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Rating: 
Summary: Simply the best tool out there
Review: I have been living in Japan for over two years now and this thing is still in my back pocket (albeit a bit ratty now).I have invested tons in pocket dictionaries and phrasebooks. I don't even bother to carry anything else with me now. Even though my Japanese can get me through a conversation, I still have trouble, and that's where this book comes in. Excellent organization, and the fact that it's written in both romanized characters, so you can read it, and Japanese characters, so they can read it, is a Godsend. I have copied pages from it for my Japanese students who were taking a trip to the states. I could go on and on, but this little book has been a life saver. Easily the best 10 bucks I've ever spent. Extremely useful if you have no Japanese, and still quite handy even if you do. Even has a section on hitting on people!
Rating:
Summary: Simply the best tool out there
Review: I have been living in Japan for over two years now and this thing is still in my back pocket (albeit a bit ratty now). I have invested tons in pocket dictionaries and phrasebooks. I don't even bother to carry anything else with me now. Even though my Japanese can get me through a conversation, I still have trouble, and that's where this book comes in. Excellent organization, and the fact that it's written in both romanized characters, so you can read it, and Japanese characters, so they can read it, is a Godsend. I have copied pages from it for my Japanese students who were taking a trip to the states. I could go on and on, but this little book has been a life saver. Easily the best 10 bucks I've ever spent. Extremely useful if you have no Japanese, and still quite handy even if you do. Even has a section on hitting on people!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding for the novice on a short trip
Review: This book was exactly what I needed to navigate japan beyond Tokyo. I was on business for 6 days in NE Japan, and was able to frequently use this book to help me get around. English may be common in Tokyo, but outside it is much less so.
Rating: 
Summary: Indispensible aid to communicating in Japanese
Review: This phrasebook was used as a "textbook" by a Japanese student who tutored me in Japanese before a recent trip to Japan. It contained many helpful phrases for a lot of situations you will encounter when traveling in Japan. I consider this critical for "survival Japanese"--contrary to what you may have heard, everyone does NOT speak English. I used this book in talking to cab drivers, making a train reservation, ordering food, asking directions, making purchases. I gave this four stars instead of five because this lacks some elements you need to be understood. The biggest one is knowing how the Japanese accent words. Also missing was the discussion of the differences in using different numbers for different objects. I was able to "fill in the gaps" from my tutor and the Pimsleur Japanese tapes. All in all, a great reference book for travelers.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding for the novice on a short trip
Review: This phrasebook was used as a "textbook" by a Japanese student who tutored me in Japanese before a recent trip to Japan. It contained many helpful phrases for a lot of situations you will encounter when traveling in Japan. I consider this critical for "survival Japanese"--contrary to what you may have heard, everyone does NOT speak English. I used this book in talking to cab drivers, making a train reservation, ordering food, asking directions, making purchases. I gave this four stars instead of five because this lacks some elements you need to be understood. The biggest one is knowing how the Japanese accent words. Also missing was the discussion of the differences in using different numbers for different objects. I was able to "fill in the gaps" from my tutor and the Pimsleur Japanese tapes. All in all, a great reference book for travelers.
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