Favorite Kyoto Guidebooks and background reading?
Aug 6th, 2006, 06:15 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Favorite Kyoto Guidebooks and background reading?
I'm beginning to get serious about planning a trip to Kyoto. I'd love to hear your recommendations for guidebooks and backgroud reading. I've been browsing Amazon and want to buy most of them...
Aug 6th, 2006, 06:33 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,034
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I really enjoyed "Untangling My Chopsticks" - not a guidebook at all but a foreigner's take on learning the art of tea kaiseki. Great description of food and customs and the learning process.
Consider taking the 2 1/2 hour train trip to Kanazawa and we'll show you around.
Consider taking the 2 1/2 hour train trip to Kanazawa and we'll show you around.
Aug 6th, 2006, 06:34 PM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have five or six books. One that I brought with me and came in handy was Kyoto A Cultural Guide by John H. and Phyllis G. Martin. This book went into very detailed descriptions of many of the sights which comes in very handy as there is often little English signage and/or leaflets and brochures. But it is around 350 pages to carry around ;-)
Aug 6th, 2006, 07:54 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the recommendations. I'll look for those. Keep the suggestions coming!
Kim, what a lovely invitation! As our plans firm up, I'll see if we can make that work out for all of us. We'd love to visit!
Kim, what a lovely invitation! As our plans firm up, I'll see if we can make that work out for all of us. We'd love to visit!
Aug 6th, 2006, 08:34 PM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,034
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kathy, really do think it over because I mean it...if you want to come you are more than welcome. If you wanted, we could arrange it so you could even stay at our house rather than a hotel...it's not a special house, but it is comfortable and very Japanese in a cute, very old traditional neighborhood, and we quite like the house and the neighbors. We've got 3 bedrooms that are real bedrooms, and 2 more rooms that easily accomodate futons on the floor Japanese style. Air conditioning and heating. You could even choose bed or futon, first or second floor, as we all don't mind much where we sleep.
My early morning walks are always entertainment for me. We've got the local pickle shop, sweets shop, fish shop, tofu shop, rice shop, rice vinegar shop...all within 5 minutes walk. And we are 15 minutes leisurely walk to the downtown area of Kanazawa Katamachi/Kohrinbo. And, we just bought a new car that seats 7, Volkswagen Touran (not sold in US) that will be delivered when we return to Japan at the end of this month. We could drive you around comfortably.
You know, two other Fodorites have come through Kanazawa and we've met. It's really nice to put a face to a name, and it's fun for us to have visitors.
It might be best, though, to put any concrete plans into an e-mail or phone call. You can e-mail me at teaghanmackenzie @ mac.com close the gaps to make the address work.
So any time in the planning, fire off an e-mail if you think you'd like to visit us or if you need some specific kinds of help with booking rooms...you know that many, many places charge rack rates only English and have buckets of discounts for Japanese...so I feel joy by getting the Japanese language rate for tourists because I just don't think it's fair.
My early morning walks are always entertainment for me. We've got the local pickle shop, sweets shop, fish shop, tofu shop, rice shop, rice vinegar shop...all within 5 minutes walk. And we are 15 minutes leisurely walk to the downtown area of Kanazawa Katamachi/Kohrinbo. And, we just bought a new car that seats 7, Volkswagen Touran (not sold in US) that will be delivered when we return to Japan at the end of this month. We could drive you around comfortably.
You know, two other Fodorites have come through Kanazawa and we've met. It's really nice to put a face to a name, and it's fun for us to have visitors.
It might be best, though, to put any concrete plans into an e-mail or phone call. You can e-mail me at teaghanmackenzie @ mac.com close the gaps to make the address work.
So any time in the planning, fire off an e-mail if you think you'd like to visit us or if you need some specific kinds of help with booking rooms...you know that many, many places charge rack rates only English and have buckets of discounts for Japanese...so I feel joy by getting the Japanese language rate for tourists because I just don't think it's fair.
Aug 7th, 2006, 04:24 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,396
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree with <i>Untangling My Chopsticks</i> -- it's an easy read and a good view of [a slice of] Japanese life and customs as seen through an American's eyes.
My favorite guidebook, by far, is Diane Durston's <i>Kyoto: Seven Paths to the Heart of the City</i>. The author describes in great detail seven walks in and around Kyoto, and the book is filled with mouth-watering photos. The book (it's an oversize paperbound) both was fantastic preparation before my trip and an equally fantastic reminder afterwards.
Durston also authored the guidebook <i>Old Kyoto, A Guide to Traditional Shops and Inns</i>, but I didn't find that to be nearly as useful.
My favorite guidebook, by far, is Diane Durston's <i>Kyoto: Seven Paths to the Heart of the City</i>. The author describes in great detail seven walks in and around Kyoto, and the book is filled with mouth-watering photos. The book (it's an oversize paperbound) both was fantastic preparation before my trip and an equally fantastic reminder afterwards.
Durston also authored the guidebook <i>Old Kyoto, A Guide to Traditional Shops and Inns</i>, but I didn't find that to be nearly as useful.
Aug 7th, 2006, 04:51 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 574
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bonjour Kathie,
"Kyoto, A Contemplative Guide" by G. Mosher (Tuttle, ISBN 0-8048-1294-2).
It is a tour of most of the historical landmarks, commented from the perspective of the role they have played in the history of Kyoto and Japan. A great guide and a fine work of litterature. The only caveat is that the information "on how to get there" is a bit dated (1993).
"Kyoto, A Contemplative Guide" by G. Mosher (Tuttle, ISBN 0-8048-1294-2).
It is a tour of most of the historical landmarks, commented from the perspective of the role they have played in the history of Kyoto and Japan. A great guide and a fine work of litterature. The only caveat is that the information "on how to get there" is a bit dated (1993).
Aug 7th, 2006, 09:09 AM
#9
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 6,369
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kathie:
I'm not mr.w
but we used what I thought was a unique book on Kyoto called "Old Kyoto - A Guide to Traditional Shops, Restaurants & Inns" by Diane Durston.
It tells you where all the old interesting(at least to us) shops and restaurants are located in Kyoto. Picked up a copy on Amazon for a couple of bucks as I remember it. The best two bucks I've spent in a while. Also used Frommers "Kyoto" for hotel and sightseeing recs.
Consider a daytrip to Nara....really worth the effort.
Aloha!
I'm not mr.w
but we used what I thought was a unique book on Kyoto called "Old Kyoto - A Guide to Traditional Shops, Restaurants & Inns" by Diane Durston. It tells you where all the old interesting(at least to us) shops and restaurants are located in Kyoto. Picked up a copy on Amazon for a couple of bucks as I remember it. The best two bucks I've spent in a while. Also used Frommers "Kyoto" for hotel and sightseeing recs.
Consider a daytrip to Nara....really worth the effort.
Aloha!
Aug 18th, 2006, 07:27 AM
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My first set of books has arrived from Amazon. Florence, your recommendation is long out of print, but I located a copy and it is being shipped. I'm sure I will have more questions as time goes on.
Many thanks for all the recommendations!
Many thanks for all the recommendations!
Aug 29th, 2006, 11:05 AM
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Spellbound, it sounds like you need to pick up a basic guidebook to help you formulate what you want to do and see in Japan. Take a look at the Fodors, Frommers, Insight, or Lonely Planet guides, for instance.
If you have a specific question, do post it as a separate question. Otherwise the people who know are unlikely to respond. The books recommended to me are excellent books, but are focussed on Kyoto.
If you have a specific question, do post it as a separate question. Otherwise the people who know are unlikely to respond. The books recommended to me are excellent books, but are focussed on Kyoto.
