costs nothing at all. The real secret to travelling around the country on a budget, however, is the Japan Rail Pass. Use this comprehensive guide in conjunction with a rail pass to get the most out of a trip to Japan. - Practical information - planning your trip; when to go; suggested itineraries; what to take; festivals and events. - City guides and maps - where to stay, where to eat, what to see in 30 towns and cities; historical and cultural background. - Kilometre-by-kilometre route guides - covering train journeys from the coast into the mountains, from temple retreat to sprawling metropolis and from sulphurous volcano to windswept desert; 33 route maps. - Japan Rail service schedules - Bullet trains and main routes in this guide. - Customs, etiquette, Japanese words and phrases - with kanji- With kanji/hiragana/katakana for all place name text - readers can point to the text when asking Japanese speakers for directions. - Extended Highlights - extra colour sections make this book even more user-friendly and attractive. - Published in advance of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (24 July - 9 August) What's new in this fully-updated 5th edition? - Greater coverage of Tokyo with additional mapping for the capital - More hot-spring resorts added (including Kinosaki, Kinugawa and Nyuto) - More information about areas off the beaten track including the wood-carving town of Inami, Yanagawa where you can ride in a 'gondola' along its canals, Tomioka Silk Mill (where silk production was first mechanised), Okunoshima island (notorious for its WWII poison gas factory) - Expanded colour section with 'Best' lists to help plan a trip