Planning your Japan trip? Be sure to download these free Japan travel apps on your iPhone or Android smartphone to make your trip easier and more fun!
1. Map Apps
Map travel apps are essential for every trip. You need them for everything, walking direction to hotels, direction to the best sushi bar, or locating the closest Lawson to buy tickets for Totoro Museum!
Google Map is probably the best Japan travel app for maps. Google Map Japan is full of features full turn by turn walking directions, store directory for malls and shopping malls, and icons for all the close by convenient stores and restaurants!
Other than Google Map, Navitime is a good map app alternative, but need to pay for features such as door to door route search.
2. Transit Apps
With over 158 lines and 2,210 stations, Tokyo’s transport system is certainly the most complex one in the world. While Google Map also provide transit directions, these Japanese transit apps is much more useful and makes your trip easier!
Jorudan and Hyperdia are most popular transit apps in Japan and they also offer English version. For anywhere in Japan, just input which stations you are at and the destination you want to get to, and these apps will show you all the route options, time, fare, and transfer. You can even pick the route work best for you (for example, fewest transfer, use of JR system open for Japan Rail Pass holders)
For Tokyo traveler, Tokyo Metro also offer an excellent maps for routes and directions on their system. Best for travellers with the Tokyo Subway Ticket pass!
Jorudan: English site
3. Food Travel Apps
Japan is full of restaurants and one of the biggest challenge is to find what to eat every meal. The best way to pick a restaurant is of course getting the advice from foodies around the world!
Tabelog is the top restaurant review travel apps in Japan and it also has an English web version. There are literally review for every restaurants in Japan on Tabelog! Japanese foodies tend to be very harsh on scoring, so rule of thumb is that restaurants with 3.0 score of above is probably worth a try!
Tripadvisor is another travel apps with lots of reviews, but the reviews are tend to be from international travelers instead of local foodies.
Tabelog: English Web
4. Translate App
Japan is not a very English friendly country. Many restaurants often only have Japanese only menus, especially outside Tokyo. Just what do those words mean?
Here is how the translate travel apps can come into rescue. With Google Translate photo function, you can take a picture of the menu, highlight the Japanese words, and instantly get English translation! To communicate with the locals, just type in what you want to say and the app will also instantly translate to Japanese! Google Translate works amazingly well and have saved us in Japan many times!
Google Translate: iOS / Android
5. Shopping App
Line and Facebook are the main social media apps in Japan. In Japan they are also called SNS. Many shops will offer discount or give free gifts if you like their Facebook page or follow them on Line! A must have travel apps for all shoppers to get discounts!
Hope this post helps you to find the best travel apps your next Japan trip!
Please also check out our guide on where to stay in Tokyo, best Japan budget hotels, visiting Totoro, and making your own Cup Noodles!
In the mean time check out my Instagram – Mizzmok for more lifestyle ideas!
