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6 Essential Travel Apps for Your Trip to Japan
After landing in Japan with only a few phrases under my belt, basic things suddenly seemed impossible.
How would I find my way around? How should I communicate with people? How could I ask locals about the best places to see, eat and visit? With no friends or family in the city, I turned to the internet for help.
Over my year spent living in Japan, I used a handful of apps constantly. Reading a menu in Japanese? No problem. Getting around by train? Simple. Keeping in touch with my new Japanese friends? Piece of cake.
With an arsenal of handy apps in my pocket, I managed to do just about everything. And now with these top recommendations available for all to see, you can, too!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
6 Essential Travel Apps for Your Trip to Japan
Yomiwa
Spent the last hour trying to decipher a Japanese menu? It’s time to download Yomiwa.
This app can help you translate Japanese text simply pointing your phone camera. Your camera hovers over the characters and translates them into English. Use it for signs, menus, flyers, newspapers and more! This app is also a great way to familiarize yourself with common Japanese characters so you can learn to read by yourself.
You can save key words and phrases, look up definitions and even practice your writing skills. It’s available offline, too, so you can use it in those internet-free traditional restaurants that haven’t quite caught up to the 21st century yet.
Ms. Green
This cute, manga-inspired app is your go-to guide for exploring Japan’s culture and customs.
You’ll learn while following the journey of Ms. Green, the newest recruit of a fictional travel agency. The adorable animations will guide you through Japanese history, food, sites, cities and events.
As well as offering a great guide to the country, the app also allows you to book tours, accommodation and transport in partnership with JAPANiCAN.
Navitime
What started as a simple guide to the Tokyo metro system has now grown into a comprehensive guide to the city’s entire transport network. Use it to navigate the mind-boggling network and get from A to B without spending hours staring at Tokyo’s daunting subway maps.
This app also features a route planner, travel times and station maps—much needed when you’re trying to navigate the labyrinth-like stations of Shinjuku and Shibuya.
You’ll also find regional guides and travel advice offered by other in-the-know expats.
Google Maps
This app is a must for Japan, where navigating the country’s confusing address system is almost impossible for non-native.
Most of the streets don’t have names, and the building numbers often aren’t in any order. So you’ll definitely need a hand in getting around! On top of that, taxi drivers rarely speak English, so you’ll need a way to show them where you want to go.
The second I landed, I downloaded the offline version of Google Maps, which saved me hours of wandering around, looking very lost and confused.
It’ll give you door-to-door directions while suggesting the best routes on foot, by car and via public transport. You can even use the street view feature to see what the building looks like before you arrive. Very handy given that many Japanese venues are several stories up and not always easy to spot at first glance.
Line
You may have heard that WhatsApp is the go-to communication app for traveling abroad. But not in Japan! Every time I met a new Japanese friend, you could guarantee one question would come up: “Do you have Line?”
It’s the communication tool of choice among young Japanese people and the best way to stay in contact with new friends. Primarily a texting app, you can also use it to make free voice calls and leave messages whenever you have an internet connection. Using this app means no large phone bill when you return to your home country!
The best feature, however, has to be the cute stickers and characters called Line Friends. They’ve gained a cult following and you’ll no doubt spot tons of stores selling their merchandise. They’re also the inspiration for animations, games, cafes, hotels and a theme park.
Yurekuru
I was fortunate enough not to experience a large earthquake while living in Japan, but little wobbles are a fact of everyday life.
Before you arrive, it’s worth brushing up on the basics of what to do in the event of an earthquake, even if you’re unlikely to put it to use. When working in Japan, I felt a little foolish panicking at a light tremor while all my colleagues calmly took shelter under their desks!
This earthquake early warning system uses information from the Japanese Meteorological Agency’s Earthquake Early Warning system to inform you of an oncoming quake. You can also set your own threshold for alerts, so you won’t be disturbed by a little rumble in the middle of the night.
In a country where the language can be hard to master, apps are a great way to get around and make new friends. You’d be surprised how far you can get having an entire conversation using just mime and a translation app!
But if you really want to get to know the country, it’s best to become conversational before you go. Many Japanese people understand how tricky their language can be. If you’re able to show some effort and know-how, you’re bound to impress just about everyone you meet! Then you can use your new Japanese acquaintances for ramen restaurant recommendations, not an app!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
Emma Brooke is a travel writer and serial expat currently living in Paris.
