The Best Apps to Use While Travelling in Japan

Japan is an amazing country full of culture, history, and amazing food. But if you don’t speak the language, things can get a little lost in translation.

Here’s our list of must-use apps to help you get around Japan without any trouble.

Google Maps

This goes without saying. Google Maps is the quintessential maps app to have on any smart device.

With accurate information about shops, cultural centres, land marks and train stations, Google Maps is fantastic for getting around Japan.

HyperDia

Speaking of train stations, HyperDia is the ultimate up-to-the-minute app for all things transport in Japan.

If you put any two stations in the departure and arrival sections, HyperDia will give you multiple options for travel between them. Options include buses, trains, ferries and even planes. It also gives you travel times and costs, so you know exactly how much you’ll be spending on the shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Osaka.

Japan Official Travel App

The official smartphone app from the Japan National Tourist Organisation has multiple features for making your time in Japan stress-free.

While the app does have a route search option, the best thing about it is that it has a map featuring points of interest. So if you search for an ATM, luggage storage, or even locations with free Wi-Fi, the app will tell you where you are in relation to what you’re looking for.

Another bonus of the Japan Official Travel App is its safety assistance feature. While natural disasters aren’t too common in Japan, it is known for its frequent earthquakes. The safety assistance feature gives information on what to do in case of a natural disaster, emergency or extreme weather. It can also alert the user if a natural disaster or emergency has happened.

It also includes contact information for medical services and embassies.

GuruNavi

Short for Gourmet Navigator, GuruNavi is a restaurant finder app — Japan’s version of Zomato or Yelp.

You start by selecting which area you’re in, then you can search for places to eat by cuisine or restaurant type. You can also add filters such as: non-smoking restaurants, English menus, all you can eat, and restaurants that are good for families.

Unfortunately the app doesn’t sort the results in any particular order and there’s no way to sort them manually. But this is the only downside to an app that gives you detailed information on every restaurant around you.

Uber

One thing I was extremely grateful for on my last Japan trip was the ability to use Uber in Japan without needing to download a new app or extra add-ons. Going to the airport from my hotel at 5 am with 20kg of luggage seemed like a scary thought until I ordered an Uber.

While the public transport system in Japan is efficient, sometimes it’s a struggle to get from one place to another. Or maybe you just want someone to drive you back to your hotel after a big day.

Japanese

This one is for those who have some knowledge of the Japanese language. It’s a Japanese – English dictionary that is frequently updated with modern language (including slang words and loan words).

This dictionary has a simple layout and gives users the option to save words as notes in case you need to find them again quickly. It has offline functionality and gives users the option to type in English or Japanese (including Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji and Romaji).

Google Translate

If you’re travelling to Japan with little to no knowledge of the Japanese language, Google Translate is going to be your best friend (and there’s nothing to be ashamed about).

Google Translate gives you the ability to translate written text, photos, voice and real-time video. With improvements in technology, translations have become much more accurate.

Now you can finally read the drinks menu at the local izakaya!

Make sure you download these apps before your next Japan holiday for a stress-free experience in this amazing country.