Best Non-Fiction Books to Read Before Visiting Japan -

Q: Is Tokyo Vice based on a true story?

Yes. Tokyo Vice is a real memoir by American journalist Jake Adelstein, based on his years reporting on crime in Japan. It offers firsthand accounts of Yakuza dealings, corruption, and the dark side of Tokyo most tourists never see.

Q: What’s the difference between The Book of Tea and a guide to tea ceremonies?

The Book of Tea isn’t a step-by-step guide. It’s more of a philosophical essay that uses the tea ceremony to explore Japanese values like harmony, simplicity, and the beauty of imperfection.

Q: Are these Japanese books worth buying in hardback?

Some definitely are. Tokyo Vice and The Book of Tea have gorgeous editions that hold value, and Wabi Sabi is the kind of book you’ll want to revisit and gift to others. If you're collecting or gifting, go hardback.

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Travelling the world with your kids, reliving your backpacking days as a family. It sounds like a dream, right? And honestly, it is. It’s a chapter I know I’ll look back on and treasure forever.

The only real difference? The late nights drinking from buckets on Phi Phi Island are long gone. These days it’s morning hikes, midday meltdowns, and early nights in front of a TV in a different language.

So I’ve rediscovered something I forgot I loved. Reading. If you missed it, I already put together a list of my favourite fiction books set in Japan.

Picking up a book about the country you’re heading to or planning too. It makes the whole place feel more alive when you finally get there.

Here are the best non-fiction books about Japan to read before visiting.

1. The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.7)

Genre: Cultural Philosophy / Essay
Published: 1906
Setting: Japan

This was originally written in English in 1906, aimed at explaining Japanese culture to Western readers, especially in the wake of Japan opening up after centuries of isolation. This century-old classic uses the tea ceremony as a way to explain everything from Japanese art and design to the cultural gap between East and West. It’s short, strange, and still completely relevant today. If you like to find the beauty in small things while travelling, this is the book for you.

Cover of "The Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuzō featuring Japanese cranes, plum blossoms, and traditional gold detailing.

Get your copy from Amazon here

2. Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.6)

Genre: Self-Help / Cultural Insight
Published: 2018
Setting: Modern Japan

Beth Kempton weaves together travel stories, personal reflections, interviews with Japanese craftspeople, and bits of philosophy to explore how less really can be more. It’s part cultural insight, part guide to living better, written in simple, calming prose that feels like a deep breath. Ideal if you’re feeling overwhelmed, or just want to slow down and see things differently before (or during) your trip.

When Wabi Sabi came out in 2018, it quietly became a bestseller, getting international translations and rave reviews for its simple but thought-provoking message.

Cover of “Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life” by Beth Kempton, featuring a minimal design with gold brushstroke cracks and a small bird perched on a branch.

Get your copy on Amazon here

3. A Geek in Japan by Hector Garcia

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.6)

Genre: Travel / Pop Culture
Published: 2011
Setting: Everyday life in modern Japan

It’s part cultural crash course, part love letter to all things weird and wonderful about Japan. Zen temples and etiquette to J-pop, manga, vending machines, and vending machines selling things you probably didn’t want to know existed.

Héctor García moved to Tokyo as a software engineer and ended up falling in love with the place. His blog exploded in popularity, and this book followed. fast becoming a cult hit with travellers, anime fans, and anyone trying to get their head around Japan’s unique contradictions.

It’s not academic and it’s not pretending to be profound. It’s bright, accessible, and full of photos and sidebars that make it feel more like a scrapbook than a textbook. If you’re heading to Japan and want to understand the everyday stuff. This is a getting your head around Japan starter kit.

Cover of A Geek in Japan by Héctor García, featuring a bold block title over a collage of Japanese cultural icons including anime, temples, geisha, and green tea.

Get your copy on Amazon here

4. Dogs and Demons: Tales from the Dark Side of Modern Japan by Alex Kerr

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.6)

Genre: Cultural Criticism / Non-Fiction
Published: 2001
Setting: Contemporary Japan

This might not be the best book to read before a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan.
If you’ve been saving up, dreaming of cherry blossoms, geishas, and the magic of samurai tales, maybe save this one for the plane ride home.

Dogs and Demons is not a love letter to Japan by any stretch. It’s a sharp, critical look from someone who clearly cares about the country, but has also seen the cracks beneath the surface. Alex Kerr dives deep into environmental destruction, bureaucratic chaos, and the outdated infrastructure that still shapes modern Japan. It’s eye-opening, at times uncomfortable, but undeniably important if you want to understand what lies beyond the postcard views.

Cover of Dogs and Demons: Tales from the Dark Side of Japan by Alex Kerr, featuring bold black-and-white architectural imagery with red title strip across the center.

Get your copy on Amazon here

5. Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.3)

Genre: True Crime / Investigative Journalism
Published: 2009
Setting: Tokyo, Japan (1990s–2000s)

A gritty memoir from a man who dove headfirst into the world of Yakuza turf wars, human trafficking, and the government corruption that ran rampant through Japan in the ’90s.

Dark, intense, and fascinating, Tokyo Vice offers behind-the-scenes access to a world tourists rarely see. It’s a jaw-dropping, eye-opening read you won’t put down essential for anyone curious about the real underworld of Japan.

Cover of Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein featuring bold red typography, a shadowy figure in sunglasses, and Japanese newspaper clippings, symbolising crime and journalism in Tokyo.

Get your copy on Amazon here

FAQs

Yes. Tokyo Vice is a real memoir by American journalist Jake Adelstein, based on his years reporting on crime in Japan. It offers firsthand accounts of Yakuza dealings, corruption, and the dark side of Tokyo most tourists never see.

Not at all. It’s written by someone who clearly loves the country but isn’t afraid to be critical. Alex Kerr shines a light on the environmental destruction, outdated bureaucracy, and cultural shifts that many outsiders (and even locals) overlook.

The Book of Tea isn’t a step-by-step guide. It’s more of a philosophical essay that uses the tea ceremony to explore Japanese values like harmony, simplicity, and the beauty of imperfection.

Sort of. It’s written by a British Japanologist and blends personal insight with cultural interpretation. While not a historical text, it’s a beautifully accessible intro to the mindset behind Japanese aesthetics and lifestyle.

Yes, it’s light, visual, and perfect for travellers who want more than just a guidebook. It dives into pop culture, etiquette, tech, food, and history without getting overwhelming.

Some definitely are. Tokyo Vice and The Book of Tea have gorgeous editions that hold value, and Wabi Sabi is the kind of book you’ll want to revisit and gift to others. If you’re collecting or gifting, go hardback.