book review: tokyo on foot

My next major international trip won't happen until September 2015 but since I'm a planner I have already started researching for my itinerary.  I'm planning to revisit Tokyo and Kyoto - and this time I will be with my husband (and not my mom), so the trip will be distinctively different (i.e., I can actually experience the nightlife in Japan)! 

As part of my research, I stumbled upon a delightful book - Tokyo on Foot - written by a French graphic artist who lived in Tokyo for 6 months because his girlfriend was posted there temporarily for her job.  During this time, Florent Chavouet, wandered the city on foot while sketching everything he observed.  The book isn't really a travel guide but more of a graphic memoir.  There are some cute maps in the book but I'm not sure it will be that useful for a tourist.  The book does however provide a quirky view of the artist's experience in Tokyo.

His sketches are truly endearing and they manage to capture the unique and odd "spirit" of the Japanese.  While I can't recommend this book as a travel guide, it was very entertaining to experience the eclectic city of Tokyo through his eyes.