Tokyo on Foot

A graphic memoir and sketchbook, with hand-drawn maps

Review:

A chef-d'ouevre of graphic art. &@8212;Cafes Geographiques A chef-d'ouevre of graphic art. --Cafes Geographiques . ..as for Chavouet--colorful, farcical, artistically superior Chavouet--his way of seeing Japan is insightful and entertaining for over two hundred pages. The execution is confident--a positive side-effect of it having no agenda but to represent his individual experience. - Axiom Magazine A chef-d'ouevre of graphic art. -- Cafes Geographiques This is a wonderful gem of a book. It's a quirky, graphic 'guidebook' filled with beautifully rendered and detailed doodlings that capture vignettes of the city seen through the eyes of a resident, rather than a tourist. SimplyFabulicious.com blog [ Tokyo on Foot ] will make readers with wanderlust wish to drop their everyday responsibilities and trek through a foreign city. It will appeal to the armchair traveler who yearns for a bit of the exotic, the wanderer who wants to someday visit the Land of the Rising Sun, and, indeed, anyone who appreciates the marriage of grit and beauty, self-deprecating wit, and losing oneself in good pictures for a while. ForeWord Reviews Besides the awesomeness of the maps, most of the book is full of odd findings and experiences that the author found himself in. I find the book to be pure genius and I am very happy that I picked it up without a second thought. It's all the little additions in the book that make it most worthwhile and I think it makes a great addition to any collection of books. Yonasu.com This is the first book by Mr. Chavouet in which he chronicled his adventures in Japan with his gorgeous hand-drawn pictures and in writing. [...] This book can be enjoyed by anyone who is interested in Japan, especially Tokyo. As well as those who like quality drawings of people in their daily lives. --Tokyo Five blog .. .as for Chavouet--colorful, farcical, artistically superior Chavouet--his way of seeing Japan is insightful and entertaining for over two hundred pages. The execution is confident--a positive side-effect of it having no agenda but to represent his individual experience. --Axiom Magazine The book captures the feel and spirit of the Japanese metropolis in comical sketches, sparse writings and whimsical, hand-drawn city maps. The book is a diary of Chavouet's six months in Tokyo. And, it's worth the money, at least for people who can appreciate Chavouet's observations on life in Japan and who can enjoy his artwork, which is intriguing, if somewhat reminiscent of classic Mad Magazine drawings. Chavouet depicts the everyday sights of Tokyo--much of which are universal sights in homogeneous Japan--in a way that's so detailed that you feel as if you can walk into the pages. It's almost like the feeling you get when you see one of those picture-perfect towns made of Legos. --About.com From what Chavouet saw, did, ate--bugs, festivals, storefronts, a fake French mansion, random drinks and snacks--his illustrations catch perfect little details you'll never find in any guide book. His myriad of people caught in the midst of their everyday lives are undoubtedly the book's highlight. [...] By the time he's back in his native France, he's got an award-winning, fascinating book that surely makes for ideal reading for both armchair tourists and peripatetic travelers alike. --Book Dragon (Smithsonian Institute) [Tokyo on Foot] will make readers with wanderlust wish to drop their everyday responsibilities and trek through a foreign city. It will appeal to the armchair traveler who yearns for a bit of the exotic, the wanderer who wants to someday visit the Land of the Rising Sun, and, indeed, anyone who appreciates the marriage of grit and beauty, self-deprecating wit, and losing oneself in good pictures for a while. --ForeWord Reviews This stunning book records the city that [Florent Chavouet] got to know during his adventures, a gritty, vibrant place, full of ordinary people going about their daily lives. Realistically rendered city views or posters of pop stars contrast with cartoon sketches of iconic objects or droll vignettes...With wit, a playful sense of humor, and the colored pencils of his kit, Chavouet sets aside the question of urban ugliness or beauty and captures the Japanese essence of a great city. --Japan Today His drawings are so wonderfully idiosyncratic and so beautifully detailed that what must have been a labor of love for him is no less a labor of delightful artistic genius. --Publishers Weekly starred review .. .hand-drawn maps...provide information about the various neighborhoods in the city -- hence; it can prove to be very helpful for your trip planning. --I Am Aileen blog as for Chavouet colorful, farcical, artistically superior Chavouet his way of seeing Japan is insightful and entertaining for over two hundred pages. The execution is confident a positive side-effect of it having no agenda but to represent his individual experience. Axiom Magazine From what Chavouet saw, did, ate bugs, festivals, storefronts, a fake French mansion, random drinks and snacks his illustrations catch perfect little details you'll never find in any guide book. His myriad of people caught in the midst of their everyday lives are undoubtedly the book's highlight. [ ] By the time he's back in his native France, he's got an award-winning, fascinating book that surely makes for ideal reading for both armchair tourists and peripatetic travelers alike. Book Dragon (Smithsonian Institute) hand-drawn maps provide information about the various neighborhoods in the city hence; it can prove to be very helpful for your trip planning. I Am Aileen blog