I lived in Japan for 13 years, worked and lived in Yokohama and Tokyo (as well as other places) and I would have loved to have had Matthew Baxter’s book, Tokyo Outdoors: 45 Walks, Hikes… or its equivalent when I lived there, and that is why it gets five stars. It’s not perfect, at least not for me, although it might be for others. The format is useful and it’s a good book to have on your phone with immediate access to google maps of each location. I would argue it’s ideal for your phone as there’s no in-depth history, just a brief overview of each place mentioned. The information regarding practicalities is spot on from what I remember. There’s an emphasis on shopping, especially modern shopping malls and upmarket shopping experiences. The recommended coffee shops and meal spots all have something a little different about them, but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to find them; you’re never going to lack for good, reasonably priced food in Tokyo. Coffee is overpriced as it is everywhere. I was surprised by some notable omissions. No mention of Meiji Jingu Shrine or the wonderful Iris gardens on the walk to the shrine. No mention of Yasakuni shrine, contentious certainly but also important and close to the Imperial Palace, and no mention of Kanda Myojin Temple, well worth a visit quite close to Akihabara. And while the youth culture of Harajaku is mentioned along with Ometosando Hills a high end shopping area, The Oriental Bazaar just down the road doesn’t get a look in. And it’s a fantastic place to see arts and crafts from all around Japan, being sold at reasonable prices. I would also argue that two of the places he suggests as day trips are just too far away, and really need you to stay there to appreciate them in full. They are Nikko and Karuizawa. I would add Kawagoe on the west of Tokyo for an easy and interesting day trip and the Hakone area can be explored in a long day much more easily than heading further out. ( )

I won a copy of this book.

I'm planning a trip to Japan in a few years. This book has given me many thing to add to my agenda when traveling there. The book has a realy nice layout, with a map of the whole area at the beginning of it. I love that the author goes further with adding in places nearby those areas, and suggesting things like where to stop for food and such. ( )

In planning. my dream vacation to Japan, I want to make sure that I do things off of the usual tourist maps. Yes, I want to see all of the touristy things - even the traps! But I also want to be able to venture off on routes that only the locals might visit and savor. Matthew Baxter's knowledge of Tokyo is evident, as is his love for the richness of its culture. His descriptions and insights virtually beg you to drop the usual travel guides and wander off with him for an even deeper taste of what the city has to offer. I have already tagged several of his recommended excursions and woud get them all in if I could! ( )

I received this book through the Early Reviewers program.

Tokyo Outdoors is a guide to explore Tokyo and the surrounding areas by walking, hiking, and cycling. The book starts with map of the area with the routes shown on it. Next, there is a short section of essential information. The 45 routes form the main section of the book. The back of the book divides the routes by interests.

The routes start with a title, distance and whether it is best by foot and/or bike. There is a nice map with a QR code to open a custom Google Map. Next is a short description along with how to get to the starting point. Places of interest are indicated by a number on the map and have paragraph long descriptions. Most routes have a recommended cafe and/or meal spot. There are a couple pictures under each walk. The back of the book has a one page list of useful Japanese.

I am looking forward to doing some walks with this book. It is a good size to carry around and looks to have just the right amount of information. ( )

Tokyo Outdoors is compact but filled with lots of information. It’s perfect for anyone planning a trip to Japan’s capital or for armchair travelers. It contains suggested routes (including distances), a list of festivals, some Japanese phrases (including the hiragana) and a wealth of maps of the city and subway. These maps are accessible from Google Maps via the QR codes throughout the book. Both popular tourist destinations and lesser known sites are featured. Locations of cherry blossoms are clearly marked. Most routes are just two pages but Baxter includes what to see, how to get there, hours of operation and any costs (in yen) and discounts as well as shopping opportunities. He doesn’t forget to point out where to get a snack or a meal. He has spent a number of years living in Tokyo so he has a good handle on where to go for what. There are small black and white photographs (in color in the Kindle version) as well as an index. This was a fun read. If you have never been to Japan, you might want to book your flight after reading Tokyo Outdoors. ( )