Richly illustrated with hundreds of colour photos, Japan Traveler's Companion delves beyond the gaze of traditional guidebooks to uncover the country's rich culinary traditions, pop culture, Samurai heritage, and much more - bringing Japan to life and highlighting the most interesting places to visit in every region of the country. Author Rob Goss is an award-winning travel writer who has lived in Japan for years. He introduces readers to his favourite places to visit in Japan in an engaging way and provides detailed itineraries for each region of the country. In his uniquely illustrated travel guide, the traits and traditions defining major destinations like Tokyo, Kyoto, and the booming winter resort of Niseko, are described, along with other lesser-known parts of Japan that few visitors get to experience - the contemporary 'art island' of Naoshima, the UNESCO World Heritage flora and fauna of Yakushima, and the recovering Tohoku region which was devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Includes: A map of the region shows the location of major sights, all of which are described and shown in the chapter Covers the 86 most important sights in Japan including 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites Introductory chapters on Japanese cuisine, popular culture, and Samurai history. "Many, if not most, travel guides will feature an endless parade of "what to do and see" recommendations, and Rob Goss's work is no different in a sense. But unlike some editions of Lonely Planet and Fodor's, it's clear when opening up Japan: Traveler's Companion for the first time that the book will be anything but dry. The subtitle appearing on its cover is "Japan's most famous sights from Okinawa to Hokkaido," but the inclusion of popular tourist destinations isn't the reason to pick up the book. Amazingly beautiful colorful photos of the country's most famous places will leave you speechless, and Goss includes helpful information for potential visitors about facets of Japanese life such as matsuri, cutting edge technology, and tr...