NEW Lonely Planet Japan travel guide out now!


Japan is truly timeless, a place where ancient traditions are fused with modern life as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Lonely Planet is your passport to Japan, with amazing travel experiences and the best planning advice.

Click HERE to buy the Lonely Planet Japan travel guide

Find temples, teahouses and culture in Kyoto, relax in onsen after onsen, sample beautifully presented, sublime dishes; all with your trusted travel companion.

Lonely Planet writer Rebecca Milner describes why she loves Japan. "I've lived in Tokyo for over 15 years now and am continuously surprised - sometimes on a daily basis - by something new. Such is the joy of living in a place that prides itself on constant renewal and reinvention; it seriously never gets old. Over the years I have had many opportunities to introduce visiting family and friends to japan. The awe on their faces when first seeing Kyoto's golden temple, Kinkakuji, or experiencing the kindness of complete strangers never fails to take me back to the moment I first arrived and was instantly smitten."

Japan Top 10

1. Kyoto

2. Onsen

3. Japanese Cuisine

4. Staying in a Ryokan

5. Tokyo

6. Daibutsu (Great Buddha) of Nara

7. Cherry-Blossom viewing Hanami

8. Naoshima

9. Kumano Kodō

10. Tsumago Magome


Inside Lonely Planet’s Japan Travel Guide:

- Full-colour maps and images throughout

- Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests

- Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trou-ble spots

- Honest review for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss

- Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - Japan Today, History, The
- People of Japan, Arts, Architecture & Gardens, Environment, Sport, Traditional Accommodation, Food, Drink, Onsen, Religion, Sumo

- Free, convenient pull-out city map (included in print version), plus over 139 colour maps

Coverage includes: Tokyo, Mt Fuji, The Japan Alps, Central Honshū, Kyo-to, Kansai, Hiroshima, Western Honshū, Northern Honshū (Tōhoku), Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Shiko-ku, Kyūshū, Okinawa & the Southwest and more

Curator: Rebecca Milner

Writers: Ray Bartlett, Andrew Bender, Samantha Forge, Craig McLachlan, Kate Morgan, Thomas O'Malley, Simon Richmond, Phillip Tang, Benedict Walker, Stephanie d’Arc Taylor

Get to the heart of Japan and begin your journey now!