A map is one of the best publications you can have when visiting Osaka, Japan, and preferably in English unless you are, in fact, Japanese! A company called Periplus puts out English maps of numerous world-travel destinations. You can easily get one online from Amazon. Even with a map, though, there are no promises that you will never get lost, especially in the inner sanctums of the city.
If you feel like reading a good mystery set in Tokyo and Osaka, read All She Was Worth, by Miyabi Miyuki, about a police detective who investigates the disappearance of his nephew's fiance. The Master Puppeteer, by Katherine Paterson, brings to life (pun intended) the world of 18th-century Japanese puppetry in a tale of wealth and poverty and right and wrong, set in the city of Osaka.
A nonfiction book that details the bombings of Japan in 1945, is The Night Tokyo Burned, by Hoito Edoin. Though not exclusively about Osaka, it chronicles Osaka's bombing on March 13, and brings the reader up-close-and-personal with stories of eye-witnesses and survivors.
Tea With Milk, by Allen Say, is a children's nonfiction story of a young Japanese woman's return to her country of origin after living in California, and her bout with culture shock.
Travel Pictorial - Country or Natural Wonder
Always browse any or all travel pictorial books about a country, region or a natural wonder of the world . You will find excellent photography to view at leisure. Check out any bookstore or library ( lending or reference ).
Travel Guide(s) - Country, Region or City
Always glance through any travel guide for the region you are planning to visit. You will always find some nugget of useful information. The layout and content will always vary with the publisher. Every traveller should make it a priority to browse one or all of the guides listed below. It will be a great education to browse the layout and view the excellent photography. You decide which of the travel guide(s) you like the best.
- DK Eyewitness travel guide(s)
- Insight / Discovery Channel travel guide(s)
- Lonely Planet guide(s)
- AA Explorer, AA Key or AA Spiral Guide(s)
- Note: You will find about thirteen other publishing companies' travel guides in bookstores.
Travel Books - Children or Junior
Browse the children's or junior section of your local library for travel and geography guides. You will find a variety of guides to countries, regions or natural wonders of the world. The majority of these guides will be less than fifty pages in length. They will contain an excellent overview of a country etc. They are an excellent introduction to travel for a novice traveller.
Travel DVD or Video Viewing
- These are a few ideas for finding travel DVDs in your local area.
- Local video rental store
- Local library - travel video or DVD
- Any large music store will have a range of travel DVDs or videos on sale.
- Travel Video Store has an excellent internet site.
- BBC Video series website section
- Pilot Travel Guide series
- National Geographic Travel DVD or video series
- Escorted tour companies' DVDs or videos (e.g. Rick Steves)
- National tourist bureaus may have a introduction video or DVD on offer, or a photo gallery on their internet site
