If it feels like everyone you know is travelling to Japan, you’re not alone. Major cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto are now top travel destinations for Australians. With a shorter flight than heading over to Europe and the Aussie dollar strong against the Japanese Yen, it’s no wonder more of us are exploring Japan.
Whether you have plans to visit for the autumn changing of the leaves, snow sports in winter or the 2025 cherry blossom season, you’ll want to prepare yourself with the latest travel guides. For those of us dreaming of Japan, or looking back on travel memories, don’t miss our recommended Japanese fiction, lifestyle and cookbooks. You don’t need to leave home to explore Japan!
Japanese Fiction Book Recommendations 2024
Japanese fiction is a great way to explore the country through literature. There’s a huge range of fantastic translated fiction, but here are my top picks.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold By Toshikazu Kawaguchi
In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.
What You Are Looking for is in the Library
Inspirational and heartwarming, this bestselling nominee of the Japan Booksellers’ Prize is a celebration of community libraries and the life-changing power of book recommendation.
Japan Travel Guide Book Recommendations
If you’re heading to Japan, make sure you pick up a travel guide to help you plan for a memorable experience, as well as guide you through the cultural and practical differences of travelling in Japan.
Japan: Lonely Planet Travel Guide
Lonely Planet’s Japan is a comprehensive guide that extensively covers all the country has to offer, with recommendations for both popular and lesser-known experiences. Summit Mount Fuji, pay your respects at Buddhist temples in Kyoto, and have your fill of sushi and sake; all with your trusted travel companion.
Hidden Japan By Chiara Terzuolo & Justine Wong (Illustrator)
From tucked-away bars to quirky vending machines, themed walks to secret tea houses, Hidden Japan is your guide to the art of wandering off the beaten path. With chapters on Nature, Food, History, Art, Late-Night destinations and places you’ll find only in Tokyo, Hidden Japan has detailed recommendations for every kind of traveller.
Japanese Cookbook Recommendations
There’s nothing like the tastes and smells of Japanese cuisine to bring the memories of travel flying back. It’s easier than you think to bring your favourite Japanese dishes to life in your own kitchen. From soumen and sushi, to gyoza and gyudon, or winter warmers like Japanese curry rice and oyakodon, you can explore Japan with food!
Japanese Home Cooking By Maori Murota
Learn to cook authentic Japanese food from scratch at home, with step by step recipes for the traditional classics like ramen noodles, broth, sushi rice or homemade tofu as well as recipes for more contemporary fusion dishes.
A Day in Tokyo by Brendan Liew & Caryn Ng
From the bustling streets of Shinjuku to the hidden corners of Ueno, this book takes you on a delicious food adventure from breakfast through to dinner, showcasing the diverse tastes and ingredients of Japanese cuisine.
Japanese Lifestyle Book Recommendations
Japan has a rich and varied culture, with unique perspectives and crafts, from anime and bonsai, to embroidery, art, gardening, architecture and more. Here are my picks – explore them all here!
Hayao Miyazaki By Hayao Miyazaki
A richly illustrated journey through the extraordinary cinematic worlds of beloved filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. This book was published on the occasion of the 2021 inaugural exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, in collaboration with Studio Ghibli in Tokyo.
Ikigai by Hector Garcia & Francesc Miralles
Discover the Japanese secret to a long and happy life with the internationally bestselling guide to ikigai. Inspiring and comforting, this book will give you the life-changing tools to uncover your personal ikigai. It will show you how to leave urgency behind, find your purpose, nurture friendships and throw yourself into your passions.
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Japan
18th Edition
Lonely Planet's Japan is a comprehensive guide that extensively covers all the country has to offer, with recommendations for both popular and lesser-known experiences. Summit Mount Fuji, pay your respects at Buddhist temples in Kyoto, and have your fill of sushi and sake; all with your trusted travel companion.
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