Japan by Rail: Includes Rail Route Guide and 30 City Guides

Book is very informative and offers lots of valuable information. Highly recommended.

This is the second time I’ve used this guide to plan a trip to Japan. (Having benefitted from a previous edition, I bought this updated version.) The information contained herein is up-to-date and accurate, and I’ve used the guide to plan daily train trips from cruise ports in Japan. I don’t like to carry excess items, but this guidebook has been indispensable in making the most of each and every day. It contains money-saving tips on rail passes and regional discounts that easily pay for the book. I use a magic marker to indicate routes I’ve taken previously on the many maps in the book to ensure I take different lines to see different sights. After taking two long trips in Japan using this guidebook, I wouldn’t take another without it.

Wow I think the most detailed book I hv seen so far. Adding a big map of all the trains will be very helpful.

I've skimmed through this a few times, but it's heavily influenced by the JR rail pass to the point it reads more like an advertisement than a real guidebook. The JR rail pass cost went up this year and isn't really a great choice anymore unless you are going to be traveling by rail very often during your trip and only along JR covered rails and busses. Municipal Subways are not covered by the JR Rail Pass and not even all train lines. There are calculators online now that you can plot your trip and decide if it's right for you.

Perfecte Besorgung

As frequent visitor and former resident of Japan I’ve bought countless guides over the years. Many end up being ignored or even discarded en route as their weight, size ratios often don’t stand up to their usefulness . Other than Timeout’s Tokyo guide ( sadly not updated anymore but still worth having a read through ) this is the only book worth investing in . Lonely Planet , Fodor’s ,Insight , whilst , Eyewitness guides may been visually very appealing ( love Dorling Kindersley’s “birds eye “ neighbourhood maps, from my experience these guides are clunky ( this is quite portable in comparison ) and the info often generic and worse often inaccurate . Of course guides date very quickly and things change but The Rail Guide is so well put together that’s even the older editions are still good sources . What sets this guide apart from the other famous guides is that both the authors have lived and worked in Japan and speak Japanese - many contributors just travel there occasionally and don’t know the language which does make a huge difference to the quality of the info . Even if you’re not planning on investing in a JR pass ( though you’d be crazy not to as this is only open to non residents and is great value for money ) this is still a great guide as it’s so comprehensive and great for working out itineraries and spontaneous side trips - it will also help you avoid the ever increasing issue of over tourism by giving you alternatives to the typical Tokyo, Kyoto , Nara routes . Other than this guide if you’re new to Japan I also suggest looking at Timeout Tokyo & Tokyo Weekender for up to date listings of events in the capital .

Very detailed guide helpful if you travel on your own a useful reference book for future trips