Plan the ultimate Japan adventure with our picks of the best Japan Guidebooks
Japan is an incredibly popular destination at the moment, with lots of our customers (and staff!) travelling to the land of the rising sun. We’ve put together the following list of our favourite Japan travel guides to help you plan the ultimate Japanese adventure!
Best for: Experiences and itineraries
Focusing on cultural events and specific experiences, this guidebook has plenty of detail while being continently sized to take along with you. It has a pull-out map of Japan and is the perfect companion to a two-week trip.
Best for: Cultural and historical information
This Insight Guide offers in-depth historical and cultural essays alongside expert sightseeing advice and a useful phrasebook. We love the photography too!
Best for: Taking with you
Rough Guides have managed to squeeze a remarkable amount of information into this small book. It is perfect for taking with you and for reference throughout your trip.
Best for: A keepsake of your trip
This striking hardback is not just an excellent companion for trip planning, but the full-page photos make it a great keepsake or coffee table book too. We love that the chapters are categorised by interest!
Best for: The complete package
Our bestselling Japan guide. This is the ultimate companion to your trip to Japan, and we love the recommended itineraries and local recommendations.
Best for: Children and families
A fun book designed for children aged 9-12 to immerse themselves in their Japan experience, through facts, maps and challenges
Best for: Pilgrims
An in depth and well put together guide to this wonderful cultural adventure. Includes plenty of maps, recommendations and tips from locals.
Best for: Train travellers and enthusiasts
Travelling by train in Japan is a must-do experience, and this guide has lots of tips and advice to make travelling by train in Japan easy and enjoyable.
Best for: Hikers
Cicerone guides are an invaluable resource for hiking - with detailed maps and route descriptions to guide you. All four main ascent routes of Mt Fuji are covered in this guide, as well as advice on planning, accommodation and kit.
Best for: In-depth regional coverage
This guide has everything you need to plan your Japan trip in one place, including regional profiles and transport advice. Plan at home with the physical guide and download the free eBook for use while away!
We selected these Japan guidebooks based on usefulness and detail, considering also which titles include suggested itineratires, fold out maps and local recommendtions. Members of the Stanfords team who have visted Japan have used some of these guides and can vouch for their quality! We've also included a few titles about specific activies like hiking and trains, to show the breadth of guidebook available.
If you are following the 'Golden Route', you'll be well severed by any of these full country guides. If you are venturing off the beaten track, consider supplementing with a regional guide. Some of these guidebooks have hundreds of pages so think about the size you'd be happy to carry around with you!
If you are spending more than a few days in one city or region, why not pick up a more detailed guide of that area too - many publishers have pocket titles for Tokyo, Kyoto and other major cities. Don't forget a map and a fiction book set in Japan to read on your journey!
