First Time Japan: A Step-by-Step Guide for the Independent Traveler

by Sneed B. Collard III

With its incredible cuisine, majestic scenery, and vibrant culture, Japan promises the trip of a lifetime to independent travelers. That said, many would-be visitors find the prospect of a Japanese adventure, well, intimidating. The significant language barrier, complicated subway systems, and sheer immensity of Tokyo and other large Japanese cities can strike trepidation into the heart of even the experienced traveler. First-Time Japan cuts through both the fear and the overwhelming complication of traditional travel guides, and lays out an enjoyable, step-by-step strategy for planning your first trip. This innovative guidebook will help you:
* Decide when to go and for how long
* Map out your Japan itinerary
* Choose your accommodations
* Decide which rail and subway passes to buy
* Understand and use Japan’s public transportation
* Get to your first hotel from the airport
* Navigate communication
* Decide what documents and financial tools you need
and much, much more. Although First-Time Japan is not a sightseeing guide per se, veteran traveler and author Sneed B. Collard III and his collaborator, former Japanese tour guide Roy Ozaki, give plenty of insider suggestions on what to do, eat, and see on your journey.

144 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

Sneed B. Collard III (see also "Sneed B. Collard") is a biologist, world traveler, speaker, and author of almost one hundred books for young people, including the 2024 Orbis Pictus Award winner, Border Crossings (Charlesbridge Publishing). His other recent science titles include Fire Birds; Hopping Ahead of Climate Change; Little Killers; Waiting for a Warbler; Beaver & Otter Get Along . . . Sort of; and the upcoming picture book, Like No Other. Collard holds science degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and U.C. Santa Barbara. He lives in Montana.