The Hitchhiker S Guide To Japan

This budget-oriented travel guide intoduces hitching as the way to travel cheaply in Japan. The author gives advice on etiquette and strategies, provides hitchiking itineraries, and cross-references the itineraries with an English-language Japanese road atlas.

It had never been done before. Not in 4000 years of Japanese recorded history had anyone followed the Cherry Blossom Front from one end of the country to the other. Nor had anyone hitchhiked the length of Japan. But, heady on sakura and sake, Will Ferguson bet he could do both. The resulting travelogue is one of the funniest and most illuminating books ever written about Japan. And, as Ferguson learns, it illustrates that to travel is better than to arrive.

This Japan guidebook is perfect for independent travellers planning a longer trip. It features all of the must-see sights and a wide range of off-the-beaten-track places. It also provides detailed practical information on preparing for a trip and what to do on the ground. And this Japan travel guidebook is printed on paper from responsible sources, and verified to meet the FSC’s strict environmental and social standards. This Japan guidebook covers: Tokyo (and around); Northern Honshu; Hokkaido; Central Honshu; Kyoto and Nara; Kansai; Western Honshu; Shikoku; Kyushu; Okinawa. Inside this Japan travel book, you’ll find: A wide range of sights – Rough Guides experts have hand-picked places for travellers with different needs and desires: off-the-beaten-track adventures, family activities or chilled-out breaks Itinerary examples – created for different time frames or types of trip Practical information – how to get to Japan, all about public transport, food and drink, shopping, travelling with children, sports and outdoor activities, tips for travellers with disabilities and more Author picks and things not to miss in Japan – Ginkaku-ji Temple and Gardens, Kyoto; Nikko; Mount Fuji; Ryokan; Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park; Roppongi at Night; Naoshima Island; Hiking the Northern Alps; Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa; Kaiyukan Aquarium Insider recommendations – tips on how to beat the crowds, save time and money, and find the best local spots When to go to Japan – high season, low season, climate information and festivals Where to go – a clear introduction to Japan with key places and a handy overview Extensive coverage of regions, places and experiences – regional highlights, sights and places for different types of travellers, with experiences matching different needs Places to eat, drink and stay – hand-picked restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels Practical info at each site – hours of operation, websites, transit tips, charges Colour-coded mapping – with keys and legends listing sites categorised as highlights, eating, accommodation, shopping, drinking and nightlife Background information for connoisseurs – history, culture, art, architecture, film, books, religion, diversity Essential Japanese dictionary and glossary of local terms Fully updated post-COVID-19 The guide provides a comprehensive and rich selection of places to see and things to do in Japan, as well as great planning tools. It’s the perfect companion, both ahead of your trip and on the ground.

Hitchhikers Guide to Electronics in the ‘90s covers the advances in electronics in a historical context, the microchip technology, which is at the heart of all technological advances, and the major industrial electronics power houses. The book tackles what’s most interesting about electronics, such as the democratizing effects of technology, profits in electronics, and the importance of electronics, and then defines terminologies related to the componentry of the electronics industry. The text discusses the beneficiaries of electronics and the sectors of the electronics industry (i.e. computers, consumers, telecommunications, industrial, transportation, and military). The issues in chip technology including the importance of chips; vast cost of chip research and development and production; effect of erratic chip supplies on equipment companies; East/West imbalance in chip production; and the American and Japanese approaches to chip-making are also considered. The book concludes by describing the trends in electronics for the ‘90s, including the innovation, development, and rock-bottom cost of the technology. Students of electronics engineering and practicing electronics engineers will find this book useful.

“Arguably the greatest living travel writer” (Outside magazine), Pico Iyer has called Japan home for more than three decades. But, as he is the first to admit, the country remains an enigma even to its long-term residents. In A Beginner’s Guide to Japan, Iyer draws on his years of experience—his travels, conversations, readings, and reflections—to craft a playful and profound book of surprising, brief, incisive glimpses into Japanese culture. He recounts his adventures and observations as he travels from a meditation hall to a love hotel, from West Point to Kyoto Station, and from dinner with Meryl Streep to an ill-fated call to the Apple service center in a series of provocations guaranteed to pique the interest and curiosity of those who don’t know Japan—and to remind those who do of its myriad fascinations.

The books that we choose to keep -- let alone read -- can say a lot about who we are and how we see ourselves. In My Ideal Bookshelf, dozens of leading cultural figures share the books that matter to them most; books that define their dreams and ambitions and in many cases helped them find their way in the world. Contributors include Malcolm Gladwell, Thomas Keller, Michael Chabon, Alice Waters, James Patterson, Maira Kalman, Judd Apatow, Chuck Klosterman, Miranda July, Alex Ross, Nancy Pearl, David Chang, Patti Smith, Jennifer Egan, and Dave Eggers, among many others. With colorful and endearingly hand-rendered images of book spines by Jane Mount, and first-person commentary from all the contributors, this is a perfect gift for avid readers, writers, and all who have known the influence of a great book.

Hitchhiking may be an ancient mode of travel but in Japan it is considered folly. Which is precisely its attraction to henna gaijin ("weird foreigner") Will Ferguson, who is determined to thumb the entire length of the country following sakura - the surge of cherry blossoms that each year ignites the landscape. Starting out from tropical Cape Sata, the small southernmost metropolis where gardeners dust volcanic ash from their flowers, he heads north for distant Hokkaido, still snow laden. It is a journey full of hilarious misadventures and revelations. Whether Ferguson is doing the forbidden and not knowing it, or holding "conversations by non sequitur," he experiences Japan in unusual and even profound ways.

Traveling to another world, either by accident, magic summoning, death, cruel twist of fate, on a research assignment, or just on vacation, means dealing with a whole lot of change all at once. In this compilation, the authors of the SAKKA KEIHAN writing circle explore the ins and outs of what to expect when you’ve been transported to another plane of existence. Six different short stories cover the authors’ ruminations on how to get by in these other worlds, whether you’re headed over voluntarily or finding yourself just trying to survive. You’ll probably want to bring a towel; things are going to get slimy. Don’t think it’ll save you from a fireball, however.