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Hello Sandwich Japan: A Travel Guide by Creative Ebony Bizys
A stunning and well-curated guidebook to Japan, packed with insider tips for design-minded travelers.
Hello Sandwich Japan is for people who value good aesthetics, good food and rich culture, who will enjoy the craziness of Tokyo's neon playground just as much as the peaceful Buddhist getaway of Mount Koya. Japan may be one of the world's travel hotspots, but to get the most out of your vacation you'll need a local's insider tips.
Design-minded blogger and Japanophile Ebony Bizys, aka Hello Sandwich, has been living in Tokyo since 2010 and has uncovered the very best places around this unique country. Her book features a curated selection of places to go from bonsai gardens, contemporary galleries, stunning temples, peaceful ryokan retreats, 'kawaii' gift shops and topnotch coffee spots, to unbeatable izakayas, four-seater sashimi bars and ideal hiking destinations for 'forest bathing'.
Hello Sandwich Japan is a stunning tome filled with travel tips galore along with language essentials and colorful images. All of the key destinations are covered including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakone and Sapporo.
Hello Sandwich Japan is for people who value good aesthetics, good food and rich culture, who will enjoy the craziness of Tokyo's neon playground just as much as the peaceful Buddhist getaway of Mount Koya. Japan may be one of the world's travel hotspots, but to get the most out of your vacation you'll need a local's insider tips.
Design-minded blogger and Japanophile Ebony Bizys, aka Hello Sandwich, has been living in Tokyo since 2010 and has uncovered the very best places around this unique country. Her book features a curated selection of places to go from bonsai gardens, contemporary galleries, stunning temples, peaceful ryokan retreats, 'kawaii' gift shops and topnotch coffee spots, to unbeatable izakayas, four-seater sashimi bars and ideal hiking destinations for 'forest bathing'.
Hello Sandwich Japan is a stunning tome filled with travel tips galore along with language essentials and colorful images. All of the key destinations are covered including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakone and Sapporo.
- GenresTravelJapanNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
Published May 11, 2021
9 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 3, 2021
It's very hard to decide what rating to give this book. There were a lot of pros, enough that I'm definitely keeping the book so that I can go back and reference my dozen or so sticky tabs marking especially interesting locations, but there were also so many cons that I'd never want to read the book cover-to-cover again. I suppose I'll just list the pros and cons, then decide on my stars after that.
Pros
• Gorgeous, modern, exciting visual design. Beautiful colors, fonts, and photographs. Everything well laid out and easy to read. Really shows off the author's main profession as an art director.
• Writing at times transported me to the places it was describing, so that I felt like I just got back from vacation when I set the book down.
• Otaku locations, such as the manga museum in Akita, were treated with respect and true affection, rather than the half-mocking or disinterested tone I often see from other writers. This was a huge plus for me.
• Focus on art-related locations seemed a little higher than I'd expect from a typical travel book, which is great for me as a professional writer-illustrator!
• Practical knowledge section at the end of the book was extremely useful and must-read content for any foreigner visiting Japan. I'll definitely be rereading it before I head there next year.
• Generally, an impression of the author as a true Japanophile comes through, which lends the text a sense of heartfelt sincerity and trustworthiness.
Cons
• Silly typos peppering the text, really taking away from the otherwise impeccable design of the book, as if the visuals mattered more than the content.
• Condescending "Oh, Japan"s throughout the book come across as backhanded compliments at best, microaggressions at worst.
• Repetitive language, ranging from airheaded (e.g. using the same adjective to describe something more than once in the same sentence) to annoying (the author's use of "divine" felt fresh and original at first, but it became so overused that I was rolling my eyes by the end) to problematic (constantly reassuring readers to "fear not" because English is available only encourages behavior that creates a bad image of English-speaking foreign visitors worldwide).
• Author is perhaps purposefully aiming for a very specific audience, but if that explains the reason I periodically felt I was being spoken to like a shut-in with no common sense (the best/worst example was the repeated warnings in the Sapporo chapter to wear proper footwear, even if its not fashionable, when walking in snow), I don't find it amusing nor does it help the book's general appeal.
I could easily add more specific bullet points to both the pro and con lists, but this covers the big things I wanted to mention. It still feels tough to choose between a three- and four-star rating, but based on Goodreads' own description of three stars as "liked it" and four as "really liked it" I'm going to settle with the former. I definitely liked this book, enough to give it a space on my bookshelves, but its cons are enough that "really liked" just feels too strong to describe my feelings towards it.
Pros
• Gorgeous, modern, exciting visual design. Beautiful colors, fonts, and photographs. Everything well laid out and easy to read. Really shows off the author's main profession as an art director.
• Writing at times transported me to the places it was describing, so that I felt like I just got back from vacation when I set the book down.
• Otaku locations, such as the manga museum in Akita, were treated with respect and true affection, rather than the half-mocking or disinterested tone I often see from other writers. This was a huge plus for me.
• Focus on art-related locations seemed a little higher than I'd expect from a typical travel book, which is great for me as a professional writer-illustrator!
• Practical knowledge section at the end of the book was extremely useful and must-read content for any foreigner visiting Japan. I'll definitely be rereading it before I head there next year.
• Generally, an impression of the author as a true Japanophile comes through, which lends the text a sense of heartfelt sincerity and trustworthiness.
Cons
• Silly typos peppering the text, really taking away from the otherwise impeccable design of the book, as if the visuals mattered more than the content.
• Condescending "Oh, Japan"s throughout the book come across as backhanded compliments at best, microaggressions at worst.
• Repetitive language, ranging from airheaded (e.g. using the same adjective to describe something more than once in the same sentence) to annoying (the author's use of "divine" felt fresh and original at first, but it became so overused that I was rolling my eyes by the end) to problematic (constantly reassuring readers to "fear not" because English is available only encourages behavior that creates a bad image of English-speaking foreign visitors worldwide).
• Author is perhaps purposefully aiming for a very specific audience, but if that explains the reason I periodically felt I was being spoken to like a shut-in with no common sense (the best/worst example was the repeated warnings in the Sapporo chapter to wear proper footwear, even if its not fashionable, when walking in snow), I don't find it amusing nor does it help the book's general appeal.
I could easily add more specific bullet points to both the pro and con lists, but this covers the big things I wanted to mention. It still feels tough to choose between a three- and four-star rating, but based on Goodreads' own description of three stars as "liked it" and four as "really liked it" I'm going to settle with the former. I definitely liked this book, enough to give it a space on my bookshelves, but its cons are enough that "really liked" just feels too strong to describe my feelings towards it.
June 13, 2021
I don't think I am the target audience for this book.... This is clearly a book for the cool kids. I am not a cool kid. I am not too concerned with venues and stores that are cool and hip. And unfortunately, these word along with "Cute", "Cheap and Cheerful", "Oh Japan" and "Fear not" were used far too often and they lost all meaning.
Some positive things I liked about the book:
Utrecht BookstoreI am curious abut the zine where the artist had waiters take a picture of him. that sounds like an amazing book to have a look at!
Kyoto Botanical Garden - I love going to gardens.
Ippodo Tea - Because I love tea! And this has popped up in other books as well.
Togakushi Jinja - looks amazing and a chance to connect with nature
It's great to get the insider info from someone who lives in Japan and knows all the little hideyholes that you wouldn't normally get in guide books but this book feels off, I know the blurb refers to it being her favourites and maybe that's where I am coming unstuck as my favourites and her favourites don't seem to overlap.
I was also disappointed but the lack of photos, don't get me wrong there are lots in here but often she speaks about this awesome thing but the photo for that venue is completely different. Show me the awesome burger, this quirky design point. That is what I want to see as you have made a point to talk about it!
Some positive things I liked about the book:
Utrecht BookstoreI am curious abut the zine where the artist had waiters take a picture of him. that sounds like an amazing book to have a look at!
Kyoto Botanical Garden - I love going to gardens.
Ippodo Tea - Because I love tea! And this has popped up in other books as well.
Togakushi Jinja - looks amazing and a chance to connect with nature
It's great to get the insider info from someone who lives in Japan and knows all the little hideyholes that you wouldn't normally get in guide books but this book feels off, I know the blurb refers to it being her favourites and maybe that's where I am coming unstuck as my favourites and her favourites don't seem to overlap.
I was also disappointed but the lack of photos, don't get me wrong there are lots in here but often she speaks about this awesome thing but the photo for that venue is completely different. Show me the awesome burger, this quirky design point. That is what I want to see as you have made a point to talk about it!
May 1, 2023
A great guide if you’re planning to visit Jp (or you wish to) or you just love beautiful books that smells good, You’ll find many cities and destinations along with their maps, great food spots and everything you may need for a perfect wishlist for your trips to Japan! Ps loved that every place name is listed both in English and Japan, I guess I would need this once there! A must-have guide, love it!!!!
April 13, 2024
I wish it was organized more my neighborhoods in Tokyo to make planning less confusing. But good otherwise!
January 29, 2024
2 and a half stars, rounded up. I enjoyed reading reviews from an actual resident of Japan. She included lots of “hole in the wall” locations, which is great for anyone who prefers to travel off the beaten path.
There are two reasons I rated this book so low:
The first is the off putting language. As another reviewer mentioned, the author uses a lot of phrases over and over. “Oh Japan!” “Fear not!” and “Tell them Hello Sandwich says hi!” got real old real fast, and the word “divine” lost all meaning once used on, like, the twentieth coffeehouse.
Secondly, the photos left a lot to be desired. A lot of them seemed very random: the author would wax poetic on one location’s artistic decor, or delicious dishes, and then the photo would be of a random doorway. I think she was trying to be artsy, but if you want me to visit a location, show me what makes it special! Other entries had no photos at all.
The short “Essentials” section in the background was very useful, with a few helpful phrases in Japanese, and a quick overview of how to get around the country, and cultural faux pas to avoid.
There are two reasons I rated this book so low:
The first is the off putting language. As another reviewer mentioned, the author uses a lot of phrases over and over. “Oh Japan!” “Fear not!” and “Tell them Hello Sandwich says hi!” got real old real fast, and the word “divine” lost all meaning once used on, like, the twentieth coffeehouse.
Secondly, the photos left a lot to be desired. A lot of them seemed very random: the author would wax poetic on one location’s artistic decor, or delicious dishes, and then the photo would be of a random doorway. I think she was trying to be artsy, but if you want me to visit a location, show me what makes it special! Other entries had no photos at all.
The short “Essentials” section in the background was very useful, with a few helpful phrases in Japanese, and a quick overview of how to get around the country, and cultural faux pas to avoid.
July 9, 2023
A lot of great information in here about restaurants, coffee shops, osens, bars, attractions, and shops around Japan. (So many stationary shops. So....many....) I do wish it was a little less kawai, though. "Have a seat on the cute little stools!" "This piece of paper is a gorgeous keepsake of your glorious time in Japan!" "The owners were the cutest little couple!" "Pretty please be careful in the snow."
Oof.
But the edges of the book are pink and the author goes by the handle "Hello Sandwich." I knew what I was getting into. I'm still glad I got it and would recommend it for other travelers to Japan.
Oof.
But the edges of the book are pink and the author goes by the handle "Hello Sandwich." I knew what I was getting into. I'm still glad I got it and would recommend it for other travelers to Japan.
January 6, 2024
10/10 aesthetics for this book, and great highlights of less traveled areas! The author’s preferences for travel spots are highlighted (lots of retro coffee shops, stationery, and other specific types of shops), so this would be good to pair with a more generic guide as well!
July 3, 2021
Beautifully illustrated and presented. Makes me want to go to Japan right now!
July 29, 2022
A good collection of recommendations close to my heart ❤️
August 15, 2022
Классный путеводитель по модным и трендовым местам Токио и других городов Японии
March 14, 2023
a cute Japan travel guide! wish I was going to more cities
March 25, 2023
Great travel inspiration!
April 28, 2023
Super nice if you are planning a trip to Japan! The book it is perfect for designer, creative people, architects and everyone that wants to see something unique.
I highly recommend!
I highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews