Michelle Mackintosh – författare

Hidden Pockets in Kyoto is your guide to losing yourself in this Japanese city that seamlessly intertwines modern and traditional influences. Whether you’re satisfying your tastebuds in contemporary cafes, wandering among the untarnished architecture of Gion, or heading back in time while visiting ancient temples and shrines, Kyoto is a captivating city to explore. Curated by authors Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh, who consider Japan their ‘home away from home’, this travel guide navigates the country’s cultural capital like a local, with chapters for kissatens (coffee shops), gardens, temples, omiyage (local products), mindful experiences and places to enjoy delectable sweets. Build your day with a variety of half-day and full-day itineraries and bask in Kyoto’s seasonal beauty as you explore lantern-lit alleys that reveal the city’s unique precincts, and uncover hidden artisanal treasures and flavours that will challenge and delight your senses. Venture beyond the metropolis to unearth the heart of the city with this Curious Travel Guide.

Tokyo Story is your guide to a truly surprising city.Japan's capital is a buzzing metropolis that may seem immense, but look close and you'll find it's made up of smaller neighbourhoods, each with their own unique feel. Each themed chapter of this guide tells the tale of Tokyo's rich history, culture and flavour to give you the full travel experience. You’ll find future fashions, the best ramen you’ve ever had, ultra-cool listening bars, crazy moments of pop culture and fantastic things that are free.Beautifully designed with the essence of this magical city in mind, Tokyo Storyis an intimate curation of iconic locations and hidden gems. You’ll also find some handy tips on navigating Tokyo and Japanese etiquette. Explore under neon lights and out-of-this-world fashions or roam hidden enclaves that still have classic Edo charm – make the most of every moment (and every season). There is simply no other place in the world like Tokyo.

No trip to Japan is complete without an authentic onsen (hot spring) experience. But the art of Japanese communal bathing, with its relaxing qualities and healing properties, is still a mystery to most Western tourists.Help is now at hand. Onsen of Japan showcases over 100 of the best onsen from across the country – including traditional 7th-century baths, historic wooden buildings, open-air mountain springs, rustic neighbourhood baths, and big city super santos (aquatic centres) – all of them beautiful places to enjoy this quintessential Japanese experience. Alongside vivid descriptions and beautiful images, each listing includes a checklist with important travel information, such as price range, whether same-sex or mixed bathing is available, whether English is spoken, and if tattoos are accepted.A detailed introduction at the front of the book includes a guide to etiquette, onsen rules, customs and quirks, as well as information on different water types and their healing benefits. The authors also offer tips on how to take a bath like a local, bathing in different seasons, the best places to take a foot bath (ashiyu) or hand bath (teyu), and where you can cook your own onsen egg.This is essential reading for anyone dreaming of visiting Japan.

Mindfulness Travel Japan is the perfect travel guide to Japan when you need to breathe, pause, focus and relax.Are you looking to step back from the stress of daily life on your next holiday? In this guide, Japan travel connoisseurs Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh offer a selection of some of the most relaxing and mindful destinations and experiences across Japan, so you can just exist in the here and now.Covering a total of 100 mindful travel experiences, you can enjoy forests carpeted in moss, plant-based food banquets or long walks in zen gardens, losing yourself in Japan’s beauty and nature. Soak in medicinal onsen waters, or have your whole body covered in a hot-sand bath, stay overnight in a traditional ryokan or zen temple. Walk the paths of philosophers and poets, and hike the paths of religious pilgrims. Observe the opening of cherry blossoms, the changing of the leaves or the first flurries of snow. Take a class in calligraphy or learn the art of meditation, spend a day bicycling around ancient temples and shrines. Learn about the different varieties of Japanese tea and the art of tea ceremony.Mindfulness Travel Japan will show you how to be your best self not just on holiday, but in life.

See the land of the rising sun from the rails in Train Japan, the perfect guide to travelling Japan by locomotive.Seasoned Japan lovers Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh bring you their expert advice on the best way to get around this country, including day trips, multi-day train journeys and even themed itineraries for crafty folk, foodies or pop culture fanatics on 'joyful' trains.Platform-hop around Tokyo and Kyoto cities or whiz along on the shinkansen bullet train to get to where you need to go – fast! Do a lap of the islands, Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku or Kyushu, to get a feel for all this country has to offer, and then do it again in cherry blossom season or when the mountains are blanketed in snow. Whatever the time of year, this guide will help you experience Japan in a way you never have before.Including carefully curated advice, stunning photography and useful tips, Train Japan has everything you need to experience Japan by rail.

A beautiful Wes Anderson–inspired picture book to help children navigate their emotions Just like felt, our feelings can often get a little fuzzy. Fuzzy Feelings follows the story of Little Cat who is experiencing lots of emotions as they navigate their way through the day. Cat wonders, am I happy? Am I sad? Am I confused? It’s hard to express how they are feeling. As you turn the pages of the book with your own little one, discover together how to understand the big feelings that children have and how it can be hard to describe these different emotions. Cat learns that it’s okay to have mixed or in-between thoughts that are hard to talk about. Fuzzy Feelings is the perfect jump-off point for parents, carers and teachers to talk to a child about how they are feeling. Created in felt, all lovingly hand-sewn by artist Cat Rabbit, it is a gentle guide to help children express themselves and navigate the big, wide world.

Escape the city with more than 50 day trips from Tokyo, and discover Japan’s hidden treasures, including nature, history, food and drink, and more.Japan is the world’s most popular tourist destination, with most visitors flocking to Tokyo to see the sights, experience the culture and eat incredible food. But just beyond the fringes of Tokyo, the rest of Japan awaits the inquisitive traveler.DayTripper: Tokyo is for anyone who wants to get off the beaten track and see more of what Japan has to offer. With over 50 day trips to explore, and a few overnight and weekend adventures thrown in, each trip is no more than a couple of hours from Tokyo by train. Explore hidden galleries and museums, visit shrines by bicycle or hike along some of the ancient trails that link these impressive monuments. Slow down and experience an onsen surrounded by lush forests, or stop overnight at a local ryokan in an historic postal town. For food lovers, there are excursions to sample local delicacies only found in remote regions, and sake brewery tours that offer tastings of this unique beverage. If pop culture is more your thing, then take a trip to the Ghibli Museum, Moomin Valley Park, or Ome Retro 60’s Town. Alternatively, take a masterclass in making (and eating!) noodles.With maps, beautiful photography, and all the tips and tricks you need to make the most of your time in Japan, DayTripper: Tokyo will get you out of the city and experience the hidden gems that aren’t featured on the tourist brochures.

Elevate your holiday in Japan by deciphering the magic of kanji!Most people believe kanji is something you must memorize; thousands of tiny, complicated symbols that take years of study to learn. Kanji Magic begins with a different idea. Kanji are not random symbols, they are spells – small pieces of visual magic that turn the world into meaning: a mountain becomes three peaks; a tree becomes a branching shape; and water becomes flowing lines. Over centuries, these pictures were refined, combined, and repurposed until they formed the writing system used across East Asia. And if you learn how the spells work, the characters stop feeling mysterious. You do not need to memorize every kanji you see; you only need to recognize how the spell was cast.In Kanji Magic, authors Steve Wide and Michelle Mackintosh dispel the myth that the Japanese language is hard to learn. Alongside beautiful, expressive illustrations that explain the history, meaning, and breakdown of basic kanji characters, this book teaches readers how to navigate their way around Japan – learn how to read signs at train stations, book tickets to museums and galleries with confidence, and understand the hand-written menu at your favorite ramen joint.