Arthur Asa Berger is Professor Emeritus at San Francisco State University, where he taught for 38 years. He is the author of numerous books and articles on tourism, media, popular culture and everyday life. Among his books on tourism are Vietnam Tourism, Thailand Tourism, The Golden Triangle, Deconstructing Travel and Bali Tourism. He has lectured in more than a dozen countries and his books have been translated into nine languages.

Tourism in Japan: An Ethno-Semiotic Analysis is an interesting work on tourism in Japan from a sociological perspective. It is a welcome addition to tourism literature as little has been written about tourism in Japan and this work sheds light on many fascinating aspects of tourism in the country. The volume will benefit both students of tourism studies and the general public who wish to have a better understanding of Japan as a tourist destination. It will long be remembered for its unique contribution to the literature.

• PART ONE Japan as a Tourist Destination Chapter 1: Japan as a Tourist Destination Chapter 2: Japan and the Tourism Industry Chapter 3: Japan on the Internet PART TWO Semiotic Japan Chapter 4: Semiotic Japan Chapter 5: Tourism and Cultural Change in Japan Chapter 6: Coda: A Return to Japan