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This book is VERY clever. I was last in Tokyo ~17 years ago, (so we didn't have Google maps or smartphones yet) and I used only guidebooks and a printed book of maps to get around. Now that both these things exist, this book does a great job of incorporating links to pre-delineated Google directions for each of the routes. Each route also has points of interest, with lots of inexpensive food options (the author states that he's committed to keeping the route info updated, which is rare for guidebooks, as they can easily go out-of-date). I was also excited to see some of the more hidden places that I found during my brief time in the city mentioned in the text. The images and location descriptions gave me that ~~*natsukashii*~~ feeling and made me want to hustle back to Tokyo with this book in tow. Next time I'm in Tokyo I will definitely be doing some of these urban hikes!
Matthew Baxter’s Tokyo Outdoors is a travel guide tailor-made for the traveler interested in exploring the city’s many obscure attractions as well as the familiar tourist spots. With easy-to-follow maps and informative descriptions, this concise guide is the perfect companion book to make your trip an intriguing and memorable adventure.
This is one of those truly fantastic books that should be in every traveller's backpack or Kindle, if they're visiting Tokyo. It has a wealth of information about everything you'll find in that gigantic city but, even more importantly, it has easy to follow subway instructions for getting around. Tokyo isn't tourist-friendly when it comes to readable signage, and that includes subway signs. Of course, apps are making it easier and easier, but it's still not as easy as having clear instructions in your own language whenever going out, and this book does that. I'm keeping this one in my Kindle, and I'll be buying a physical copy next time I head to the Rising Sun.
I wish I had had this book when I lived in Tokyo many years ago. In the year that I lived there, I spent many days walking around the city, seeking out various sights and museums (without smartphone or Internet). I gradually discovered how the various wards and neighborhoods all have their own distinct characters, from quiet residential streets to bustling shopping districts, to verdant parks. For someone who doesn't have a year to learn their way around Tokyo, this book offers an excellent way to make the most of your time there, with a wide selection of walking and biking routes that will give you a feel for the wonderful variety that Tokyo has to offer. Each route in the book focuses on a specific region, with an easy-to-follow map, and descriptions of the highlights (shopping, historical sites, temples, shrines, etc.). I really appreciated the books' attention to detail, such as recommendations on days of the week to take (or avoid) a particular route. There are also suggestions on places to eat or drink along the routes. "Tokyo Outdoors" also includes some routes somewhat outside of the Tokyo area, such as Mount Takao, to the east, and Yokohama, including its famous Chinatown. If you're the type of traveler who enjoys getting off the beaten path and appreciates walking as a way to really see a city up close, I would wholeheartedly recommend this book.
I'm planning a trip to Japan in a few years. This book has given me many thing to add to my agenda when traveling there. The book has a realy nice layout, with a map of the whole area at the beginning of it. I love that the author goes further with adding in places nearby those areas, and suggesting things like where to stop for food and such.
