Another way to explore Japan.
Creative Staff
Design and Layout: Adam Grano
Translation: Isabella Huang
What They Say
Experience the very best of Tokyo and discover delicious food, hidden bars, and must-see sights and activities for every day of the year!
Discover one of the world’s most exhilarating cities! Beloved for its culture, delicious food, iconic shops, anime, fashion and more, Tokyo is a fascinating place to explore. From ramen and flower parks, to hidden bars and novelty cafes, Tokyo: Day by Day is jam-packed with fresh ideas and inspiring photography. Featuring daily tips and suggestions on where to eat, essential sights, and the best places to shop, this is the ultimate travel companion for both frequent and first-time visitors!
Content: :
When you think of Viz, you don’t think about a travel guide. But, that’s exactly what Viz did. The book was originally published in Japan in January 2018, and it was translated and released in English in June 2020. It’s a full-color book, in case you are looking at the price tag, and wondering if it’s worth that much. And is it worth that much? Let’s talk about that.
I am in no way an expert when it comes to travel to Japan, but I’ve been to Japan plenty of times and my daughter currently works and lives there. Every time I go to Japan, I learn something new and discover a better way to travel in Japan. In the past, I’ve purchased many travel guides, and quite frankly stopped purchasing them, because it’s so easy to get information all over the internet, including one of my personal favorites, YouTube. Because of the sheer amount of travel information out there at your fingertips, it seems like purchasing a travel guide wouldn’t be worth it. But it just might be, especially during this time when travel seems like a distant dream.
This book is designed well, and that’s probably what sold me on it. For every day of the year, it features something different. So, it highlights a total of 365 different places around Tokyo. What’s nice is that on the bottom right-hand part of the page, it also gives you some additional information including the address, the closest train station, phone number, and hours of operation. This is the sort of book you keep by your couch or the side of your bed with few sticky notes you can use to flag pages of interest. It’s not a book to be devoured in a day. It’s best to slowly savor the pages, and dream of the day your trip to Japan will finally arrive.
I feel like this Tokyo travel guide would be a good adjunct while planning travel to Japan. Of course, if Tokyo is not on your itinerary, then this book may not be very helpful. Also, please note that though the original book was printed in Japan over two and a half years ago, and it could no longer be current. It’s always best to follow up, if you can, by looking it up the place of interest online. One other helpful tip is if you go to Japan during or around the New Year, expect lots of things to be closed. A lot of small places may be closed for many days around the major Japanese holiday.
Content Grade: A
Packaging Grade: A
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: All
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: June 9, 2020
MSRP: $24.99
