors, and in another shop, the elderly owner was delighted to show her brooms."
"Amazing book, well written, I feel like I'm right there with her."
Best General Asia Travel Books
Wander through wild orchids in Mae Hong Son, charter a longtail boat on the Andaman Coast or look for tigers and monkeys in national parks; all with your trusted travel companion. Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - current affairs, history, politics, arts, architecture, environment, food & drink, responsible travel Free, convenient pull-out Bangkok map (included in print version), plus over 100 maps Covers Bangkok, Central Thailand, Ko Chang, Chiang Mai Province, Northern Thailand, Hua Hin, Southern Gulf, Ko Samui, Lower Gulf, Phuket, Andaman Coast and more. Check out Southeast Asia on a shoestring, a comprehensive guide to stretching money for an extended trip across the region. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"We truly enjoyed using this guide while visiting Thailand."
"Another informative and accurate Lonely Planet Guide."
"It turned out to be full of a LOT of information - some of which we will use, and some we won't."
"Lots of info, but the E-version is not as user friendly."
"I won't make it to visit Thailand until next year so I can't compare this books accuracy yet; but it seems to be very detailed and honest."
"Basically unusable in practical and practice."
"The flowery writing, lack of pictures and slightly outdated information made me quickly switch from scrolling through its pages to (free) sources like wiki travel."
Best Tokyo Travel Guides
Although it focuses on Tokyo and Kyoto -- the two Japanese cities that most tourists want to visit -- Frommer's EasyGuide to Japan also examines the Japanese locations to which most tourists make day-trips or longer excursions from the two must-sees. Since 2009 she has been a VISIT JAPAN AMBASSADOR, an honorary title awarded by the Japanese government for her contributions in promoting travel in Japan.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I appreciated that the author gave history and cultural backgrounds in the beginning of the book and before each chapter/city, because this really is a complex culture that is so different than Western culture and even other Asian countries I have visited."
"Am a frequent visitor to Japan and the information in the book is spot on and very current and useful."
"We did almost no prior planning for our trip to Japan and became very reliant on this book."
"A very good guide of Japan."
"Perfect book to start my trip to Japan."
"2 dinner orders came to our table and 1 didn't, and we had to ask again and wait a very long time."
"Used it to travel to Japan on two occasions."
"It has scant information on transportation, very few maps that were not very detailed and in some cases, downright inaccurate."
Best Japanese Travel
Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer and more rewarding travel experience - including culture, history, performing arts, crafts, architecture, gardens, politics, and tea Free, convenient pull-out Kyoto map (included in print version), plus over 28 neighbourhood maps Covers Arashiyama, Sagano, the Kitayama Area, Northern Higashiyama, Southern Higashiyama, Northwest Kyoto, Downtown Kyoto, Central Kyoto, Kurama, Kibune, Ohara, Takao, the Gion district, Kyoto Station Area, and more. Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Brilliant and extremely useful guide as it happens with most of Lonely Planet guides."
"Great information; great walking tours."
"A nice clear guide to the area."
"Recommendable even for people living in Japan!"
"Had all the information I needed."
"This book was too superficial and didn't begin to do justice to such a memorable city."
Best General India Travel Guides
This is the miraculous and triumphant story of Saroo Brierley, a young man who used Google Earth to rediscover his childhood life and home in an incredible journey from India to Australia and back again... At only five years old, Saroo Brierley got lost on a train in India. A Long Way Home is a moving, poignant, and inspirational true story of survival and triumph against incredible odds. Born in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India, Saroo Brierley lives in Hobart, Tasmania, where he manages a family business, Brierley Marine, with his father.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is the real-life story of Saroo, a five-year-old child in a village in central India, who gets lost and finds himself transported all the way east to Calcutta, some 1800 kms away. However Saroo always wonders about his origins, with clear memories of his birth mother Kamala, his kid sister Shekila and elder brothers Kallu and Guddu, whom he looked up to as a child two decades before. Gradually, over five years, with incredible patience and perseverance , Saroo, at age 30, using Google Earth's satellite images and Facebook, miraculously locates the train station with the identifying features of his childhood. Saroo soon goes to India and reconnects with his birth family to the great delight of his elderly mother Kamala and his siblings Shekila and Kallu, who are now married with children. It is a great tribute to these wonderful technologies which make it possible for the adult Saroo to sit ten thousand miles away in Hobart, Australia and exactly locate the water tower and overpass of his childhood memory and find out the correct name of his village. Going through the early chapters where Saroo survives for six weeks as a five-year-old in Calcutta, I had palpitations as I felt anxious that nothing terrible should befall young Saroo!"
"This is a unique story about a boy who became lost in India, adopted, relocated to Australia and his, eventual, return back to India in search of his birth mother and family."
"This is one of those rare stories in which "truth is stranger than fiction.""
"I thought it was excellent."
"This story is both incredibly terrifying and wonderfully heart-warming."
"Thoroughly enjoyable read; how incredible that this little boy had such strong survival instinct in a city swarming with millions of people, and an impressive memory for detail which has resulted in an evocative rendering of his becoming lost."
"I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to learn about this remarkable Journey."
"I bought this book in the hopes that my kids will someday want to read his incredibly brave journey."
Best Jakarta Travel Guides
Nguyen is in his element as the 'Street Food King', eating and exploring his way through traditional noodle soups and sweet sticky meats, to more adventurous dishes like Stir-fried Embryo Egg with Tamarind and Duck and Banana Blossom Salad. LUKE NGUYEN is one of Australia's best-loved chefs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"We have already made several of the recipes and they turned out perfect."
"Love the pictures and the recipes in the book, but I also wish there were far more recipes."
"A recipe book that will give you a better look at Asian street food."
"Great book, filled with all the recipes to try at home all the great food i've been eating for the last 2 months while traveling in Southeast Asia."
"I have all his books there great."
"The recipes that I was most interested in, he did not include actual recipes."
Best Popular Dance
• Features over 30 images, each one a single page so no bleed through • Heavyweight, artist-grade paper perfect for whatever you like to color with.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What a wonderful book , full of stunning, imaginative, very detailed, highly decorated, animal drawings, a couple are simply detailed, a couple more than diabolically detailed, most are just right, like the Cat I colored and I am attaching. (The COVER PICTURE is NOW included in the book, it is on line at the following site for you to print and color as an amazing FREE example of the other illustrations you will have when you purchase this unique coloring book. The details are so tiny that you should use Colored pencils, Gel Pens, or Ultra Fine markers for this book."
"I used gel pens for this picture but some of the drawings will have to be colored with pencils as some of the pictures have tiny, tiny areas."
"Lots of cool pictures to color, each page has a blank back which is great so that your markers do not bleed through onto another picture."
"I have bought a few other coloring books but this one is my favorite so far!"
"______________________________________________________________________. I work behind a computer all day and have a 2 year old so I wanted something to do when the day is over to help me unwind (that doesn't involve looking at a screen). The pages are one sided so you can use markers if you want. Note: The copy I received was missing the lion page like on the front cover but my understanding was this was due to a misprint and the seller is happy to replace if you email them."
"Amazing."
"I've purchased about 10 Coloring Books in the last few months and this one is by far my favorite (but I have 5 cats and 3 dogs so I may be a little biased :). This book is a great addition to your coloring book collection - a perfect gift for animal lovers and people that need a little stress relief in their lives :)."
"Very fun."
Best Educational & Nonfiction Manga
Introducing The Manga Cookbook, an illustrated step-by-step guide to preparing simple Japanese dishes using ingredients found in every Western kitchen. Readers are guided through the cookbook by three cartoon characters: a young girl, Miyuki, who calls herself the kitchen sensei; Hiroshi, her boyfriend who likes to eat; and the feline-like mascot, Coo, identified as the book's culinary mastermind.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"At first read through this book is well laid out with simple explanations, cute narrators and easy to follow directions. I bought this book so I could get some ideas to start making bento boxes for my boys and was surprised at how many of my favorite Japanese dishes were in there."
"My 15 year old daughter loved it and has already made two meals!"
"Best for regular Japanese cooking."
"Great cookbook!"
"This book gives recipes on the basic Japanese cuisine you see in animes, hence why it's called the manga cookbook."
"The recipe for sticky rice is heavenly!"
"The Manga CookbookA 5Star publication, The Manga Cookbook is a very easy How To Cook Japanese publication with very cute, expressive, masterful illustrations. Definitely for manga [Japanese Comic] and anime [Japanese animation] fans, who also wish to learn cooking Japanese food their favorite characters eat in much loved stories."
"Inside the book are only a few pages of colour photos of most of the recipies, and the rest of the book is black and white manga characters showing you how to cook."