The Best Travel Apps for Japan

The Best Travel Apps for Japan to Download Right Now!

With today’s technology, international travel has never been easier! When traveling to a destination that you’ve never visited before, having a few travel apps can decrease stress and increase productivity. After countless trips to Japan, these are a few of the best Japan travel apps that we’ve found most useful!

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Google Maps

If you’re only going to download ONE of these travel apps for Japan, let it be Google Maps. It’s by far the app that we’ve used the most while in Japan. Google Maps allows you to be very efficient in how you travel from place to place, regardless of your method. I love how this app allows you to change your method of travel (walking, driving, public transit, etc.) and gives you both a map and turn-by-turn instructions.

Another great feature of Google Maps is its ability to calculate your fare on public transit (i.e. trains, subways, streetcars, etc.) so you’re able to purchase the correct ticket or more efficiently tap in on your IC card and don’t have to worry about correcting your balance at your destination.

The last thing we love about Google Maps is that we were able to save all of the places we wanted to visit by flagging or favoriting locations. You can also find many other neat things in the area by clicking on different places and seeing photos/reviews.

READ MORE: Important Things to Know Before Traveling to Japan

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Welcome Suica or Suica

Okay, wait, I was wrong. In addition to Google Maps, you’ll also want to download either the Welcome Suica or regular Suica app. First of all, Suica is one of Japan’s IC cards used for transportation, such as trains and buses. But you can also use it to pay for items at convenience stores (konbini), vending machines, coin lockers, and even some restaurants and shops. Welcome Suica was recently introduced as an app for tourists and is in English. The validity of the digital card is 28 days. The regular Suica app is in Japanese however, you can add the card to your Apple Wallet or Google Wallet by adding it as a transit card.

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Smart-Ex

On the Smart-Ex app, you can book shinkansen tickets and reserve seats. You can also link them to your Suica card by putting in your Suica Card number to make it easier to use when traveling by shinkansen! Make sure you sign up before you travel to Japan so you have an account ready to go when making reservations. You also get some discounts when booking your tickets in advance on the app or website!

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TripAdvisor

We have used TripAdvisor many times when researching and planning our trips. While it is good to reference printed literature when planning your trip, TripAdvisor is amazing because information about attractions, hotels, and restaurants is typically updated frequently, and it is free to use!

TripAdvisor utilizes reviews and information given by travelers and professional sources to give you information about the best locations to visit, stay, and eat to get the most out of your trip. You can also create lists to save everything in one place.

One of the best aspects of TripAdvisor is its map and current location searches that allow you to search areas of interest near you. It was especially helpful on the evenings when we had changed our itinerary and needed a quick place to eat nearby.

While it is nice to visit “hot spots” in each city, we also enjoy trying new locations that haven’t been reviewed and sharing these new places with other adventurous travelers.

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Gurunavi

We found this delicious yakiniku restaurant in Sendai, thanks to Gurunavi.

Gurunavi is the Yelp of Japan except it focuses on restaurants that are local favorites, versus the feedback of tourists (like TripAdvisor is in Japan). You can search by location or special features and find detailed information about the restaurant you choose to look at, including hours, address, how to get to the restaurant, real-time information, menus, and photos, and even make online reservations when available. The app is available in Japanese, but if you go on the website, you can translate it easily to English!

READ MORE: Things to Know About Driving in Japan

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Google Translate

Google has developed some great apps that allow people to travel and communicate like never before! If you aren’t familiar with it, Google Translate is an amazing app that allows you to translate simultaneously between two different languages. Hands down, this is one of the most useful travel apps for Japan.

The basic function is to type in the desired phrase or word, and the app generates the corresponding text in the desired language. However, this app goes above and beyond with its extensive interface. An example is using the microphone to seamlessly translate spoken words into text and verbal replies.  

Another feature of this app, which is still a work in progress, is the written translation. You can take a picture of text (i.e. a menu or attraction pamphlet) and have it translated into your desired language. It isn’t always 100% accurate, but it is getting better and better.

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Imiwa

As we’ve said before, Google Translate is an awesome app that works well MOST of the time, but there are times when it doesn’t translate correctly or it just doesn’t cut it. That’s where Imiwa comes in. Imiwa is a Japanese dictionary of words or phrases that you can look up, or you can type our kanji characters to help figure out what a word is in Japanese if Google Translate is not translating correctly.

READ MORE: A Complete Packing List For Japan

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Klook

If you are planning to book tickets in advance to certain attractions in Japan, Klook is a great option to streamline ticket purchases. Once you have an account set up you can simply show your mobile voucher/ticket. You also get discounts with the more bookings you make on Klook which makes it a cost-effective way to visit attractions in Japan too!

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GO Taxi or DiDi

Where Uber is not available, GO Taxi, or DiDi will most likely be the best alternative! It’s a program available only in Japan where you can call a taxi, make a future reservation for a taxi, find out your fare, and pay for it instantly by connecting your card. However, it’s important to note that some taxis still only accept cash, so make sure you have some on hand before calling a taxi!

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NHK News

NHK News is the largest news broadcaster in Japan. Downloading their app will alert you to local news near you (you might even find a cool event!), but it’s also a great app for your safety. NHK News offers live updates on natural disasters like earthquakes, typhoons, or more. It is also available in several languages!

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LINE

In the United States, we use WhatsApp or GroupMe but in Japan, Line is the popular messenger. The reason we love LINE is that we can communicate with family and friends in Japan but it also can be a money-saving app too! Many stores and restaurants in Japan have QR codes that you can scan and sign-up for coupons or discounts to their store on LINE. But, hey, if you make a few friends while in Japan, you could ask for their LINE information too!

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We consider these to be the best Japan travel apps for planning and enjoying your trip to Japan! Whether it be to get around, search for something to do, or aid in communicating, we highly recommend all of these travel apps for Japan to help make your trip easier and stress-free!