Kyoto Pocket Precincts

Kyoto is steeped in history, tradition and beauty that reflect the changing seasons more than any other city in the world. There are 2,000 temples and shrines to visit, and the intricate culture of geisha, tea houses, Zen gardens and artisan crafts are just as important today as they were a thousand years ago. There are beautiful restaurants in centuries-old houses, but also some of the best street food in the world. In this pocket-size travel guide, seasoned travellers Steve and Michelle offer a curated list of the very best cultural, shopping, eating and drinking experiences in Kyoto, as well as a few suggested field trips in surrounding areas. With a beautiful design, vibrant images and detailed reviews, you'll easily navigate the city's ancient pathways, through to its bonsai gardens. Konnichi wa and welcome to Kyoto!

It’s clear to see why Tokyo is a source of fascination for travellers. Streets of towering neon that never sleep hide warren-like alleys filled with lanterns, vending machines and tiny bars where businessmen drink the latest seasonal beers. Tokyo is a collection of precincts, each with its own personality. Go shopping mad in Shinjuku, tap into Tokyo’s youth culture in Harajuku and Shibuya, go vintage shopping in Koenji, check out the latest gadgets in Akihabara or step back in time in old-world Asakusa. The book is divided into 19 precincts, with a chapter covering each, featuring the very best of Tokyo’s shopping, eating and drinking experiences. Interviews with creative Tokyoites also highlight favourite haunts, and additional information at the front and back offers expert travel tips. Precinct maps make this a handy guidebook, while the hardback cover creates a beautiful keepsake.

A handy, pocket-sized guide to the best of Osaka, plus daytrips further afield. Osaka is Japan's third largest city, often thought of as Tokyo's brash, messy and always hungry cousin. Known for its street food, friendly locals and a thriving band scene, Osaka also knows how to go large. At night, neon signs guide you to tiny bars, live music, and unique places to drink and dance. Osaka Pocket Precincts is crammed with all the tips you'll need to shop, eat, drink and explore this frenetic city, from the world-class Osaka Aquarium, Osaka Castle, Harry Potter World and Spa World (a super sento bathing complex), to the giant effigies of puffer fish, crabs and gyoza dumplings that line the colorful streets around Dotonbori. Head to old town Shinsekai for Japan's favorite street foods, okonomiyaki, takoyaki and kushikatsu. Shop with Osaka's design crowd on hip Orange Street, stopping for the perfect cup of syphoned coffee or craft beer. This curated guide covers all the major areas, the best ramen hotspots, vintage shops, backstreet bars and coffee joints sprinkled throughout the city. Maps are included to help you navigate the city streets and attractions. And you'll find recommended field trips outside the city to Nara, Wakayama, the spiritual retreat of Mount Koya and Arima Onsen. Slip this guide into your pocket and head off to experience the very best of Osaka.

Hidden Pockets in Kyoto is your guide to losing yourself in this Japanese city that seamlessly intertwines modern and traditional influences. Whether you’re satisfying your tastebuds in contemporary cafes, wandering among the untarnished architecture of Gion, or heading back in time while visiting ancient temples and shrines, Kyoto is a captivating city to explore. Curated by authors Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh, who consider Japan their ‘home away from home’, this travel guide navigates the country’s cultural capital like a local, with chapters for kissatens (coffee shops), gardens, temples, omiyage (local products), mindful experiences and places to enjoy delectable sweets. Build your day with a variety of half-day and full-day itineraries and bask in Kyoto’s seasonal beauty as you explore lantern-lit alleys that reveal the city’s unique precincts, and uncover hidden artisanal treasures and flavours that will challenge and delight your senses. Venture beyond the metropolis to unearth the heart of the city with this Curious Travel Guide.

Tokyo is a city like no other, a looming contemporary metropolis where every turn is a new adventure. There are bright lights and neon signs, bars under railway bridges, Michelin ramen and sushi, tech, toys and vintage shopping. The crazy, the cute, the chic and the traditional are all flourishing in this city's broad thoroughfares and narrow lanes. Tokyo Pocket Precincts is crammed with all the tips you'll need to shop, eat, drink and explore this truly surprising city, from your morning coffee to your evening on the town. Also included is a selection of 'field trips' to encourage you to explore outside the city, including Nikko, Hakone, Mount Takao, and the cute 'Eno-den' train from Kamakura to Enoshima and Fujisawa.

Couple an extensive food and wine scene with magnificent natural landscapes, and it's not hard to see why Adelaide and South Australia are growing in popularity as tourist destinations. Adelaide Pocket Precincts helps you discover the crafty eateries, small bars, acclaimed boutiques and notable gallery spaces that continue to pop up at a staggering rate. In this pocket-size travel guide, seasoned traveller Sam Trezise offers a curated list of the very best cultural, shopping, eating and drinking experiences in Adelaide. There is also a selection of 'field trips' that encourage you to venture outside the city, covering the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Port Willunga, Victor Harbor and Kangaroo Island. With a beautiful design and fold-out map at the back, you'll soon see that Adelaide's no longer simply a layover destination, or somewhere you visit purely for the festival season. It's now that perfect getaway everyone should have the chance to experience.

Visiting Tokyo, whether for the first, second or hundredth time, is a life-changing experience. As a city, it's dynamic, exciting and resolutely individual - a mesmerising and unrivalled parade of fashion, design, architecture, and high culture experiences and, of course, the best pop culture in the world. It's also a city of fascinating contrasts; whether you're standing in the middle of the Shibuya scramble, a blur of pedestrians rushing by, or standing before a small shrine, quiet and contemplative, you will feel Tokyo's intensity. This stunning travel and cultural guide is a celebration of the roots and the marvels of contemporary Tokyo. It's a tightly curated list of must-see places and experiences and must-do walks as well as the authors' tried-and-tested favourites. It's for people who want to get an up close and personal look at the real Tokyo - the food, the crafts, the hidden finds, the architectural marvels, where to go to get into the thick of it and where to go to escape the madness. This is a specially formatted fixed-layout ebook that retains the look and feel of the print book.

Lonely Planet Pocket Kyoto & Osaka is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on Kyoto & Osaka's can't-miss experiences. Venture to Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine with its signature orange torii gates that wind through the hills, or visit the famous sixteenth century Osaka Castle; all with your trusted travel companion.