A review by brona
Lonely Planet Japanese Phrasebook & Dictionary by Lonely Planet, Laura Crawford

4.0

The Lonely Planets are always useful for the planning stages of any holiday, although when I first picked up this new edition Japan, I felt overwhelmed by how much choice there was and didn't know where to start.

I found that the highlights at the beginning of each section helped to narrow down the choices, as did the beautiful photograph montages in the middle of most of the sections.

When we're actually on the ground, the LP helps with things like train stations, connections and useful tips about taxi's, money etc.

In previous books we've also enjoyed the walking trails, and look forward to trying out some of the Japan ones next year.

However, I don't find the LP at all useful for booking accommodation. We don't want expensive and we don't want budget, which is what the LP seems to do best. We prefer to trawl the internet for good deals and interesting places to stay.

The Japan guide has been a useful place to get us started, but we supplement their practical information with internet searches, word of mouth and other guides (like the DK ones that give a good sense of the history and culture of the place).

Love the cover on this edition in particular as we're planning a blossom time visit to Japan.