Which guidebook for Kyoto?
 

Which guidebook have you found most useful for tourism in Kyoto? Don't need hotel recommendations, or really restaurant recommendations, as much as tourist ideas, transportation & other practical hints, walking tours, etc.

I find lots of Tokyo-specific books (based on my quick review at Borders, I most liked Rough Guide and Frommers; Lonely Planet, my normal travel standby, has print too small for me to read). But I haven't seen anything even online other than Durston's "Old Kyoto," and I wonder if it's too narrowly-focused to be my only Kyoto guidebook for my 3 nights there.

I'd rather not cart around an all-of-Japan book unless it's my best option. I'm only going to be in Tokyo & Kyoto.

I used Kyoto, A Cultural Guide by John and Phyllis Martin. It goes into a great deal of detail for many of the sights. I found that many places had mostly Japanese (duh!) signage with a little bit of English. This book was very helpful in those situations.

Other books to consider - Exploring Kyoto, On Foot in the Ancient Capital by Judith Clancy and Kyoto, A Cultural History by John Dougill.

Hi, tahl -

I found Japan Solo to be extremely useful - lots of information and the best maps I was able to locate.

Enjoy!

tahl, I think that Diane Durston's <i>Kyoto - Seven Paths to the Heart of the City</i> might be ideal for your needs. The book suggests 7 walking tours, and it provides terrific detail, background, maps, and photos for each of the tours. There are also sections on practical matters, Tea Ceremony, crafts, festivals, and maybe a few others. Durston is a good writer and keen observer, and she doesn't bore one to tears with dry history. Her book served me better than any other on my first trip to Kyoto.

It might be an obvious--perhaps too obvious--choice, but consider Fodor's JAPAN. On the basis of three trips to Japan, ranging in length from 5 months to a year, I'd say it's consistently the best and most reliable of the guidebooks.
I think Fodor's would be ideal for a three-day visit to Kyoto. It's broad-ranging, rates sites and attractions, and avoids a narrow focus on one topic. Fodor's conveniently divides Kyoto into sectors and has excellent recommendations for each one. Of course, much of the book is on Tokyo too. What I have done with &quot;all-Japan&quot; books is to use a knife and cut out the parts I won't need. There is lots of useful stuff on Japan as a whole that is useful at the front and back of the book. But I'd rank it above any other general Japan guidebook that I have &quot;field-tested.&quot;