The failure point is to consider travel guides as a simple sub-part of romantic travel inspiration.
In Japan, meticulous planning is king, and a guide can be the primary source for deciding on a destination, long before fiction plays a role.
For example, a "Michelin Green Guide Japan" or a "Lonely Planet" offers practical details on transportation and local customs that fiction does not address.
The inspiration from a film to visit Kyoto can quickly evaporate in the face of logistical complexities if the guide does not provide clear solutions, making the guide a decisive filter.