Although I too recommend the Durston books highly, be aware that "7 paths" is not a pocket book - or even a very packable book. Although with soft cover, it is "coffee table book" sized. For my first visit to Kyoto, I read in it extensively and copied some of the relevant pages to take with me but left the actual book home.

For Tokyo or all of Japan, I recommend the Frommer's Guides. The "Tokyo" book is primarily the Tokyo sections of Frommer's "Japan" with some extra detail. The sketch maps of walking tours are quite helpful. If you are going to only get one book, Frommer's "Japan" is as good as any.

I have the LP "Kyoto" guide. For general information and site-seeing ideas, it is ok but the book has the worst, most unuseable maps I have ever seen in a guidebook.

If you visit the Tourist Information Center on the 9th floor of the Kyoto train station, they will give you a nice set of tourist information and maps for free. This includes a nice, color bus route map that is very useful. You can get similar information at the T.I.C. in Tokyo, at NRT or many of the ward information centers. The one in Asakusa is right across the street from the Kaminarimon Gate at the head of the Nakamise Arcade.

JR