Cool Japan: A Guide to Tokyo, Kyoto, Tohoku and Japanese Culture Past and Present (Museyon Guides) Paperback – November 1, 2013

<DIV>
"Few locations hold as much interest and require as thought-provoking a travel guide as Japan. This beautifully illustrated and formatted work by author and former TV producer Kajiyama (Ghibli Magic) is organized into three sections that focus on Kyoto, Tokyo, and Tohoku. The information related to Kyoto is framed in terms of heroes such as the fictional Hikaru Genji (created by novelist Murasaki Shikibu), warlord Oda Nobunaga, and reformer Sakamoto Ryoma. The section on Tokyo includes information on both traditional and new sights and on shopping and dining. Japan's poetry and folklore are reflected in the pages devoted to Tohoku, a seaside region devastated by the 2011 tsunami. Typical entries list address, contact information, a website, and historical nuggets. The title also includes full-color illustrations, photographs, maps, and a seven-page index; a single-page time line traces the history of the country from 14,000 BCE to 1931 CE."

Library Journal, Oct 15.

</div> --Library Journal, Oct 15

COOL JAPAN is a new Japan guidebook that has come out for the first time in a totally new format. Written by a Japanese expert Sumiko Kajiyama, the book consist of three parts; Tokyo, Kyoto and Tohoku. Each region is colorfully illustrated with tons of photos, and the Tohoku chapter, covering the areas largely affected by the 2011 tsunami disaster, is uniquely presented in-depth with tourist landmarks, regional culture and tips. The book approaches the destinations for the first-time travelers, those who look for cultural experience and even experienced travelers looking for surprises. --Japan National Tourist Organization Press

Not an Ordinary Travel Guide to Japan. Visiting well-kept, centuries-old landmarks while enjoying super-modern technology and kitsch pop culture traveling around Japan is like traveling through time. COOL JAPAN: A Guide to Tokyo, Kyoto, Tohoku and Japanese Culture Past and Present, written by Sumiko Kajiyama, delves into each era and issue from a unique perspective. The ancient city of Kyoto is viewed from the perspectives of popular Japanese heroes, including Hikaru Genji (the protagonist of Murasaki Shikubu s eleventh-century novel, The Tale of Genji), Oda Nobunaga (a sixteenth-century warlord who introduced innovative cultural concepts and governing systems), and Sakamoto Ryoma (a reformer at the dawn of Japan s modernization in the mid-nineteenth century). The Tokyo section of the guide, however, presents a contrast between the traditional and futuristic elements of the city. The book also features the Tohoku region, which is often disregarded in guidebooks for foreign tourists, although it is historically and culturally rich. The region is described with an emphasis on its ancient aristocratic culture, poetry, and folklore. With 470 color photos, 17 color maps, and more than 170 listings for tourist attractions, COOL JAPAN is a great travel guide, but it is also a wonderful introduction to Japanese history and culture. --Chopsticks NY

Sumiko Kajiyama is a journalist and scriptwriter and the author of The Creative Work Style by Top Producers, GHIBLI Magic, The Man Who Changed Animation Business, and New Rules to Be Happy with Your Work. After working as a TV show director at KTV in Osaka, she lived in the United States for more than eight years while getting her master’s degree from New York University and working at the Yomiuri America newspaper.