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Off the Beaten Tracks in Japan: A Journey by Train from Hokkaido to Kyushu
Observations on the people, culture, and history of Japan from a long-time resident riding the rails along the less-traveled western coastline.
This journey the length of Japan takes the reader off the beaten tracks to explore some of the country's remoter regions along the Japan Sea—from Wakkanai in northern Hokkaido to Ibusuki in southern Kyushu—in a fascinating mix of travelogue, anecdote, and personal memoir. At each of the thirty stops along the journey the author, who has lived in Japan for thirty years, goes in quest of the spirit of place, determined to highlight what makes it special. Mixing comments on landscape and culture, the author was inspired by Alan Booth and Donald Richie and brings a contemporary perspective to his writing. The text provides some practical information on travel by rail and railway lines, but goes into far more depth and personal observation than a conventional guidebook for tourists.
This journey the length of Japan takes the reader off the beaten tracks to explore some of the country's remoter regions along the Japan Sea—from Wakkanai in northern Hokkaido to Ibusuki in southern Kyushu—in a fascinating mix of travelogue, anecdote, and personal memoir. At each of the thirty stops along the journey the author, who has lived in Japan for thirty years, goes in quest of the spirit of place, determined to highlight what makes it special. Mixing comments on landscape and culture, the author was inspired by Alan Booth and Donald Richie and brings a contemporary perspective to his writing. The text provides some practical information on travel by rail and railway lines, but goes into far more depth and personal observation than a conventional guidebook for tourists.
- GenresJapanNonfictionTravel
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2023
10 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
John Dougill
24 books11 followersJohn Dougill grew up in Grimsby and has spent the rest of his life getting as far away as possible. He currently resides in Kyoto, Japan, where he is professor of British Studies at Ryukoku University. His student days took place at Leeds University and Queen's College, Oxford, in the heady days of the early 1970s when the future beckoned with golden arms. He completed his education at the University of Life when he spent a year travelling round the world: Nepal and Bali were his favourites. As a teacher, he spent three years in the Middle East and seven years in Oxford before moving to Japan in 1986. In addition to the books listed here he has produced twelve Japanese college textbooks and 'Gentleman and Hooligan: The British on Film 1921-1971' by Ryukoku Univ. Press. He completed a PhD in English Literature in 1993, and is now consumed in the fascinations of Japanese spirituality. Amongst his hobbies are chess, haiku and visiting Shinto shrines. He has a particular interest in the spirit of place.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 10, 2023
In the Preface, John Dougill, a long time Japan resident and author of several books about Japan, such as Kyoto: A Cultural History and In Search of Japan’s Hidden Christians, talks aobut influences for his train journey from north to south. He acknowledges the chronicles of his literary predecessors Alan Booth, who walked from the tip of Hokkaido to the bottom of Kyushu and recounted it in his seminal The Roads to Sata, as well as the more recent excursion of Will Ferguson, who did the journey while hitchhiking following the cherry blossoms from north to south in Hokkaido Highway Blues. References to these to these two author’s impressions pop up throughout the book as well. The long north to south structure of the archipelago produces different climates, thus different cultures and local specialties. Throughout the journey Dougill also references many of Japan’s preeminent foreign writers from the past such as Lafcadio Hearn and Isabella Bird as well as the more recent ones who also did the north to south route. More or less, each chapter is a stop on the journey and each section closes with a “On Track” note about each train station and the train line used to get there and what the next stop will be on the route. There are exceptions, for example, one where he goes off course to visit the island of exile, Sado, near Niigata.
The starting point for the journey is Wakkanai in Hokkaido, the farthest point in Japan where the Russian Island of Sakhalin is visible from the shore. Dougill recounts that Hokkaido-Canadian Randal MacDonald convinced a whaling captain to abandon him off Hokkaido on Rishiri Island in 1848 where imprisonment or death awaited intruders during Japan’s self-imposed isolation-transferred to Nagasaki where he became the first English teacher to 12 samurai. Asashikawa-Hokkaido’s second largest city is where Dougill ascends Mt. Asahi, the largest mountain in Hokkaido for the magnificent view of the countryside. Then onto Sapporo, is known for its myriad of food options from seafood to the Jingisukan to miso ramen-which are all discussed at length. Next, while in Otaru, Dougill muses on discriminatory rules such as the one that prevented foreigners form using the public baths in Otaru in the 90s. Shiraori is where he visits an Ainu museum which gives him a chance to discuss the history and legacy of the original inhabitants of Hokkaido the Ainu, whose culture is almost extinct. Somewhat enigmatically his travel companion Hirota-san remarks that Ainu are good are getting subsidies. Next on the itinerary, Hakodate, is one of four ports (Nagasaki, Kobe, and Yokohama the other three) that became open to the outside and this visit gives Dougill a chance to ruminate on Japanese attitudes toward foreigners who are troublesome since they often cannot follow the strict rules of Japanese society and behavior.
Once Dougill crosses from Hokkaido under the Straight of Tsuguru, the next phase of his trip begins in Tohoku (literally the Northeastern part of Honshu). The first stop is Aomori known for their apples and Nebuta summer festival with elaborate floats. Here Dougill uses it as a chance to explore the history of the Jomon period with his visit to Sanmai-Maruyama the World Heritage historical site of a former Jomon settlement. The next stop, Akita, is notable for a car accident Dougill has with his partner Lili and a trip to the Namahage (ogre) museum, which is a local custom to scare children into being good by the red-faced big nosed monsters during a New Year’s ritual. Tsuruoka in Yamagata allows Dougill to discuss Japanese Buddhist practices via the yamabushi (mountain ascetic hermits). In Niigata he makes a diversion, opting to travel via ferry to the isle of Sado, formerly known as the isle of exile. Here he indulges in his four interests on the island: exile (for example, influential Buddhist priest Nichiren), gold (once there were thriving gold mines here), noh (traditional theater, whose founder Zeami was also exiled here), and taiko (the acclaimed drumming group Kodo is based here). And then he stops at Niigata and Joetsu-Myoko, on his entry to Sado, Dougill stops in Niigata city, a sprawling city of nearly 800,000 with little to distinguish itself from other large cities as he notes previous travelers have mentioned in their writings. On his return he opts for Joetsu City. This stop allows Dougill to digress into the nuances of Japanese “pork-barrel politics” and the spoils that rural areas like Niigata have benefitted from.
The next section is in the Hokuriku area and the first stop there, Toyama, gives Dougill the opportunity to catch up with a former English student who had undertaken an arranged marriage over a sumptuous seafood meal highlighting some of the regional delicacies. Here he analyzes the region’s reputation for prosperity as well as the how English often allows Japanese people to be more open than they would be in their native tongue. It is in Kanazawa that Dougill reveals that he started his Japanese journey in the “little Kyoto” and has strong feelings about the city. It is herein this city that he cuts his teeth so to speak and eventually decides to return to Britain after seven years in Kanazawa. However, it seems that somehow, he returns to Japan but to Kyoto. On this return he muses on the changes in himself as well as the city. Dougill continues onto Fukui and that gives him an opportunity to discuss the Japanese Zen tradition by explaining the history and significance of Eihei-ji (Temple of Eternal Peace). In order to continue along the Sea of Japan, train schedules forced Dougill to make a couple of stops to continue onto Tottori city in Tottori. The first stop was Tsurugu, where he takes a loop bus to see the city’s sights, which included a discussion of the history of the city harboring refugees from the Russian revolution and Jews during WWII. Next up was Obama (little beach), which used President Obama’s notoriety to boost its image after his inauguration. And in Fuchiyama a visit to a Zen temple becomes another opportunity to discuss the different sects of Zen Buddhism.
Dougill crosses over from Hokuriku to Chugoku for his next stop Tottori. It is here that he discusses Tottori’s number one attraction: the sand dunes. He also takes advantage of the subsidized taxi tours made available by the city government: 10 stops and three hours in duration for a measly ¥1000. And he also loses his iPhone (in his room it turns out) and has a difficult time with the police reporting it stolen. From there it is onto Matsue in Shimane prefecture, which is known for having of the 12 remaining original standing castles in Japan. This also gives Dougill the opportunity to discuss one of Matsue’s most famous former residents, Lafcadio Hearn, who is well-known for his books on Japan and Japanese ghost stories which he collected. After that he moves onto Izumo in Shimane most famous for its Shinto shrine the second most important after Ise Shrine in Mie prefecture and thus, a discussion of the Shinto religion and its importance in Japanese society. After that Dougill makes something of a detour by taking a train to Tsuwano, a small castle town with a small samurai district where he meets English speaking local guide Akemi who gives him a tour of the town and gives the oral history of the town. Back on the Sea of Japan to the much larger castle town of Hagi in Yamaguchi. Here Dougill ruminates on the Choshu Five, a group of five samurai who went to study in Great Britain in order to modernize Japan. He also meets a potter, Masanori, who used a kiln the old fashion way with wood. The last stop in Honshu is the port city of Shimonoseki where the specialty is fugu which is apparently known as fuku there, which gives Dougill the occasion to make cringe worthy jokes with the term. Other more serious topics include the historical significance as the location for the climax of The Tale of Heike, a discussion of the plight of Korean-Japanese (many of whom live here), and his visit to the isle of Ganryu, famous as the site of a duel between legend Musashi Miyamoto and top swordsman Sasaki Kojiro. There’s an underground tunnel that takes trains to Kyushu underground and this is how Dougill reached the next stop Fukuoka.
The author muses on Kyushu’s independent nature and its distance from Honshu as he partakes in local food and drink with his travel companion, Hirota-san, who has returned to join him on his journey. However, he decides to investigate the region’s past as the site of the Mongol invasions during the 13th and 16th centuries. Here he makes another diversion from his train route to visit Iki island off the coast of Fukuoka. He contemplates rock worship at a local attraction Monkey Rock before returning to his train journey. Back on the main island, Dougill travels to Karatsu and Imari, both of which are known for their pottery production that originated in Korea. The next stop is another unexpected one since it is a little-known town called Hirado that has two main attractions: a reconstructed castle and a reconstructed Dutch trading post. And the latter is the attraction that brought Dougill there. It gives him the opportunity to discuss the Dutch influence on Japan. Kumamoto is next up, and it is an opportunity to discuss Saigo Takamori, Will Adams (the Englishman who inspired James Clavell to write Shogun), as well as address the subject of the Hidden Christians who were persecuted for their religion in the 16th century. Next up on the itinerary was Nagasaki, which also has a strong connection with Dutch traders as Dejima island was the only place in Japan that would allow foreigner sot stay until 1858 when Admiral Perry used gunboat diplomacy to open up Japan to the rest of the world. Furthermore, it is also universally known as the second target for the atomic bomb in WWII, which gives him the opportunity to discuss how the war is interpreted by what refers to as increasingly right wing nationalist Japanese perspective versus the rest of the world. The next stop on the tour is Shimabara with two major attractions a castle and samurai district where he engages a tour guide in a battle of one upmanship about “the Shimabara Rebellion.” Kumamoto follows Shimabara and its castle and eccentric guide relates the history of Saigo Takamori, Japan’s ”last samurai.” Kumamoto was also one of the places Lafcadio Hearn lived, so Dougill pays his respects to his house here as well. And onto Kagoshima where Dougill pursues the three S’s: Satsuma (the feudal domain), Saigo Takamori (“the last samurai”), and Sakurajima (an active volcano). And the final stop on his tour is Ibusuki, the southernmost manned station in Japan. Her he takes a sand bath and meets up with his partner Lili for a proper soak at a hot spring before visiting the Kamikaze Museum, which produces different reactions from the couple-sympathy and gratitude from Lili, while Dougill sees them as dupes of the militaristic government. The trip may be over, but Dougill adds a note, A Brief History of Japanese Railways, with many interesting facts. For example, he points out that 46 of the world’s top 50 busiest stations are in Japan and there are more than 20,000 departures a day.
Overall, Dougill’s trip from the subarctic climate of Hokkaido to the subtropical climate of Kyushu is an informative and enjoyable overview of a fascinating country. Japan may not be as big as many other countries, but it has a long, deep history with distinct regions with different climates, histories, and attractions. I suspect it will be an inspiration for readers to investigate places off the beaten tracks in Japan in future travels.
The starting point for the journey is Wakkanai in Hokkaido, the farthest point in Japan where the Russian Island of Sakhalin is visible from the shore. Dougill recounts that Hokkaido-Canadian Randal MacDonald convinced a whaling captain to abandon him off Hokkaido on Rishiri Island in 1848 where imprisonment or death awaited intruders during Japan’s self-imposed isolation-transferred to Nagasaki where he became the first English teacher to 12 samurai. Asashikawa-Hokkaido’s second largest city is where Dougill ascends Mt. Asahi, the largest mountain in Hokkaido for the magnificent view of the countryside. Then onto Sapporo, is known for its myriad of food options from seafood to the Jingisukan to miso ramen-which are all discussed at length. Next, while in Otaru, Dougill muses on discriminatory rules such as the one that prevented foreigners form using the public baths in Otaru in the 90s. Shiraori is where he visits an Ainu museum which gives him a chance to discuss the history and legacy of the original inhabitants of Hokkaido the Ainu, whose culture is almost extinct. Somewhat enigmatically his travel companion Hirota-san remarks that Ainu are good are getting subsidies. Next on the itinerary, Hakodate, is one of four ports (Nagasaki, Kobe, and Yokohama the other three) that became open to the outside and this visit gives Dougill a chance to ruminate on Japanese attitudes toward foreigners who are troublesome since they often cannot follow the strict rules of Japanese society and behavior.
Once Dougill crosses from Hokkaido under the Straight of Tsuguru, the next phase of his trip begins in Tohoku (literally the Northeastern part of Honshu). The first stop is Aomori known for their apples and Nebuta summer festival with elaborate floats. Here Dougill uses it as a chance to explore the history of the Jomon period with his visit to Sanmai-Maruyama the World Heritage historical site of a former Jomon settlement. The next stop, Akita, is notable for a car accident Dougill has with his partner Lili and a trip to the Namahage (ogre) museum, which is a local custom to scare children into being good by the red-faced big nosed monsters during a New Year’s ritual. Tsuruoka in Yamagata allows Dougill to discuss Japanese Buddhist practices via the yamabushi (mountain ascetic hermits). In Niigata he makes a diversion, opting to travel via ferry to the isle of Sado, formerly known as the isle of exile. Here he indulges in his four interests on the island: exile (for example, influential Buddhist priest Nichiren), gold (once there were thriving gold mines here), noh (traditional theater, whose founder Zeami was also exiled here), and taiko (the acclaimed drumming group Kodo is based here). And then he stops at Niigata and Joetsu-Myoko, on his entry to Sado, Dougill stops in Niigata city, a sprawling city of nearly 800,000 with little to distinguish itself from other large cities as he notes previous travelers have mentioned in their writings. On his return he opts for Joetsu City. This stop allows Dougill to digress into the nuances of Japanese “pork-barrel politics” and the spoils that rural areas like Niigata have benefitted from.
The next section is in the Hokuriku area and the first stop there, Toyama, gives Dougill the opportunity to catch up with a former English student who had undertaken an arranged marriage over a sumptuous seafood meal highlighting some of the regional delicacies. Here he analyzes the region’s reputation for prosperity as well as the how English often allows Japanese people to be more open than they would be in their native tongue. It is in Kanazawa that Dougill reveals that he started his Japanese journey in the “little Kyoto” and has strong feelings about the city. It is herein this city that he cuts his teeth so to speak and eventually decides to return to Britain after seven years in Kanazawa. However, it seems that somehow, he returns to Japan but to Kyoto. On this return he muses on the changes in himself as well as the city. Dougill continues onto Fukui and that gives him an opportunity to discuss the Japanese Zen tradition by explaining the history and significance of Eihei-ji (Temple of Eternal Peace). In order to continue along the Sea of Japan, train schedules forced Dougill to make a couple of stops to continue onto Tottori city in Tottori. The first stop was Tsurugu, where he takes a loop bus to see the city’s sights, which included a discussion of the history of the city harboring refugees from the Russian revolution and Jews during WWII. Next up was Obama (little beach), which used President Obama’s notoriety to boost its image after his inauguration. And in Fuchiyama a visit to a Zen temple becomes another opportunity to discuss the different sects of Zen Buddhism.
Dougill crosses over from Hokuriku to Chugoku for his next stop Tottori. It is here that he discusses Tottori’s number one attraction: the sand dunes. He also takes advantage of the subsidized taxi tours made available by the city government: 10 stops and three hours in duration for a measly ¥1000. And he also loses his iPhone (in his room it turns out) and has a difficult time with the police reporting it stolen. From there it is onto Matsue in Shimane prefecture, which is known for having of the 12 remaining original standing castles in Japan. This also gives Dougill the opportunity to discuss one of Matsue’s most famous former residents, Lafcadio Hearn, who is well-known for his books on Japan and Japanese ghost stories which he collected. After that he moves onto Izumo in Shimane most famous for its Shinto shrine the second most important after Ise Shrine in Mie prefecture and thus, a discussion of the Shinto religion and its importance in Japanese society. After that Dougill makes something of a detour by taking a train to Tsuwano, a small castle town with a small samurai district where he meets English speaking local guide Akemi who gives him a tour of the town and gives the oral history of the town. Back on the Sea of Japan to the much larger castle town of Hagi in Yamaguchi. Here Dougill ruminates on the Choshu Five, a group of five samurai who went to study in Great Britain in order to modernize Japan. He also meets a potter, Masanori, who used a kiln the old fashion way with wood. The last stop in Honshu is the port city of Shimonoseki where the specialty is fugu which is apparently known as fuku there, which gives Dougill the occasion to make cringe worthy jokes with the term. Other more serious topics include the historical significance as the location for the climax of The Tale of Heike, a discussion of the plight of Korean-Japanese (many of whom live here), and his visit to the isle of Ganryu, famous as the site of a duel between legend Musashi Miyamoto and top swordsman Sasaki Kojiro. There’s an underground tunnel that takes trains to Kyushu underground and this is how Dougill reached the next stop Fukuoka.
The author muses on Kyushu’s independent nature and its distance from Honshu as he partakes in local food and drink with his travel companion, Hirota-san, who has returned to join him on his journey. However, he decides to investigate the region’s past as the site of the Mongol invasions during the 13th and 16th centuries. Here he makes another diversion from his train route to visit Iki island off the coast of Fukuoka. He contemplates rock worship at a local attraction Monkey Rock before returning to his train journey. Back on the main island, Dougill travels to Karatsu and Imari, both of which are known for their pottery production that originated in Korea. The next stop is another unexpected one since it is a little-known town called Hirado that has two main attractions: a reconstructed castle and a reconstructed Dutch trading post. And the latter is the attraction that brought Dougill there. It gives him the opportunity to discuss the Dutch influence on Japan. Kumamoto is next up, and it is an opportunity to discuss Saigo Takamori, Will Adams (the Englishman who inspired James Clavell to write Shogun), as well as address the subject of the Hidden Christians who were persecuted for their religion in the 16th century. Next up on the itinerary was Nagasaki, which also has a strong connection with Dutch traders as Dejima island was the only place in Japan that would allow foreigner sot stay until 1858 when Admiral Perry used gunboat diplomacy to open up Japan to the rest of the world. Furthermore, it is also universally known as the second target for the atomic bomb in WWII, which gives him the opportunity to discuss how the war is interpreted by what refers to as increasingly right wing nationalist Japanese perspective versus the rest of the world. The next stop on the tour is Shimabara with two major attractions a castle and samurai district where he engages a tour guide in a battle of one upmanship about “the Shimabara Rebellion.” Kumamoto follows Shimabara and its castle and eccentric guide relates the history of Saigo Takamori, Japan’s ”last samurai.” Kumamoto was also one of the places Lafcadio Hearn lived, so Dougill pays his respects to his house here as well. And onto Kagoshima where Dougill pursues the three S’s: Satsuma (the feudal domain), Saigo Takamori (“the last samurai”), and Sakurajima (an active volcano). And the final stop on his tour is Ibusuki, the southernmost manned station in Japan. Her he takes a sand bath and meets up with his partner Lili for a proper soak at a hot spring before visiting the Kamikaze Museum, which produces different reactions from the couple-sympathy and gratitude from Lili, while Dougill sees them as dupes of the militaristic government. The trip may be over, but Dougill adds a note, A Brief History of Japanese Railways, with many interesting facts. For example, he points out that 46 of the world’s top 50 busiest stations are in Japan and there are more than 20,000 departures a day.
Overall, Dougill’s trip from the subarctic climate of Hokkaido to the subtropical climate of Kyushu is an informative and enjoyable overview of a fascinating country. Japan may not be as big as many other countries, but it has a long, deep history with distinct regions with different climates, histories, and attractions. I suspect it will be an inspiration for readers to investigate places off the beaten tracks in Japan in future travels.
September 4, 2023
As a previous resident of Kyoto and Tokyo, I've long loved reading anything about Japan, so I eagerly dived into this book. After reading the first few sections, I stepped away and admonished myself to read more slowly and cherish the moments of the journey, because it was obvious to me that it was the kind of book that I'd want to stay cozily immersed in and feel quite sad when it came to the end. (Side note: We can all be happy and relieved that Mr. Dougill could continue journeying around Japan and write many more volumes!)
I think that any reader with an interest in Japan will enjoy this book greatly. For a small country, there is just so much to explore and take in. If you know nothing about Japan, this book will give you an appealing taste of what a journey to Japan could look like. But for those of us who HAVE lived in Japan for a number of years, the book will be, perhaps, even more appreciated. Mr. Dougill is a long-time resident, a passionate teacher, historian, and lover of all things cultural. He adeptly feeds us tidbits to entice us into, possibly, our own journeys. No matter how much you think you know about Japan, experiencing it through Mr. Dougill's eyes will help you open your own eyes. His dry humor in his interactions are also much appreciated. Never once does he become preachy but he doesn't shy away from addressing sensitive issues either.
If there were more books written in this vein about various countries around the world it would go a whole lot further in enhancing global understanding and motivating travel to different lands, even if it is only from one's armchair.... or zabuton.
Thank you to NetGalley, Stonebridge Press, and John Dougill for an advance copy of this book. John, please take out your train map and start planning your next journey!
I think that any reader with an interest in Japan will enjoy this book greatly. For a small country, there is just so much to explore and take in. If you know nothing about Japan, this book will give you an appealing taste of what a journey to Japan could look like. But for those of us who HAVE lived in Japan for a number of years, the book will be, perhaps, even more appreciated. Mr. Dougill is a long-time resident, a passionate teacher, historian, and lover of all things cultural. He adeptly feeds us tidbits to entice us into, possibly, our own journeys. No matter how much you think you know about Japan, experiencing it through Mr. Dougill's eyes will help you open your own eyes. His dry humor in his interactions are also much appreciated. Never once does he become preachy but he doesn't shy away from addressing sensitive issues either.
If there were more books written in this vein about various countries around the world it would go a whole lot further in enhancing global understanding and motivating travel to different lands, even if it is only from one's armchair.... or zabuton.
Thank you to NetGalley, Stonebridge Press, and John Dougill for an advance copy of this book. John, please take out your train map and start planning your next journey!
November 9, 2023
Considering the fact that I just returned from a completely different trip to Japan compared to the one made by the author, because he visits non-touristy places while we saw the main cities. This book almost made me make peace with the fact that the Japan I had read about, but not seen anywhere, really exists but it is not in the cities.
Considerato che sono appena tornata da un viaggio in Giappone completamente diverso da quello dell'autore, perché lui visita posti non turistici mentre noi abbiamo visto le cittá piú grandi. Questo libro mi ha quasi fatto fare pace con il fatto che il Giappone di cui avevo letto, ma che non avevo visto da nessuna parte, esiste veramente solo che non é in cittá.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
Considerato che sono appena tornata da un viaggio in Giappone completamente diverso da quello dell'autore, perché lui visita posti non turistici mentre noi abbiamo visto le cittá piú grandi. Questo libro mi ha quasi fatto fare pace con il fatto che il Giappone di cui avevo letto, ma che non avevo visto da nessuna parte, esiste veramente solo che non é in cittá.
I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.
October 20, 2024
i wish this book would go on forever. i wish this author would continue travelling and writing books about it. i hope he does! this is my first book of his, which made me hesitant in the beginning (you never know how someone is going to write about Japan - it can get weird), but my worries were dissolved. the author is gentle, informed, and funny. he has an incredible amount of knowledge and experience, both on Japan and its history, but also just in general (3 months in a hospital in Germany? a night in a Saudi jail?) of which i'd love to know more about. i think that is my one critique for this book: i would've liked to see more of the author's personal life, and experiences in his travels. i wish the book was longer!
some aspects that stayed with me were the section about the Ainu, of which i knew nothing about; the striking differences in fauna between Hokkaido and Honshu (the Blakiston Line!); and the author's descriptions and experiences on how Japanese people strill draw a line between "them" and "foreigners" (i.e., people that don't look Japanese) - regardless of how long these people have been living in Japan, how fluent in the language they are, how respectful or knowledgeable of the culture they are. on this last point, of course a generalization of Japanese posture on foreigners is unfair, and i don't think that's one of the points of the book, and that's not what i'm taking away from it. but it is definitely interesting to learn about these experiences, and bits of history that may explain them.
overall, this was good!👍
some aspects that stayed with me were the section about the Ainu, of which i knew nothing about; the striking differences in fauna between Hokkaido and Honshu (the Blakiston Line!); and the author's descriptions and experiences on how Japanese people strill draw a line between "them" and "foreigners" (i.e., people that don't look Japanese) - regardless of how long these people have been living in Japan, how fluent in the language they are, how respectful or knowledgeable of the culture they are. on this last point, of course a generalization of Japanese posture on foreigners is unfair, and i don't think that's one of the points of the book, and that's not what i'm taking away from it. but it is definitely interesting to learn about these experiences, and bits of history that may explain them.
overall, this was good!👍
January 9, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐,5 / ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Varasin teoksen ollessani parin viikon työmatkalla Japanissa ja etsiessäni sattumanvaraisia kirjoja junamatkustamisesta kyseisessä maassa. Minun pitäisi lukea aivan muita kirjoja, ja ajattelin etten ehtisi lukea tätä. Dougillin matkakertomus kuitenkin imaisi minut mukaansa ja nyt olen vähän haikea, kun kirja on luettu ja yhteinen matka ohi.
Olen nörttinä ja Japani-intoilijana varmasti kohderyhmää ja ihanteellinen lukija. Minua kiinnostaa monet samat asiat kuin kirjailijaakin: runous, historia (myös yleensä sivuutettu/ristiriitainen), sattumanvaraiset ihmiskohtaamiset ja kummalliset yksityiskohdat. Viihdyin siis Dougillin matkassa ja hihittelin ääneen monessa kohtaa.
En tiedä, matkustanko enää koskaan Japaniin, vaikka olenkin todella ihastunut maahan. Haluaisin, mutta valtavat päästöt eivät houkuttele. Tämä kirja vei minut ikään kuin toiselle matkalle, ilman päästöjä.
Varasin teoksen ollessani parin viikon työmatkalla Japanissa ja etsiessäni sattumanvaraisia kirjoja junamatkustamisesta kyseisessä maassa. Minun pitäisi lukea aivan muita kirjoja, ja ajattelin etten ehtisi lukea tätä. Dougillin matkakertomus kuitenkin imaisi minut mukaansa ja nyt olen vähän haikea, kun kirja on luettu ja yhteinen matka ohi.
Olen nörttinä ja Japani-intoilijana varmasti kohderyhmää ja ihanteellinen lukija. Minua kiinnostaa monet samat asiat kuin kirjailijaakin: runous, historia (myös yleensä sivuutettu/ristiriitainen), sattumanvaraiset ihmiskohtaamiset ja kummalliset yksityiskohdat. Viihdyin siis Dougillin matkassa ja hihittelin ääneen monessa kohtaa.
En tiedä, matkustanko enää koskaan Japaniin, vaikka olenkin todella ihastunut maahan. Haluaisin, mutta valtavat päästöt eivät houkuttele. Tämä kirja vei minut ikään kuin toiselle matkalle, ilman päästöjä.
December 28, 2023
When I first moved to Japan in the 1980’s, English books were a precious commodity. There was no internet yet, much less Amazon and ebooks for reading pleasure. English books meant a budget-busting visit to Kinokuniya.
There was a custom then among English speakers of passing along the books we finished. It wasn’t unusual for another foreigner to hand you a book on the train.
One day as I was getting off the shinkansen at Kyoto Station, a guy with a heavy backpack standing in the queue to board reached out an arm. “Hey, you want this book?” he said. “It’ll change your life.”
I assumed he was pushing some religious tract but I never said no to free books. As I continued my journey towards Arashiyama, I thumbed through the gift, The Great Railway Bazaar, by Paul Theroux. I was immediately captivated.
As an American, trains had always seemed to me something from an earlier era, before cars and highways, a time of continental crossings and the wide open West filled with buffalo. In Tokyo, though, I learned to rely on the Marunouchi Line to carry me between home and work, and later, when I moved to Kobe, rode the Hanshin line and city subway daily. But the train was merely a mode of transportation, the most convenient way to get from point A to point B.
Until I read The Great Railway Bazaar. That book opened my eyes to the joys of travel by train. It wasn’t about the destination so much as the journey. It was the people you met on the trains, the scenery flowing past the window while the wheels clacked out a steady, relaxing rhythm.
The shinkansen is truly a marvel to get across Japan quickly and efficiently. If you’re on a business trip, that’s all that matters. But if you want to see the country, why whizz past it at 200 mph when a local train will highlight the beauty outside the window.
Paul Theroux’s books are more than travel guides. They’re stories of travel. Of meeting unusual people in unusual places and enjoying the narrow, microcosm of every unique location. Anthony Bourdain created something similar with his food shows which weren’t so much about cooking as the joy of sharing a feast with interesting people.
The Great Railway Bazaar recounts Theroux’s 4 months of travel by train across Europe, Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia in 1973. He made a brief stop on the shinkansen to meet Haruki Murakami — the translator of his novels— but declared Japan boring. The shinkansen was too efficient he said, and travelers didn’t mix and mingle in a restaurant car or bar while a steam train strained over steep mountains.
But that book did change my life by showing me the joy of train travel. Of visiting towns and seeing the lives of local people instead of museums and exhibits. Of tourism as walking a city, shopping in the local markets, visiting sake breweries and pottery kilns instead of checking must-see sites off a list.
However, despite living in Japan off and on for 35 years, I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve seen little of the country away off the main shinkansen line connecting Tokyo to Fukuoka.
In the past few years, I’ve tried to rectify that deficiency with visits to Niigata, Akita, Nagano, and Kyushu, and am planning visits this winter to Toyama, Kanazawa, and Hagi.
All this to say that when I saw the book, Off the Beaten Tracks in Japan, it went straight to the top of my must-read list. When I received my copy, it was far more than I expected.
I thought the book would be a kind of tourist guide to the local cities along the Japan Sea coast. It isn’t. What I found instead, to my immense joy, was a kind of Paul Theroux travelogue, John Dougill’s trip through the quiet, forgotten side of Japan.
Rather than a list of places to visit and things to do and see, this book gives us his personal impressions of each town he visited, including conversations with the locals that make each place come alive.
Dougill has lived in Japan since 1994 and has written a number of books about the country. He speaks fluent Japanese, making him the perfect guide to the countryside, and is a beautiful writer.
One of the recurring jokes in the book is that whenever anyone asks where he’s from, which just about everyone does, he replied that he’s from Kyoto where he’s lived for many years. The various reactions by Japanese people to his answer are telling.
Though he describes the towns he visits, Dougill is more interested in telling the stories of the people he meets along the way, the aspects of Japanese culture that the places highlight, even how these quiet towns have impacted and been impacted by national history and politics. Though I’ve lived in Japan for many years and even edit this publication of Japanese culture, there were many revelations in Dougill’s anecdotes and observations of things I didn’t know or hadn’t put the pieces together.
With this book, Dougill also proves Theroux wrong. The shinkansen itself may be boring in its efficiency and perfection, but Japan is not, especially in the smaller towns that thrived during the Edo era, before the advent of the train network, when major trade routes ran by ship up and down the Japan Sea coast.
Dougill himself describes this book as following in the footsteps of Alan Booth, who wrote in The Roads to Sata of his 2000km walk the length of the entire country, from the northern tip of Hokkaido to the southern tip of Kyushu, and Will Ferguson’s hilarious tales of hitchhiking the same path in Hitching Rides with Buddha, as well as Donald Richie’s books of his solo travels around the Japanese countryside. Booth, in particular, is a constant companion throughout Dougill’s book.
Instead of walking or hitchhiking across the country, Dougill rides the local trains from Wakkanai at the north of Hokkaido all the way to Ibusuki at the bottom of Kyushu.
While less physically demanding than walking the entire country or as quirky as hitchhiking in a country that doesn’t hitch, Dougill’s trip by rail felt more accessible for my own travel. It’s a trip I will make in bits and pieces myself, following his path from Toyama through Kanazawa to Fukui a few months from now.
Unlike a guidebook that’s useless once you’ve visited the location, I especially enjoyed reading Dougill’s experiences in the towns I’ve already visited. Inevitably, we’ve traveled the same path, been to the exact same shops, met some of the same people. Reading his adventures was like thumbing through my photo album.
If you have any interest in the regions of Japan away from the big cities, I recommend this book highly. It’s a pleasure to read while being amazingly informative, too.
Off the Beaten Tracks in Japan might even convince you get out of Tokyo and Kyoto to visit these forgotten places with quiet charm, and ditch the shinkansen for the local private trains that clack slowly along old rails.
There was a custom then among English speakers of passing along the books we finished. It wasn’t unusual for another foreigner to hand you a book on the train.
One day as I was getting off the shinkansen at Kyoto Station, a guy with a heavy backpack standing in the queue to board reached out an arm. “Hey, you want this book?” he said. “It’ll change your life.”
I assumed he was pushing some religious tract but I never said no to free books. As I continued my journey towards Arashiyama, I thumbed through the gift, The Great Railway Bazaar, by Paul Theroux. I was immediately captivated.
As an American, trains had always seemed to me something from an earlier era, before cars and highways, a time of continental crossings and the wide open West filled with buffalo. In Tokyo, though, I learned to rely on the Marunouchi Line to carry me between home and work, and later, when I moved to Kobe, rode the Hanshin line and city subway daily. But the train was merely a mode of transportation, the most convenient way to get from point A to point B.
Until I read The Great Railway Bazaar. That book opened my eyes to the joys of travel by train. It wasn’t about the destination so much as the journey. It was the people you met on the trains, the scenery flowing past the window while the wheels clacked out a steady, relaxing rhythm.
The shinkansen is truly a marvel to get across Japan quickly and efficiently. If you’re on a business trip, that’s all that matters. But if you want to see the country, why whizz past it at 200 mph when a local train will highlight the beauty outside the window.
Paul Theroux’s books are more than travel guides. They’re stories of travel. Of meeting unusual people in unusual places and enjoying the narrow, microcosm of every unique location. Anthony Bourdain created something similar with his food shows which weren’t so much about cooking as the joy of sharing a feast with interesting people.
The Great Railway Bazaar recounts Theroux’s 4 months of travel by train across Europe, Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia in 1973. He made a brief stop on the shinkansen to meet Haruki Murakami — the translator of his novels— but declared Japan boring. The shinkansen was too efficient he said, and travelers didn’t mix and mingle in a restaurant car or bar while a steam train strained over steep mountains.
But that book did change my life by showing me the joy of train travel. Of visiting towns and seeing the lives of local people instead of museums and exhibits. Of tourism as walking a city, shopping in the local markets, visiting sake breweries and pottery kilns instead of checking must-see sites off a list.
However, despite living in Japan off and on for 35 years, I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve seen little of the country away off the main shinkansen line connecting Tokyo to Fukuoka.
In the past few years, I’ve tried to rectify that deficiency with visits to Niigata, Akita, Nagano, and Kyushu, and am planning visits this winter to Toyama, Kanazawa, and Hagi.
All this to say that when I saw the book, Off the Beaten Tracks in Japan, it went straight to the top of my must-read list. When I received my copy, it was far more than I expected.
I thought the book would be a kind of tourist guide to the local cities along the Japan Sea coast. It isn’t. What I found instead, to my immense joy, was a kind of Paul Theroux travelogue, John Dougill’s trip through the quiet, forgotten side of Japan.
Rather than a list of places to visit and things to do and see, this book gives us his personal impressions of each town he visited, including conversations with the locals that make each place come alive.
Dougill has lived in Japan since 1994 and has written a number of books about the country. He speaks fluent Japanese, making him the perfect guide to the countryside, and is a beautiful writer.
One of the recurring jokes in the book is that whenever anyone asks where he’s from, which just about everyone does, he replied that he’s from Kyoto where he’s lived for many years. The various reactions by Japanese people to his answer are telling.
Though he describes the towns he visits, Dougill is more interested in telling the stories of the people he meets along the way, the aspects of Japanese culture that the places highlight, even how these quiet towns have impacted and been impacted by national history and politics. Though I’ve lived in Japan for many years and even edit this publication of Japanese culture, there were many revelations in Dougill’s anecdotes and observations of things I didn’t know or hadn’t put the pieces together.
With this book, Dougill also proves Theroux wrong. The shinkansen itself may be boring in its efficiency and perfection, but Japan is not, especially in the smaller towns that thrived during the Edo era, before the advent of the train network, when major trade routes ran by ship up and down the Japan Sea coast.
Dougill himself describes this book as following in the footsteps of Alan Booth, who wrote in The Roads to Sata of his 2000km walk the length of the entire country, from the northern tip of Hokkaido to the southern tip of Kyushu, and Will Ferguson’s hilarious tales of hitchhiking the same path in Hitching Rides with Buddha, as well as Donald Richie’s books of his solo travels around the Japanese countryside. Booth, in particular, is a constant companion throughout Dougill’s book.
Instead of walking or hitchhiking across the country, Dougill rides the local trains from Wakkanai at the north of Hokkaido all the way to Ibusuki at the bottom of Kyushu.
While less physically demanding than walking the entire country or as quirky as hitchhiking in a country that doesn’t hitch, Dougill’s trip by rail felt more accessible for my own travel. It’s a trip I will make in bits and pieces myself, following his path from Toyama through Kanazawa to Fukui a few months from now.
Unlike a guidebook that’s useless once you’ve visited the location, I especially enjoyed reading Dougill’s experiences in the towns I’ve already visited. Inevitably, we’ve traveled the same path, been to the exact same shops, met some of the same people. Reading his adventures was like thumbing through my photo album.
If you have any interest in the regions of Japan away from the big cities, I recommend this book highly. It’s a pleasure to read while being amazingly informative, too.
Off the Beaten Tracks in Japan might even convince you get out of Tokyo and Kyoto to visit these forgotten places with quiet charm, and ditch the shinkansen for the local private trains that clack slowly along old rails.
October 10, 2023
Many of Japan’s most famous sites are on the southern Pacific coast and, indeed, this is where the largest cities are, greatest investments have been made, etc. Our author decides to travel the length of Japan via the northern shore (facing Russia and Korea and China) using the Japanese train system. Many of the places mentioned sound wonderful and it does encourage you to think about visiting places beyond the typical tourist itinerary.
What follows are a series of vignettes of the various towns/cities that the author travelled to on the trains. If you’re a train aficionado looking for details of rolling stock etc., this isn’t included. If you’re looking for lots of descriptions of the Japanese countryside viewed from the train, this also isn’t often included. What we have then are a series of selective pen portraits of each of the places (the stops) rather than the journey itself, per se. These pen portraits include the items that the author thinks most encapsulate their time in the place rather than being a conventional guidebook to each place, with particular focus on the local food. As with other reviewers, we need more maps/photos to help set the context as these are less familiar places/dishes.
Overall, an entertaining read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What follows are a series of vignettes of the various towns/cities that the author travelled to on the trains. If you’re a train aficionado looking for details of rolling stock etc., this isn’t included. If you’re looking for lots of descriptions of the Japanese countryside viewed from the train, this also isn’t often included. What we have then are a series of selective pen portraits of each of the places (the stops) rather than the journey itself, per se. These pen portraits include the items that the author thinks most encapsulate their time in the place rather than being a conventional guidebook to each place, with particular focus on the local food. As with other reviewers, we need more maps/photos to help set the context as these are less familiar places/dishes.
Overall, an entertaining read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 18, 2023
Quick synopsis:
A travel memoir of touring through some of Japan’s more remote and less travelled locations along the Japan Sea, highlighting bits of geography, history, culture, and the wonderful and unexpected adventures you have when you slow down your pace.
My Thoughts:
Travelling through Japan is on the top of my bucket-list and this book was the perfect companion to my “someday” planning. A book that begs to be read and enjoyed at a slower pace, the author (a British who has lived in Japan for 30 years) will take you on a charming, enjoyable, and often amusing meander through Japan. Highly recommend!
Thanks to Netgalley and Stone Bridge Press for the opportunity to read & review a digital ARC of this book.
A travel memoir of touring through some of Japan’s more remote and less travelled locations along the Japan Sea, highlighting bits of geography, history, culture, and the wonderful and unexpected adventures you have when you slow down your pace.
My Thoughts:
Travelling through Japan is on the top of my bucket-list and this book was the perfect companion to my “someday” planning. A book that begs to be read and enjoyed at a slower pace, the author (a British who has lived in Japan for 30 years) will take you on a charming, enjoyable, and often amusing meander through Japan. Highly recommend!
Thanks to Netgalley and Stone Bridge Press for the opportunity to read & review a digital ARC of this book.
August 2, 2024
5 stars!
A delightful and vividly detailed exploration of history, local folk tradition, literature and gastronomy on Japan's "less explored coast". The authors unique voice (and dry humour) adds to this charming travelogue, and I - already familiar with many facets discussed - lapped it up. While this was a comfort read for me, I wonder if the addition of some photographs would have enriched the experience of the unfamiliar reader.
While not shying away from controversial (and hardly discussed in the mainstream) topics, I particularly enjoyed the authors take on western explorers and the Japanese sensibilities.
My thanks to the author and Netgalley for the eArc. All opinions my own
A delightful and vividly detailed exploration of history, local folk tradition, literature and gastronomy on Japan's "less explored coast". The authors unique voice (and dry humour) adds to this charming travelogue, and I - already familiar with many facets discussed - lapped it up. While this was a comfort read for me, I wonder if the addition of some photographs would have enriched the experience of the unfamiliar reader.
While not shying away from controversial (and hardly discussed in the mainstream) topics, I particularly enjoyed the authors take on western explorers and the Japanese sensibilities.
My thanks to the author and Netgalley for the eArc. All opinions my own
October 1, 2023
This is a fun and interesting book that made me want to just dump everything and book my next trip to Japan. Then again, I want to do that just about everyday, but this book made the urge even stronger than usual. I would love to have a similar experience one day. However, I do have to agree with some of the other reviewers in that I would have liked to have seen more photographs, maps, etc. Also, I agree that this would make a great documentary. That being said anyone who loves travel memoirs or is interested in Japan will find this to be a great read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 30, 2023
Off the Beaten Tracks Japan begins in the snowy, far, north of Japan, Hokkaido. Just miles from Russia, this sparsely populated area has a long history and is home to the Ainu people. Dougill will travel the length of Japan using the railways on his way south. A lovely travel journal from a seasoned traveler, Dougill’s fresh look at a country full of tradition. Japanophiles will adore this book.. Reading about the day to day life outside of the large cities and how to navigate a foreign country.
November 23, 2023
Off the Beaten Tracks in Japan is a rare thing, a good solid readable and enjoyable travel book. The journey from the very top to the very bottom of Japan is easy to recreate using this book which has just the right amount of interesting facts, personal memoir, and good descriptions along with the humour of a convivial travel companion. If more travel books were as good as this one the genre would not stagnating in the doldrums.
February 1, 2024
John Dougill's trip along Japan's San'in coast is documented in this book packed full of history and obscure facts. Even the most knowledgeable Japanophiles will find interesting quotes and asides that lend credence to the author's well-researched travelogue. The most intriguing part for me was regarding Izumo Shrine, where we often hear that Japan's 8 million gods congregate each year. But what exactly are all those gods doing while in Izumo? Dougill has the answer.
September 11, 2023
I enjoyed this book much much more than I anticipated! It is so well-written and humorous that I actually wish I had such a book for every and any future trips to any country. John Dougill gives very good insights about Japan from the point of view as a foreigner who has lived there for a long time.
5 stars from me.
5 stars from me.
September 16, 2023
I love books about or featuring Japan. This was a really entertaining and readable experience of a less travelled path during the Covid pandemic.
I wish there would've been more maps, pictures, photos or illustrations to accompany the text.
It will make you want to book a holiday asap 😁
Thank you netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I wish there would've been more maps, pictures, photos or illustrations to accompany the text.
It will make you want to book a holiday asap 😁
Thank you netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 27, 2023
I really enjoyed John’s latest book. There’s a lot of interesting information about the places he visits, but some of my favourite parts were where things went a bit Alan Booth and he recalled the everyday meetings he had with local people and the insights into Japan that these gave. Highly recommended.
November 20, 2023
This was a really wonderful read I enjoyed accompanying the author on his trip.Sitting at home while getting to tour Japan was wonderful .The author has a wonderful writing style& a sense of humor that I really enjoyed.A charming informative read.#netgalley #stonebrigepress
November 25, 2023
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book.This book has some interesting spots and history about the various trains and depots in Japan. I enjoyed reading about the history as well.
November 2, 2025
This book is extremely well written by someone who clearly knows Japan very well. Perhaps almost too well as maybe a little too much of the book is focused on musings about Japanese history and culture that, though interesting, do rather take the focus away from the places he is actually visiting.
August 23, 2023
I strongly recommend this book to any one that loves Japan. An interesting read
Thank you to John Dougill, NetGalley and Stone Bridge Press for the arc of this book.
Thank you to John Dougill, NetGalley and Stone Bridge Press for the arc of this book.
April 17, 2024
An exploration into not just lesser visited areas of Japan but also the country's lesser known history.
August 27, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. These are my own thoughts:
The author is a delight here, with enough dry humor directed at himself as he takes in Japan. I think I just about died at "Too tall to pet, I joked, then regretted it as it was explained to me that petting was not allowed."
I greatly enjoyed this, but I think some of the humor and charm will be lost on those who haven't lived in Japan before.
The author is a delight here, with enough dry humor directed at himself as he takes in Japan. I think I just about died at "Too tall to pet, I joked, then regretted it as it was explained to me that petting was not allowed."
I greatly enjoyed this, but I think some of the humor and charm will be lost on those who haven't lived in Japan before.
November 5, 2023
Cuando comencé a leer el libro pense que me iba a encontrar con otro formato y creo que fue eso lo que me jugó un poco en contra.
Acá nos encontramos con un viaje muy detallado por gran parte de Japón (me encantaría imitar este viaje, realmente se recorren muchas ciudades y lugares interesantes), y tuvo lugar durante la pandemia de COVID-19 cuando no se podía viajar al exterior entonces el gobierno impulsó el turismo interno (bien hecho).
Lo que sucedió acá es que me hubiera gustado que estuviese acompañado de imagen, mapas, ilustraciones de algo relacionado a lo que se cuenta, de imágenes de las comidas, cosas así! Eso lo hubiera enriquecido un montón y dado un toque especial. Se que requiere de otro tipo de presupuesto, y que falte esto no significa que no haya sido una lectura más que interesante.
Sería súper poder ver un documental así. Llamando a Netflix.
Muchas gracias Stone Bridge Press por el ARC que leí en NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta.
Acá nos encontramos con un viaje muy detallado por gran parte de Japón (me encantaría imitar este viaje, realmente se recorren muchas ciudades y lugares interesantes), y tuvo lugar durante la pandemia de COVID-19 cuando no se podía viajar al exterior entonces el gobierno impulsó el turismo interno (bien hecho).
Lo que sucedió acá es que me hubiera gustado que estuviese acompañado de imagen, mapas, ilustraciones de algo relacionado a lo que se cuenta, de imágenes de las comidas, cosas así! Eso lo hubiera enriquecido un montón y dado un toque especial. Se que requiere de otro tipo de presupuesto, y que falte esto no significa que no haya sido una lectura más que interesante.
Sería súper poder ver un documental así. Llamando a Netflix.
Muchas gracias Stone Bridge Press por el ARC que leí en NetGalley a cambio de una reseña honesta.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews