Japan on Foot

by Mary King, Etsuko Shimabukuro (Photographer), Graham Bathgate (Editor)

British journalist Mary King walked a 7,500-kilometre zigzag route through Japan. The odyssey took Mary and her Okinawan partner Etsuko Shimabukuro from the top of Hokkaido, the country's northernmost prefecture, to the southwesterly isle of Yonaguni, in Okinawa. Their "roving reporter" walk took 15 months and covered Japan's main islands, and some smaller ones too. Japan on Foot is both an inner and outer journey. The book brims with fascinating characters, history and culture, revealing aspects of Japan rarely, if ever, glimpsed.

Genres: Japan

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 17, 2014

Reviews

[Books on Asia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well-written account of places visited while on a 7,500 kilometer walk from the top of Japan to the bottom, which took over a year to complete. I enjoyed the descriptions of the people and places along the road and the writer obviously spent a lot of time and effort to secure interviews and write up the results. As a book, however, it reads more like a good travel guide than the odyssey that it must have been. After having just finished the book, I don't feel like I know Japan's individual prefectures any better (except for her many memorable one-off experiences) and there was hardly any detail on Okinawa, a place most foreigners know little about. Especially since Okinawa was the end goal, one would have expected more rumination and revelation. For me, the book lacked momentum as well as an arc. Long distance travelers usually experience internal or metaphysical change of some sort by the end of their arduous journey. It would have been nice to know these details, what she learned from the experience and how it will affect her future. She did touch on a few personal dilemmas, but they were not rounded out or finalized in any meaningful way. I still encourage those interested in Japan to read it, however, since there is a lot of information packed in here about the Japanese people and culture.

[Don Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Tale

I will buy and read the next installment of Mary's writing. She has given me an insight into the customs and people of a place I'll never get to. Thanks Mary well done!

[Fred Abraham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book I've read yet on traveling the length of Japan on foot. There are some other good books too about walking, cycling and hitching the country but I found this one the most informative and entertaining. I got the print book from a friend as a gift before moving out to Japan to work. The writer presents you with myths, legends, history and some fascinating interviews and places. Having the photos and maps helped appreciate the extent of their adventure. Pity photos weren't in color. I also felt that there could have been more written about Okinawa.

[Zeke Lin]

I am so fond of all travelogues. Among them, japan is my favorite genre. But compared with Alan booth's and Will Ferguson's edition, this reads a bit less interesting with too many history related stories, which is not bad but doesn't fit my taste for reading. If you are new to Japan travel, this is for you because tons of fresh stories are going to brighten your vision. If not, I'll suggest you pick another books.

[Pen Winton · Rating 4 out of 5]

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