Gilles Poitras has traveled to Tokyo and written about Japan …  a lot. Here he talks with Stone Bridge Press publisher Peter Goodman about his upcoming book Tokyo Stroll and what fascinates him about this great world metropolis. Gilles is definitely not the tourist on the beaten track riding in buses to the same old temples and fake kimono parlors. He usually bases himself in old-town Asakusa in a little budget ryokan, and then enjoys delicious and cheap street food and checking out the side streets and specialty shops ... just strolling.

Gilles also answers the three key questions a foreign visitor might have: 

• Is Tokyo really super expensive? (Answer: not at all, breakfast for under $10 and dinner for under $20.)
• Can I make myself understood? (Answer: yes, lots of signboards in romanized letters and lots of people get by in English, even a friendly street gangster who directed Gilles and his friends to their hostel!)
• Is the city safe? (Answer: yes, there are tons of people around and Japanese are famously well behaved; and the gangsters don't mess with you either)

We also discuss when Japan will be opening up in full. There’s a lot of pressure from the tourism boards and businesses to get the country open to foreign visitors, but the politicians are taking their time and being cautious. So it’s baby steps for now, but the day of free travel is coming, which is why there’s no better time to start planning your Tokyo trip. Gilles explains how he’s built a whole online map overlay into his book, so once you’ve got it you can find everywhere that’s listed in the book using your phone, whether you’ve got an internet connection or not!

Gilles’s ryokan (more of a hostel actually) recommendation: Taito Ryokan in Nishi Asakusa (5 minutes from Tawaramachi Station). Easy to book using online search engines.

Tokyo Stroll's publication has been delayed several times but is now set for end of November 2022. Over the course of the pandemic, Gilles has been providing regular text and map updates to ensure that the book will be current and accurate when it's finally released. 

Gilles creates and maintains a few online resources, including a supplement that will keep Tokyo Stroll information up to date.

Gilles's home website is at www.koyagi.com/. From there you can access:

• Tokyo Stroll Supplement
• Vicarious Tokyo: Resources of Enjoying a Fabulous City from a Distance
• Guides to Anime and Manga.

Gilles Poitras has produced three books on anime and has written for magazines including NewType USA and Otaku USA and served as a member of the senior board of Mechademia. He has made presentations at various Japan-US friendship groups and at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, has introduced films at the Smithsonian, and has taught a course on anime for Pixar staff. He has conducted numerous guided trips to Japan. He lives in Oakland, California.

Peter Goodman is publisher of Stone Bridge Press in Berkeley, California, which for over thirty years has specialized in books on Asia, especially Japan and China. For a complete list of Stone Bridge Press books, visit www.stonebridge.com.

For a complete list of Stone Bridge Press books, visit www.stonebridge.com.