by Paul Heney
Last updated: 4:39 PM ET, Thu January 18, 2018
Tokyo can be a challenging place for first-time visitors.
The bustling Japanese city is not only home to more than 9 million people, but it is a sprawling megalopolis awash in culture and traditions that can seem far removed from the United States or Europe.
The "Cool Tokyo Guide" by Abby Denson ($14.99 from Tuttle Publishing) tackles this urban favorite in a most creative way-via a comic book format.
The 128-page, large format book is a comfortable size to read, and it follows the adventures of Abby, her husband Matt, friend Yuuko and Kitty Sweet Tooth (a talking purple cat. . .let's remember this is Japan) as they navigate their way through the city and region.
Although the concept seemed odd to me, the book is inherently readable and engaging. It has a lot of practical knowledge on things visitors need to know-like the types of high-tech toilets you may encounter. This is an area where the colorful illustrations are perfectly suited to the topic at hand, as they explain what each button and switch is meant for.
Denson is an award-winning designer, and she's scripted for The Amazing Spider-Man Family and The Powerpuff Girls. She explains how she's had a longtime fascination with Japan and enjoys reading manga and watching anime. After studying in Tokyo, she decided to share her newfound knowledge with others.
The chapters in the book are focused on a lot of what tourists need to know, as well as what they'll likely want to do in Tokyo. They cover getting around, survival skills, potential cultural shocks, what to eat, where to shop, entertainment and cultural/historic sites. There are also sections on dealing with hotels, kid-friendly things to do and suggested day trips, including Yokohama, Hakone, Kamakura and Nikko.
The Kitty Sweet Tooth character-which I admit growing rather fond of-helps with a lot of basic language phrases throughout. There are also examples of the Japanese characters that are used in specific situations, such as in shops or on vending machines.
The book is great for immersing yourself into the sometimes very different social situations you may encounter and cultural things you may run into, and I enjoyed that the most.
From jolly raccoon dogs with "humorously large testicles" to clowns driving robot ladies to horror film-themed bars, you'll find a little bit of everything here. Which is an apt comparison to what tourists will find when they visit this ever-fascinating city.
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