Reading about Japan is one of the best ways to get excited and prepare for your trip to Japan!
Japan guidebooks can be a great resource for research and travel planning, but it?s also incredibly fun ? and often enlightening ? to read fiction and non-fiction books from and about Japan.
We?ve compiled what we think is the ultimate Japan reading list, for serious book lovers and light readers alike. Our comprehensive reading list includes books on Japanese food, culture, history, a variety of fiction and literature, and more!

If we missed a great book you think we should include, please let us know. Happy reading!
Culinary Books on Japan
If it’s your first trip to Japan, our guess is that Japanese food will be even more delicious and varied than you can imagine. Below are our favorite books on Japanese food and drink, to simultaneously whet your appetite and give you great insight into Japan’s incredible culinary culture.
Rice, Noodle, Fish, by Matt Goulding
Sushi, by Kazuo Nagayama
Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook, by Mark Robinson (see our full article on the izakaya experience in Japan!)
Food Sake Tokyo, by Yukari Sakamoto
Drinking Japan: A Guide to Japan’s Best Drinks and Drinking Establishments, by Chris Bunting
Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen, by Elizabeth Andoh
Tokyo Cult Recipes, by Maori Murota
Kansha: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions, by Elizabeth Andoh (learn more about traveling through Japan with spec...