Tokyo on Foot: Travels in the City's Most Colorful Neighborhoods

by Florent Chavouet (Text & graphic artist)

Florent Chavouet, a young graphic artist, spent six months exploring Tokyo while his girlfriend interned at a company there. Each day he would set forth, with a pouch full of colored pencils and a sketchpad, to visit different neighborhoods. This stunning book records the city that he got to know during his adventures, a gritty, vibrant place, full of ordinary people going about their daily lives. Realistically rendered city views or posters of pop stars contrast with cartoon sketches of iconic objects or droll vignettes, like a housewife walking her pet pig and a Godzilla statue in a local park.With wit, a playful sense of humor, and the colored pencils of his kit, Florent Chavouet sets aside the question of urban ugliness or beauty and captures the Japanese essence of a great city.

Genres: Japan, Travel, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Comics, Art, Bande Dessinée

206 pages, Paperback

First published March 21, 2009

Reviews

[Roya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly was going to skip reviewing this. I haven't been very keen on writing reviews these days, but I decided I might as well do it now when I'm less worried about how it'll turn out. Considering this is a review by me, a seventeen year old, I will of course go so far as to say that 2006 (the year Chavouet visited Japan for six months), is ages and ages ago and nearly irrelevant. Still, information is information, so I'll try not to act so young for the sake of this review.



I did take some pictures, but the lighting wasn't to my liking. I found a couple of images, but none that made fun of Kim Jong-un or the horrible bug infestation in Japan. Chavouet's sarcasm is awesome, but so is his art.



The maps are lovely too, but I could only read them for so long. The text in this book tends to be on the tiny side.



This book did make me put aside my obsession with going to Japan, but it's a lovely book all the same. I was hoping to read it in one sitting, but it took me a bit longer. Also, before I forget, thanks to my mom for surprising me with this. Hopefully she'll like this as well.

[Amelie · Rating 1 out of 5]

It still got one star because I couldn't put zero.

If you're looking for chauvinism and the most stereotypical view of a racist westerner on Japan, this book is for you.

I had to do a project on westerners view of Japan in a history class and I'm an having a blast with this garbage!
Everything foreign is immediately ridiculed with a very sarcastic tone that gets tiresome after the first 10 pages.

Spoiler alert : He's made uncomfortable by transvestites, people that could be transvestites, women, fat people but only if they're asian, the japanese police (I mean.. if it's not your bike, it IS stolen, boy. You didn't give us much more information on the situation, only the hate-hate-hate so kudos on the police for finding stolen bikes!), men that aren't manly enough for his standards, smoking areas, women again, "no-smoking" areas (?! make up your mind, kiddo)... Now I'm the one uncomfortable reading you.

On another hand what I would suggest for your library is a much nicer illustrated book by Rémi Maynègre and Sandrine Garcia, Voyage au Japon. It's funny and witty, better documented with gorgeous illustrations and japanese text. Oh and if someday Guy Delisle goes to Japan, jump on his next, related comic book because -he- knows how to expose comical traits and situation in a foreign country with class. His humour is more respectful, well-educated and informative than that of this walking baboon (oh fear not, monkey insults are his thing, he won't get offended by this one, he uses them in the book).

So do not buy, maybe borrow it to your local library if you've got more patience for ignorants than I do ;) good luck.

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Cup noodles are like party favor bags: so many goodies inside.”

Chavouet leaves his native France in 2006 to live in Japan for six months during his girlfriend’s work internship in Tokyo. Instead of lying around their 300 sq ft apartment with nothing to do, he “borrows” a sunny, yellow bike and pedals his way through every neighborhood in the vicinity of Tokyo. In tow are his trusty colored pencils and sketchpad, which he uses to capture the essence of the busy city and its inhabitants. Taking a cue from Harriet the Spy, no one gets past his keen, observant eye. Commenting on everything from fashions, to food, and his hilarious encounters with the “koban”, or local police, it’s easy to feel like you’re a tourist yourself.

Using the distinctive neighborhoods as chapters, Chavouet points out local attractions and off-the-wall factoids. For example, while pedaling through West Shinjuku, he matter of factly points out that the remains of a human torso were found in a trash can across the way from Freshness Burger. Good to know! Also, just in case you were wondering, there are more than 30,000 suicides a year in Japan (of course, not usually by way of train…duh!). Cynical, much? Ah, the French. Gotta love them!

As his time in Tokyo comes to an end, it’s no wonder Chavouet was sad. I was too upon turning the last page! You can tell that the way of life and culture really had a profound and positive effect on him. I’ve already mentally added Japan to the places I hope to visit in my lifetime. This travelogue put me in mind of French Milk, another favorite travelogue type graphic novel. I just love this concept of relating travel adventures!

[Meaghan Steeves · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not very happy with this book. The art style (and by that I mean the fully rendered drawings and not his quick cartoony sketches) was quite beautiful, especially given that it was done in the sometimes restrictive pencil crayon. I felt that he was complaining too much for my liking, to the point where I didn't understand why he said that he still liked Japan. On nearly every page he either mocked or made fun of the people he drew through how he depicted them or what he perceived they were thinking about. I did not find his sense of humor to be funny at all and I wondered how many other people would perceive it as being insulting.

[Raina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is SO PRETTY. Totally full-color pencil drawings, printed on larger-that-you're-expecting pages. The guy can draw.

And for people who are Japanamaniacs, who might even want to visit Tokyo themselves at some point, I could see how this would be super helpful for preparing for a trip.

I just missed having a story.

My favorite parts of the book were the gorgeous full-color spreads of buildings (he introduces every chapter with an illustration of the police station in the concerned neighborhood), the pages full of people (with captions), and the Sociology Made Easy sections. The parts where the author's ideas came out.

You never learn exactly what the girlfriend was doing in Japan. You never get to know any roommates. You never get to know the guy himself, besides what you can infer by how he chose to spend his time in Tokyo.

I feel like the project could have used more editing to get it into a more cohesive form.

Personally, I found the detailed maps more overwhelming than useful - maybe if the author had marked a path through the maps that might have helped me weed through all the info he packs in.

The pictures really are stunning, though. It's a really lovely example of one of my GNTravelogue project titles. I just wanted it to be THAT much better.

2020 Edit: I fear my 2012 reading did not notice issues of racism brought up in this review.

[Op · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aww finally I had the chance to read this book. My bad for not reading the title thoroughly as this is (actually) a graphic memoir and sketchbook with hand-drawn maps (written on the front cover, doh!). I am not familier with Tokyo tho but Japan (or maybe Tokyo?) is still old fashioned as it always be. It was made in 2006 but last time I visited there is on 2015 and it's basically still the same.

The drawings are sooo much detailed. And so my kind favorite style. I also love how Florent Chavouet amazingly succeeded showing the people's expression. I understand "the sarcasm" which in some points are quite true. But also understand why some might think that this guy is just annoying because he complained a lot lol.

The title itself is a little bit incorrect. Because he pedaled his bicycle and not walking on foot! And the fonts of the description mostly made me dizzy.

Overall it's a fun read. また日本行きたいなー

[Leah Webber · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is kind of a snobby look at a foreigner's life in Tokyo. The author draws well, but doesn't make much of an effort to learn or immerse himself in the culture. That, and there is a large chunk of the book dedicated to how much he dislikes the police. Wow. Um, lived there for some time...did not have a single problem. Sounds to me like this person was a poor ex-pat.

[Tosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been coming back and forth to and from Tokyo for the past 25 years, and it is without a doubt an amazing city on so many levels. It has been said before, but Tokyo is sort of like numerous layers of an onion. Each layer is a unique taste, and I often feel Tokyo is sort of a city with many dimensions - in sort of a Philip K. Dick way of looking at a landscape or even JG Ballard. Also for the past 25 years I have been trying to write a long prose piece about the city, but it never came out good in my opinion. I think my problem is that I am trying to locate a position to write from - and Tokyo is very much like a devilishly tasty ice cream cone. There are so many ways to eat that cone, all of it pleasant, but never the essential all-over experience. After so many years, I am still acquiring new things about the city.

Florent Chavouet, is a French artist/illustrator who stayed in Tokyo for a bit, and this is his visual journal of sorts. He wisely divides the book into different sections of the city, and gives a very subjective, yet I think the popular view of each area of the city. Which means the iconic as well as something personal. There have been a few books I have read by foreigners (either British or American) that strikes me as either just plain wrong or naive at its worst, but here Chavouet goes into each area and just draws various people and buildings, but he adds details either through his illustration or minimal text. It's not a right or wrong approach to the city, but it is own approach and it is highly personal and quirky in a very good way. Also his map drawings are very good. You can use it if you wish to take this book with you. On the other hand it is a large book, so it is not made for a tourist, but perhaps for someone who either lives in Tokyo, and is either a foreigner or a Tokyo-citizen who is curious how a Frenchman looks at his or her's culture.

My favorite little part is when he gets arrested for a stolen bike (he's innocent) and was taken to the local police station. His observations are never mean - spirited, but also quite informative. A wonderful book.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great book in the style of a sketchbook recounting Chavouet's extended trip to Tokyo, where-in he basically just plopped himself down at any old cafe and started drawing the cool stuff he would see. I loved it. It's so cool to think that someone can achieve this level of art with just a bunch of colored pencils.

[Javier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reseñando lecturas pendientes de antes del verano me encuentro con Tokyo Sanpo, o la versión dibujada de "cuñado enseñándote fotos y contándote su viaje". Esperaba más de un artista cuyo estilo resulta muy llamativo, pero con una actitud condescendiente y cero empática que da un poco de grima. Lo más molón son los mapas que hacen de índice en cada capítulo; más allá de eso, poca cosa.

[Gauri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming collection of illustrations that shows daily life in Tokyo and the characteristics of various parts of the diverse city. It lacks stories as other travelogues usually have, but it does contain a few sentences of explanation for each doodle. This is not so much a travelogue as it is a bound book of drawings.

[Arminzerella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Florent Chavouet spent several months living and drawing in various parts of Tokyo, while his partner, Claire, completed an internship. His sketchbook shares some of the people, sights, and areas he visited. Detailed maps and notes help frame his explorations. Florent’s choices of what to sketch were, perhaps, limited by where he could park his bike and sit (he was ticketed multiple times by Japanese police for parking his bike illegally), so what he captured is more of a snapshot of where he happened to be, than a premeditated tour of the best places – if that’s what you’re looking for, you’re better off finding another book. I found the maps almost too detailed – they had to be turned every which way to read all of the tiny print – and although there were page notations (referring to where you could find the drawings he did in that area), the drawings lacked a satisfying narrative that would have pulled everything together. More interesting than just *what* he saw, would have been more information about what he was experiencing while he was in Japan and what he thought about it. We don’t even really get to find out what Claire’s internship was all about. This was visually stimulating as an artistic, eclectic representation of Tokyo, but it doesn’t really tell any kind of story. More story, please. I was particularly curious about what a French person would think about Japan, and whether he chose to annotate his sketchbook in English, or if it was originally written in French and then translated. Perhaps the French are not interested in Japan? “On my return to France, people asked me if China was nice. To which I responded that, in any case, the Japanese there were very friendly.”

[Miya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uhhh.....I don't really know what to think of this book? Florent Chavouet seems to like Japan? I think? He certainly captured Tokyo very well in his drawings. At times he is endearing towards the culture and customs, but he can also be satirical and a little bit mean when talking about the Japanese. He clearly, CLEARLY hates the Japanese police (I mean, at one point he refers to them as the "sushi versions" of Joe Pesci and Robert Blake, and I am still trying to decide how racist this is on a scale of 1-10.) His hatred for the police is so intense that it almost overshadows the book. He takes every opportunity he can get to make jabs at them, but from what I can tell, his poor experience with them really had less to do with the police and more to do with him (You took an "abandoned" bicycle, dude! What did you think was going to happen?) I don't really know what to say about this or where to go with this review. I enjoyed the drawings. Sometimes his observations were funny. More often his observations bordered on rude and slightly racist. At one point he writes, "In reality, I don't have many Japanese friends," and all I have to say to that is...it really shows, Florent. It REALLY shows.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just okay. I enjoyed the highly personal maps of different districts in Tokyo, but didn't really feel like he showed what was unique about them. I also didn't really jell with the very loose structure or his drawing style. Left me wondering if he actually enjoyed staying in Japan.

[Ley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute book filled with sketches and anecdotes of everyday life in Tokyo ♥ Thank you, Khonie, for letting me borrow!

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to go back to Tokyo right now ;-;

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally had the chance to read this one! I have been meaning to read it for years but never could find it, until now! Yay! This was a fun travelogue (is that the right word) by an artist for when he lived in Japan with his wife. They moved around a bit and he had fun travelling around Tokyo (and some outer stuff) and making maps, sketches of people, of buildings, of everything that stood out. Along with that we get some, what I would call, diary parts along with food and drinks and conversations. I loved that each new part began with a police station and see what the police were up to. The maps were really well made and I loved the little details and tiny text to state if something was important or something fun/something happened.
Definitely would recommend it to all who like travelogues and Japan.

[Aoi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute!! Full - page , detailed, detailed, detailed (have i mentioned?), colour pencil drawings that I had to squint really hard to read.

Unlike most standard travel guidebooks, the content is a mix of the eclectic and iconic. I enjoyed the author's tongue and cheek humour.

I just missed...having a story..a lot. And after a few pages, it felt like a casual tourist strolling down the street and recording his observations. There wasn't any attempt to learn/immerse/try out to Tokyo culture and to show what makes it unique and noteworthy amongst all other maga-cities.

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Le "Botteghe di Tokyo" era piú bello, ma questo é piú divertente ed inoltre é suddiviso in capitoli che corrispondono ai quartieri e, in preparazione di un viaggio, decisamente piú utile. Anche i consigli che l'autore inserisce in forma di scherzi o raccomandazioni, potrebbero rivelarsi dei veri salvavita, come quando parla dei farmaci da portarsi da casa.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahora quiero ir (aún más que antes) a dibujar a Japón :(

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this book during my recent trip to Kinokuniya Bookstore. There were plenty of books which were graphical memoirs about Japan. I picked this one just because the artwork was impressive. There is not much of a narrative talking about author’s experiences in Tokyo. This book is more like an artist’s sketchbook and some drawings are pretty hilarious. Through his artwork, the author gives us a glimpse of the buildings and the people that he met on his Tokyo trip. The artwork is brilliant. Get this book for the art, if not for anything else.

[Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Handsomely-published by Tuttle, presumably in 2011, this seemingly manga-like book entitled “Tokyo on foot: travels in the city’s most colorful neighborhoods/text and illustrations” by Florent Chavouet would hypnotize its readers from its dazzling, beautiful and realistic drawings since it is “a graphic memoir and sketchbook with hand-drawn maps” (front cover). From its 206 pages, I think, most of us cannot help wondering how this graphic artist could make it; all texts/illustrations are wonderful to see and read because he has included interesting people, things or places for those hoping to visit there soon or those (who visited Tokyo once or more) browsing the pages with fond memories.

I think we may find this book via Amazon.com, please go to: http://www.amazon.com/Tokyo-Foot-Trav...
then, we are allowed to browse some of its inside pages since it is more convenient than reading in a review like this and you would see what I mean. For instance, on pages 12-13, Chavouet has drawn a Tokyo map (unthinkable, isn’t it?), the whole railway, street and port systems with 22 stations/places with pagination. For example, if we want to know about Temple, Ueno or Shibuya, we are to turn to page 47, 81 or 169 respectively.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were things I enjoyed about this graphic journal and things I didn't enjoy.

What I liked:
* The whimsical, colorful illustrations.

* How the "chapters" were divided by neighborhoods in Tokyo.

* The chapter title pages that divided the neighborhoods were quite humorous with the police station and officers doing something comical in the foreground.

*The complex nature of the text and drawings would allow for multiple viewings and always finding something new.

What I didn't like:
* The font was so small and difficult to read that on many pages (the maps in particular) I just gave up and didn't bother reading.

* While the point of this book was more for the drawings than verbal explanations, I felt myself wanting to know more about their reasons for their trip to Japan and also more than just a shallow (and sometimes mean-spirited) observation of the people Chavouet drew.

* Despite being divided logically by neighborhoods, the book still had a disorganized chaos about it that made me wish for more narrative between the collages and drawings.

I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it for anyone who loves Japan, sequential art, or travel memoirs.

[Hollowspine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could have spent much longer with this graphic novel. Although there was no set story line or plot or even a timeline to the book it was so chock full of interesting details, drawings, maps and every sort of fruit and veg sticker you could imagine it was easy to forget time and become completely absorbed in a page.

I loved the drawings and watching the slight changes as he got different supplies or moved to different surroundings.

As I said, I don't think I've even fully read the book yet, I'm sure that I've missed some tiny restaurant or park that was pointed out in one of the maps or a character on one of the pages that I just didn't get enough time to notice the detail on her shirt or some other aspect that I know I'll have to go back and read the book again.

It was a pleasure and one I'm sure I'll indulge in (and get even more out of) in the future.

[Jason Keenan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every travel book is a personal memoir of sorts. How can anyone capture everything magical about a city - whether it's a small place like Vancouver or the world's biggest megacity? Tokyo on Foot takes a totally different tack - it's a very personal memoir of the sights of Tokyo, collected in very sweet drawings. The author would basically set up on corners in a few of Tokyo's neighbourhoods and draw people, buildings, or whatever struck his fancy.

The homemade maps are priceless and brought back memories of the places my wife and I visited.

Such a fun read - and such an interesting window in Tokyo circa 2006.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars overall, but 5 stars for the art, the drawings and maps were amazing! I loved the use of color, and the author/artist really captures Tokyo and its people in a true but personal/unique way. Parts of the book were presented with a humor I appreciated, but as a memoir, some mild biases were present. As a whole though, I really enjoyed this book, especially the architecture and landscape drawings....it took me right back to when I visited Tokyo. I highly recommend this book to lovers of Japan, art, and/or travel.

[Yee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely art book hand drawn by a French artist who went to Japan for six months when his girlfriend interned there. I really loved the art and thanks to the artist for showing me the power of colour pencils. It inspires me. I'm considering whether I should draw some random stuff or places around my living area or learn to draw with colour pencils.

Tokyo on Foot: Travels in the City's Most Colorful Neighborhoods by Florent Chavouet.

[Josie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recommended to me as an alt/interesting travel guide: it really, really isn't. A French artist goes to live in Tokyo with his girlfriend and basically doodles things around him. It was too scattered for me and I didn't really appreciate the art. Also, I was looking for a travel guide, and this was a bunch of pictures of strangers, and trash, and random bushes. My husband thought it was great and loved the art.

[lucy black · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have liked this more if it was drawn by someone else. That sounds kind of harsh but I found the author zooming in on boring stuff I wasn't interested in and missing out on some of the stuff I wanted to see. By the end of it I got a bit bored of his silly jokes and stoner ness. I did like it overall tho, the drawing is great and I'll read pretty much anything bout Japan.

[Kate McCarthy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not what I thought it was: an illustrated guide of walking tours. Instead it was the sketchbook of a not-very-sympathetic French tourist living for 6 months abroad while his partner had an internship. His beautiful drawings are this book's saving grace...otherwise it's just a cranky tourist's perspective of Tokyo.