Monocle has maintained a Tokyo bureau since the magazine launched in 2007, and that depth of connection shows throughout this book. It covers food, fashion, business, culture and travel — with the kind of specificity that comes from years of reporting rather than a press trip.

Illustrated with commissioned photography and accompanied by essays, it works as both a travel reference and a portrait of a country that still surprises. A good shelf companion for anyone with a genuine interest in Japan.