Lonely Planet Japan: Lonely Planet is by-and-away our favorite travel guide to Japan. We have even used it when scouting for hiking destinations. The sole downside about any Lonely Planet guide is the emphasis on cheap travel. While this can be welcome when one is on a tight budget or visiting a less expensive country, in a wealthy country like Japan, such pennypinching can seriously detract from your travel pleasure.

In order to savor some of the greatest delights in Japan, you will have to pay the price. Don’t feel bad — these aren’t “tourist” prices, they are the same prices the Japanese pay also. Assuage your conscience by reminding yourself that you cannot eat at Maxim’s of Paris on a MacDonald’s budget.

Despite our one small reservation we heartily recommend Lonely Planet both for the first time traveller and for residents of Japan.

Dave Barry Does Japan: Surprisingly, Dave Barry Does Japan has some serious commentary on Japan. Some of his best work is the contrast between Japan and the U.S.; I found myself nodding in agreement at many of his observations, and I was amazed at the keenness of his perceptions after only a two-week trip to Japan. Fortunately, the book has its usual juvenilia which, combined with its brevity, makes this one of the best books to read on a long flight over to Japan.

APA Insight Guides: Tokyo: Like Exploring Japan, this book could serve not only as a wonderful supplement to a vacation in Japan, it could substitute for a trip to Japan. In fact, you couldn’t possibly see and do as much as is recorded in this delightful book in less than a couple of very expensive months. Unlike Exploring, the emphasis is on full-page size, visually stunning photographs.

Day Walks From Tokyo and More Day Walks from Tokyo: If you are a hiker living in Tokyo, these are the two books that you must have. We have hiked a good many of the trails listed, and they are outstanding choices. My personal recommendation is Kuratake — if you are lucky, you may have a good view of Fuji-san from up on the ridge. Kuratake also is charming in that goes from one station to the next on the Chuo-sen, and you will not have to retread any ground.

But before you traipse off into the hinterlands of Japan, it is a smart idea to also purchase good topography maps for any hike that you make. These gorgeous maps are available in pocket sizes; look for the little black books in the “maps” sections of places like Kinokuniya and Maruzen.

Hiking in Japan: An Adventurer's Guide to the Mountain Trails: If you have the time to get out of Tokyo and do more serious hiking, this is an excellent guide. But, like Day Walks, it certainly helps if you are confident in your Japanese abilities. Again, we recommend you acquire the topographic maps before you go traipsing off in the woods.

Exploring Kiryu, Ashio, and Nikko: Everyone who visits Japan is obligated to visit Nikko; we think that there is a hidden codicil in your ticket purchase. Despite the completely tourist nature of Nikko, the surrounding area is one of great natural beauty. This guide is great for finding nice short walks through the mountains in the area. Be warned that often these can also have many hikers, particularly on the weekends; anyone has done the trails around, say, Kamakura or a climb of Fuji-san in season can tell you about hiking in a thick crowd of people.

Tokyo Metropolitan Area Rail & Road Atlas English/Japanese: We cannot give this book our whole-hearted recommendation, though it certainly can be a very useful guide for someone who will be in Tokyo for a short stay. It’s not that it is wrong in any one place, but it can be misleading. For instance, the list of locations in the back is fine, but Tokyo is the world’s greatest metropolis with a challenging addressing system, and this book is a very small one. There will be significant gaps between its cursory listings and where you actually want to go. Rate it as a tourist book par excellence. But buy one of the real map books in Japanese, like the next entry, if you reside in Tokyo.

Ookii na ji no chizuu Toukyou 7000: If you are going to be in Tokyo for a while, this is the map book you want. This is a favorite with cab drivers, who will be very pleased if you can show them where in this book you want to go. Our advice on how to make best of this use with a cabby: beforehand, make a good photocopy of the page in question (don't leave out the page number!); circle your destination on it; and write the address and telephone number on the other side of the photocopy. No communication worries at all.