From serene Buddhist temples to the world's busiest intersection, experience the cosmopolitan culture, deeply embedded history, and legendary cuisine of Japan's top cities. Inside Moon Tokyo, Kyoto & Hiroshima you'll find:
Flexible itineraries for 1 to 5 days in Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima that can be combined into a longer trip
Must-see highlights and unique experiences: Stroll Kyoto's Philosopher's Path, learn about Hiroshima's history at the Peace Park, and marvel at the towering bronze Buddha in Nara's Toda-ji temple. Get a taste of Tokyo's epic nightlife, stay in a traditional ryokan, or soak up views of Mount Fuji
The best local flavors: Indulge in a beautiful, multi-course kaiseiki, and feast on fresh sushi or savory ramen. Make your way through the largest fish market in Toyko, sample sake, and get acquainted with Japanese whiskeys at a tasting room
Ideas for side trips from each city, including Yokohama, Nara, and Kobe
Expert insight from American expat and longtime Tokyo local Jonathan DeHart
Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
Background information on the landscape, history, and conduct and cultural customs of each city
Helpful resources on Covid-19 and traveling to Japan
Handy tools such as visa information, train travel tips, a Japanese phrasebook, and more
Read on for a brief excerpt from the book…
Fragrant smoke wafts from a food stall under the train tracks beyond Ginza's glitz, where Tokyo office workers unwind over skewers of grilled chicken and beer. In Kyoto, monks rise before the first rays of sunlight spread across a temple's grounds, starting their day reading sutras before an elaborate altar. Meanwhile, in the shadow of Hiroshima's Atomic Bomb Dome, schoolchildren ring a large bronze bell and pray for world peace, their hopes carried aloft with the resonant hum.
Few places offer as wide a range of experiences in such a compact swath of terrain as Japan's cultural and geographic heart, stretching roughly from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Within a few hours by train––and the occasional ferry thrown in––you'll discover high-octane cities, medieval towns, shimmering seascapes, and mouthwatering cuisine, from the greasy to the refined. All throughout, you'll also encounter cutting-edge technology and colorful pop culture balanced by ancient tradition and boundless spiritual depth. In short, within this region, you'll find the very best of Japan.
Beyond the most popular stops––Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima––this region contains Hakone's hot springs, Mount Fuji's snowcapped cone, Uji's tea fields, Himeji's soaring white castle, Okayama's picture-perfect garden, Kurashiki's romantic canal district, and a constellation of islands strewn across the sparkling Inland Sea, from the funky, forward-looking "art islands" to the holy isle of Miyajima. And this only scratches the surface.
Seasoned globetrotters routinely rate Tokyo and Kyoto among the most satisfying cities to visit in the world in polls done by top international travel magazines. A trip that combines these two stops with jaunts off the radar will surprise and satisfy even the experienced traveler. And remember: Even Tokyo and Kyoto have their quiet sides.
Wherever you go, a journey to Japan's core is most of all a chance to experience the omotenashi (hospitality) of the people, from the faultless service of a restaurant in a Kyoto townhouse to the simple kindness of a family-owned inn. Despite a modern history fraught with challenges, the legendarily welcoming Japanese have continuously reinvented themselves, yet managed to retain their soul. Whether you're craving a culinary quest, a cultural deep-dive, a romantic getaway, a spiritual escape, or an adventure with friends, this accessible slice of Japan has something for everyone. So, go, and savor the essence of this remarkable country, unlike any other.
— Excerpt from Moon Tokyo, Kyoto & Hiroshima
