Japan by Rail.

Idioma: INGLÉS.
Autor: Ramsey Zarifeh.
ISBN 978-1-873756-97-3.
2ª edición.
480 páginas.
65 mapas.
30 fotos a color.
120 mm x 180 mm.

Japan is steeped in legend and myth, perhaps the greatest of which is the popular misconception that the country is simply too expensive to visit. The truth is that flights to Japan are cheaper than they've ever been, accommodation can be great value, while the warm hospitality which awaits every visitor costs nothing at all. The real secret to travelling around the country on a budget, however, is the Japan Rail Pass. With this pass you can travel on some of the fastest trains in the world as often as you like for as long as you please - and all for one bargain price. Use this comprehensive guide in conjunction with a rail pass to get the most out of your trip to Japan.

Practical information - planning your trip; what to take; getting to Japan from Europe, North America and Australasia

City guides and maps - where to stay (all budgets), where to eat, what to see in 29 towns and cities; historical and cultural background

Kilometre-by-kilometre route guides - covering train journeys from the coast into the mountains, from temple retreat to sprawling metropolis and from sulphurous volcano to windswept desert; 34 route maps

Railway timetables - bullet trains and all routes in this guidebook

Plus - customs, etiquette, Japanese phrases and 30 colour photos

NTRODUCTION
PART 1: PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Routes and costs
Route options 9 – Costs 9
When to go 11
Rail passes
The Japan Rail Pass 12 – Regional Japan Rail passes 13 – Getting a rail pass 16 – Exchange orders 20 – How to use the rail pass 21
Suggested itineraries
General itineraries 22 – Regional itineraries 24
Getting to Japan 27
Before you go
Passports and visas 31 – Health and insurance 32 – What to take 32 – Money 33 – Suggested reading 33
PART 2: JAPAN
Facts about the country
Geography 36 – History 36 – Politics 41 – Economy 42 – Religion 43 – The people 44 – Sport 44 – Culture 46
Practical information for the visitor
Arriving in Japan 50 – Tourist information 51 – Getting around 52 – Accommodation 54 – Where to eat 59 – Nightlife and entertainment 62 – Media 63 – Electricity 63 – Time 63 – Banks and money matters 63 – Post and telecommunications 64 – Museums and tourist attractions 66 – Festivals 66 – National holidays 67 – Language 67 – Assistance 68 – Shopping 69 – Activities 71
PART 3: THE RAIL NETWORK
Railway history
Pioneering early days 73 – Nationalization and expansion 74 – Arrival of the bullet train 74 – Maglev: the future? 77 – Steam railways 78
The railway
Japan Rail today 79 – The trains 81 – Alternatives to a Japan Rail Pass 84 – Timetables 85 – Buying a ticket 85 – Making seat reservations 86 – Railway staff 87 – Station facilities 88 – Bicycles 89
PART 4: GATEWAYS – TOKYO AND OSAKA
Tokyo
What to see and do 90 – Practical information 105 – Side trips from Tokyo (Yokohama 110, Kamakura 112, Tokyo Disney Resort 113, Hakone 113, Nikko 114) Osaka
What to see and do 116 – Practical information 121
PART 5: HONSHU
Central Honshu
Route guide 127 (Tokyo to Nagoya by shinkansen 127 – Tokyo to Nagano by shinkansen 134 – Nagano to Nagoya via Matsumoto 138 – Nagano to Nagoya via Toyama and Takayama 141 – Nagano to Nagoya via Toyama and Kanazawa 149) City guides Shizuoka 154 – Nagoya 159 – Nagano 168 – Matsumoto 174 – Takayama 179 – Kanazawa 185
Kansai
Route guide 192 (Nagoya to Osaka by shinkansen 194 – Nagoya to Osaka via the Kii Peninsula 196)
City guides Kyoto 206 (Side trips from Kyoto 220) – Nara 224 – Side trip to Koya-san 230
Western Honshu
Route guide 233 (Osaka to Shin-Yamaguchi by shinkansen 233 – Shin-Yamaguchi to Masuda 242 – Masuda to Matsue 247 – Matsue back to Kyoto/Osaka 249) City guides Kobe 250 – Okayama 256 – Hiroshima 261 (Side trip to Miyajima 268) – Matsue 271
Tohoku (Northern Honshu)
Route guide 278 (Tokyo to Hachinohe 280 – Hachinohe to Aomori 296 – Aomori to Tokyo via Akita and Niigata 297)
City guides Sendai 308 – Aomori 316 – Niigata 320
PART 6: HOKKAIDO
Route guide Aomori to Hakodate 328 – Hakodate to Sapporo 331 – Sapporo to Asahikawa 337 – Asahikawa to Abashiri 338 – Abashiri to Kushiro 341 – Kushiro to (Sapporo and) Asahikawa 346
City guides Hakodate 350 – Sapporo 356 – Asahikawa 365
PART 7: KYUSHU
Route guide Shin-Yamaguchi to Fukuoka/Hakata by shinkansen 372 – Fukuoka/Hakata to Nagasaki 376 – Fukuoka/Hakata to Kagoshima via Kumamoto 379 – Kokura to Miyazaki 382 – Side trip from Kumamoto or Oita to Mt Aso 387
City guides Fukuoka/Hakata 389 – Nagasaki 396 – Kumamoto 404 – Kagoshima 409
PART 8: SHIKOKU
Route guide Okayama to Takamatsu 418 – Takamatsu to Kochi 419 – Kochi to Uwajima 423 – Uwajima to Matsuyama 426 – Matsuyama to Okayama 427
City guides Takamatsu 430 – Kochi 437 – Matsuyama 442
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Using the rail route guide 449
Appendix B: Glossary 450
Appendix C: Useful words and phrases 452
Appendix D: Timetables 456
INDEX 473
MAP KEY 480