Lonely Planet Publishes Japanese Versions of Its Top Travel Guides
Windows Inc. Joins International Publishing Team, with Responsibility for 9 Titles
Feb. 6, 2005 (TOKYO) — Windows Publishing Co. played a key role this past year in translating and publishing Lonely Planet's first Japanese editions of its popular travel guides.
Of the 16 newly released titles in Japan, Windows was responsible for a total of nine covering California, Hawaii, Provence (France), Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Bali, New Zealand, and Australia. Originally published by the Australia-based travel guide company in English, the Lonely Planet guides have been revised specifically for Japanese travelers and republished in Japanese. Several, like the Australia title, were more than 1,000 pages in length. In total, 16 Japanese-language titles were printed under the 18-month, multi-company publishing project, with Windows winning responsibility for the most important and difficult assignments, as well as the most number of titles.
For all nine, editing and typesetting were carried out inhouse by Windows, with printing by Japan's second-largest printer Toppan and several other Japanese printers. For three of the titles, Windows was additionally in charge of translation. A number of freelance translators and editors were assembled for the project that began in early 2003.
For more than two decades, the Lonely Planet Travel Guides have been a much relied-upon source of travel information by backpackers, solitary travelers, and world trekkers on a budget. More recently the guides have been enriched with highly detailed maps and expanded to include thousands of accommodations and food establishments ranging from youth hostels and cheap eateries, to four-star hotels and the "best" dining spots. Guidance on customs, interesting off-the-beaten-path destinations, and entertainment, recreation and sight-seeing fill the compact, typically well-thumbed travel books.
The decision to produce the guides in Japanese reflects an emerging willingness by young Japanese to travel either solitarily, as couples, or in smaller groups, rather than as part of packaged group tours. Highly experienced Lonely Planet travel writers make this possible by suggesting itineraries and sightseeing detours, while richly describing key travel destinations, including customs, history and politics. Glossaries and key phrases in the language of the country being visited further help ease the way for independent-minded travelers.
The Japanese versions are published under the direction of Media Factory K.K. (a subsidiary of Recruit K.K.) and Lonely Planet. The guides are available in bookstores in Japan, and are advertised through Recruit's several magazines and newsletters. Chief editor and project manager at Windows is Eiko Brumfield.*
The first titles became available in Japanese bookstores in mid-June, 2003.
*An article on Eiko and her role in publishing the Lonely Planet Guidebooks can be seen here.
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