19 Best Apps For Travel To Japan In 2024

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Are you looking for the best apps for travel to Japan? 

If that is a resounding yes, then you have definitely come to the right site.

I did a solo trip to Japan and I have got to say downloading some of these Japan travel apps made my trip so much easier and less stressful since I do not speak Japanese!

So here are the 19 best apps for Japan travel ranging from navigation, transportation, language, food, and others so you can bid farewell to travel-related anxiety and enjoy yourself thoroughly throughout the trip!

List Of 16 Best Apps For Japan Travel

1. Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO)
2. Universal Studios Japan
3. Google Maps
4. Maps.me
5. Hyperdia
6. Japan Navitime
7. Tokyo Subway Navigation
8. Norikae Annai
9. Suica and IC Card Reader
10. Ecbo Cloak
11.  Imiwa
12. Yomiwa
13. Rosetta Stone
14. VoiceTra
15. Travel Japan Wi-Fi
16. GuruNavi
17. Ramen Beast
18. Happy Cow
19. Yurekuru

19 Best Apps For Travel To Japan

Let’s dive right into the 19 best apps for Japan travel:

Japan Guide

1. Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO)

If you are looking to plan your itinerary in Japan, Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) is the right place to get to. 

Available in English, Chinese, and Korean languages, you can find the main highlights to visit around the country, filled with detailed information such as the history, operating hours, entrance fee, and so on.

Besides, you can also search for routes using the app—such as Japan Rail (JR), subways, taxis, and ferry services.

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JNTO comes with the “Safety Assistance” feature too where users will be notified when there are natural disasters or other national-level emergencies. 

These handy features make JNTO among the best apps for travel to Japan.

Personal experience: This Japan travel app is my saviour! I literally refer to this app to get to virtually everywhere in Japan during my trip there.

Since I used 3-Day Subway Tokyo Ticket when I was at Tokyo, I selected that pass during the search and the app showed the eligible routes that I could take to get from Point A to Point B without paying extra fare.

And I did the same when I was at Osaka using Osaka Amazing Pass and JR Pass when I wanted to take JR trains, buses and shinkansen.

If you could only download 1 travel app for Japan, JNTO is the one to get!

Download here: iOS | Android | Website

Price: Free 

2. Universal Studios Japan

Being one of the 6 Universal Studios parks in the world, Universal Studios Japan (USJ) attracts thousands of visitors all year long.

And if you are not a fan of waiting in long queues for amazing rides, you can check the waiting time for each attraction using Universal Studios Japan app.

With this, you can readjust your plan as you go and opt for a shorter queue ride first without wasting time queuing for the longer one.

The app also shows the map of the site and offers useful information like:

• available rides,
• restaurants,
• shows,
• and more, offering a better travel experience for visitors.

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Tip: Make sure to buy the Express Pass separately so you can try all the stunning rides in USJ within 1 day!

Since there is a limited number of Express Passes for each day, it is best to buy the ticket in advance before flying into Japan.

BUY USJ PASS NOW 🎢 | GET USJ EXPRESS PASS TODAY ⚡

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free

Best Japan Travel App: Navigation 

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3. Google Maps

Google Maps might be the most familiar best Japan travel app among all the apps listed in this article. 

This user-friendly navigation travel app allows you to save the landmarks or places that you want to visit and retrieve them later when needed. 

It also shows the shortest route from one place to another, with accurate train timing, travel duration, and estimated total fare. 

If you are looking for nearby eateries or convenience stores, Google Maps show their operating hours, pictures, and even reviews!

Travel tip: I like visiting local-frequented, family-ran eateries instead of chain restaurants for a more authentic dining experience. And you can find plenty of these eateries when you search the food term in Japanese using Google Maps.

So if I feel like eating curry rice, I use the Google Translate app to translate “curry rice” into Japanese language and I paste the term into Google Maps. And voila now I have more authentic eateries options to choose from!

I did this in every city I visited in Japan and that was how I managed to enjoy a truly good plate of curry rice at a small eatery managed by a lovely old Japanese couple in Takayama.

However, Google Maps requires an internet connection to work and load. 

So to have peace of mind of not getting lost among the tall skyscrapers or ancient temples during your visit to Japan, it is recommended to get yourself a local sim card or portable Wi-Fi router. 

I got this eSIM for Japan before I travel to Japan and it was one of the best purchases that I have made for the trip!

It was easy to use and convenient since I did not need to change any sim card just to get the data.

Download here: iOS | Android 

Price: Free

4. Maps.me

Maps.me is the free, not-too-bad alternative to Google Maps where the app is still workable even when there is no internet connection. 

To use Maps.me, you will have to first download the map of Japan. It will show you the places of interest that you can visit during your trip. 

This app also offers travel guides to the users and you can search ATMs, restaurants, or cafes in the area.

Note: This free travel app is available in 15 languages, including English, German, and Arabic. 

Download here: iOS | Android 

Price: Free & Paid Subscription

Best Apps For Japan: Transportation

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5. Hyperdia

If you are asking for a local’s recommendation for the best Japan travel app for transportation, Hyperdia would probably top the list. 

Available in English, Japanese, and Chinese, Hyperdia allows you to check for the accurate timings of train departure and arrival regardless of whether you are using a JR pass or getting the individual train tickets from one station to another. 

Hyperdia’s result page will show the detailed breakdown of your search request, including:

• The train’s name
• The departure and arrival track number
• Ticket fare
• Travel duration 
• Number of train transfers
• Total travel distance

You can also personalise your filters by opting out of Nozomi and Mizuho trains—the two trains that are not covered under JR pass; a handy feature that you will be thankful for after knowing Japan has more than a dozen train operators throughout the country.

Other than providing information about train services, Hyperdia offers car rental services, recommends hotels to book, and even nearby restaurants to visit. 

Hyperdia by Voice app comes with an additional feature where you can speak to the phone for your search queries, like “Tokyo Station to Kyoto Station, first train”.

And yes, you can customise the search to include the trains that are covered under JR Pass with this. 

One word—convenient!

However, this app version with voice software is only available to iPhone users (sorry Android users!).

You will also need an internet connection to use Hyperdia, so make sure to get a Japan eSIM, local sim card or pocket Wi-Fi router to fully utilise the useful features that this Japan transportation app offers.

Download here: iOS | Android | Website

Price: Free & Paid Subscription

6. Japan Navitime

Japan Navitime is one of the best apps for travel to Japan for navigating around this culturally rich country.

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This useful transportation app offers detailed and comprehensive information about the country’s transportation system, map, train routes, and so much more. 

Some of the searches that you can do using Japan Navitime are: 

• Navigation between two places in Japan
• List of all public transportation modes (trains, taxis, ferries, and planes)
• Free Wi-Fi spots 
• Train delays
• Efficient route for JR pass holders 
• Recent saved routes to view offline

Besides, Japan Navitime also comes with travel guides and itineraries that you can refer to when you are in Japan.

Or you can create your travel plan by using the app itself. 

To offer a better travel experience to the user, this Japan travel app has added several new guides, such as shopping, nightlife, events, food and drinks and more!

It is worth noting that most Japan Navitime features require an internet connection to work so it is best to get a Japan eSIM (I used this & loved it!), local sim card with data or a portable Wi-Fi router before your Japan touchdown. 

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free & Paid Subscription

7. Tokyo Subway Navigation

Update: Tokyo Subway Navigation is no longer available for download. For Android phone users, you can download this alternative Japan travel app instead: Tokyo Metro Map.

As the app name suggests, the Tokyo Subway Navigation app shows the intensive subway map in Tokyo without the need to use an internet connection. 

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You can search for the shortest route between the two stations or landmarks, ticket fare, and the travel duration. 

If you are not sure of the station name, fret not—you can just key in the landmark and the app will show the nearest exit to get to the place. 

Besides, this travel app also shows the subway stations offering free Wi-Fi connection to passengers.

Tokyo Subway Navigation app is exceptionally helpful particularly to international travellers, where the sight of Tokyo subway networks might be slightly overwhelming to first-time visitors.

Looking for unmissable things to do in Tokyo? Check out my detailed 4 Days Tokyo Itinerary to learn more!

8. Norikae Annai (Previously know as Jorudan)

Norikae Annai is a helpful transportation planning app that allows you to search for the train schedule and fare, including the reserved and non-reserved seats.

Besides, this app for Japan travel shows the travel duration between stations, vehicle numbers, platforms, and the shortest route to the input destination.

Letter symbols are used to describe the ride, such as F to indicate fast travel, E for less transfer, and L for low price.

The one thing that I like about Norikae Annai is that you can also filter out the routes that are not covered by the JR pass.

Did I mention that Norikae Annai also shows the weather in the departure and destination areas? That is just so cool!

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free & Paid Subscription

9. Suica and IC Card Reader

If you plan to use cash to buy single-trip tickets every single time you travel from one station to another, you are doing it wrong.

Aside from keeping lots of coins thanks to the change given, wasting time queuing to buy train tickets is not exactly the core memory you want to create while exploring Japan.

Downloading a Suica and IC Card Reader app is one of the best things you can do before flying into the country. 

The app allows users to make contactless payments for various transportation services and purchases. 

Simply tap your smartphone on the card reader and you can pay for

• train and subway fares,
• buses,
• taxis,
• vending machines,
• and even convenience stores!

It is also not just limited to Suica; you can manage other IC cards too using the same app such as Pasmo, Toica, and more!

You can even charge the card in your mobile phone electronically, so you can save time and spend it on visiting extra attraction sites while in Japan.

I used the Suica Card in Osaka and Kyoto and I really love how convenient it is to explore around the cities by just tapping in and out of the stations.

It is definitely one of the best apps for Japanese travel to have in your mobile phone!

Travel tip: Suica Card is widely accepted around the country, including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Sapporo, and rural areas.

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free

10. Ecbo Cloak

Have you ever felt like ditching your luggage in a safe place to explore the city one more time before heading to the airport? 

I feel it most of the time—especially when I need to check out of the hotel in the morning and I have a night flight out of the country on the last vacation day.

If you are also feeling that way, then you will have to download Ecbo Cloak into your mobile phone when you are in Japan!

Ecbo Cloak is an app that shows you the nearby luggage storage places. 

You can also use the app to reserve a spot for your luggage and make payment online using a credit card—seamlessly convenient.

For most locations, you will be charged US$3 (300 yen) for small bags (45 cm long and under) and U$6 (600 yen) for larger bags. 

All these charges are for per-day use.

You can also rent a storage space in a train station, where the fee typically ranges from 500 yen to 700 yen per hour depending on the luggage size. 

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Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free

Best Apps For Travel In Japan: Language

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11. Imiwa

If you are looking for an offline multilingual Japanese dictionary that is similar to Google Translate, Imiwa is your best bet. 

You can find the meaning of the words in English, Spanish, Russian, French, German—making it among the best apps for travel in Japan that you should not miss downloading!

Apart from that, Imiwa also offers sample sentences based on the search entry and teaches you the word pronunciation in Japanese.

So if you are looking forward to interacting with the locals using some simple Japanese words, you can definitely learn them using Imiwa. 

However, this language app for Japan travel is only available for iOS users. 

Download here: iOS 

Price: Free 

12. Yomiwa

Yomiwa is one of the best apps for travel to Japan that could potentially save your life from frustration and loads of time when you are exploring the country. 

This offline Japanese translation travel app allows you to literally point at the road signs, menu, package labels, and ATMs (you name it) and translate the wording into English!

It also works if you upload the picture directly into the language app for translation. 

You can even pick up the language by using Yomiwa thanks to its flashcard feature!

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free & Paid Subscription

13. Rosetta Stone

If speaking to the locals in Japanese has always been a dream of yours, then you should download Rosetta Stone.

Available in multiple languages including Japanese, Rosetta Stone has plenty of immersive curriculum to enhance one’s capability to learn foreign languages easily. 

You can conveniently develop your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through the interactive lessons and real-life scenarios offered by this app.

And the best part is you can use Rosetta Stone on the go as it can be used offline!

Whether you are commuting on the subway or waiting for your meal in a restaurant, you can practise Japanese with the handy app.  

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: 3 months for US$49.99

14. VoiceTra

Of course, learning a foreign language with three writing systems is not for everyone.

Kanji? Hiragana? Katakana? Nan desu ka? (Meaning “What is it?” in Japanese)

And for some, VoiceTra could be one of the best apps to have when travelling to Japan acting as their free personal speech translator.

This voice translation app can translate your words instantly into Japanese or any other supported language and vice versa.

This feature of VoiceTra makes having conversations with locals, ordering food, or asking for directions to be so so so much easier and more fun!

Sugoi! (Means “awesome” in Japanese!)

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free

Best Travel Apps For Japan: Wi-Fi

15. Travel Japan Wi-Fi

If you do not plan to get a Japan eSIM, local sim card or pocket Wi-Fi router when visiting Japan, then the Travel Japan Wi-Fi app will be your saviour. 

This Japan travel app offers more than 200 000 hotspots all over the country and allows you to connect automatically.

Travel Japan Wi-Fi also comes with a map feature that lets you search for the nearest hotspot even when you are offline. 

To connect to Travel Japan Wi-Fi, you will just have to look out for blue-lettered Wi2 on your mobile gadgets and voila—free Wi-Fi connection throughout your Japan stay!

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Being said that, the one con about this travel app is that you will need to use your social media account to log in for the internet connection.

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free

Best Apps For Travel To Japan: Food

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16. GuruNavi

GuruNavi is among the best apps for Japan travel to download to plan your meals easily based on your preference.

This user-friendly food Japan travel app allows you to look for nearby restaurants according to your search preferences, such as:

• cuisine types,
•  meal budget,
•  directions,
•  free Wi-Fi access,
•  the presence of English-speaking servers and more.

You can also filter the city (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, etc.) for the restaurant recommendations and make your plans before even getting over to that city!

However, GuruNavi does not come with a rating system—so you would not know the restaurants’ reviews at a glance. 

To overcome this, you will have to Google search the restaurant online to check on the reviews instead. 

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free

17. Ramen Beast

One of the famous things that Japan is known for is definitely its ramen.

If you are a ramen enthusiast or simply want to embark on a culinary adventure that revolves around places that offer a truly authentic, non-tourist-trapped bowl of ramen, then the Ramen Beast app could be the single best Japan travel app. 

With detailed reviews, ratings, location photos, and insider tips, Ramen Beast helps you navigate the vast and diverse world of ramen, making it easy to find your perfect bowl.

But if you are overwhelmed with the choices, you can navigate the list by category, such as “Late Night”, “Tsukemen”, “Vegetarian”, and more.

Travel tip: Tokyo alone has more than 700 recommended ramen places to visit in this Japan travel app!

Download here: iOS

Price: Free

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18. Happy Cow

Happy Cow is definitely a must-download Japan travel app for vegetarian or vegan international travellers!

Among the best apps for Japanese travel for meatless food, Happy Cow shows the locations of vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurants located nearby you. 

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This app also shows reviews of the eateries, making your food planning easier—especially if you plan for local non-meat food hunting all day long.

Though, it is worth noting that this app requires an internet connection to work or else getting the premium subscription for the food app to work offline. 

If you plan to save on the pocket Wi-Fi router rental and premium app subscription, you can do some research on the vegetarian or vegan restaurants and screenshot their locations before getting disconnected from your hotel’s Internet connection. 

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free & Paid Subscription

Apps For Japan: Earthquake Notifier

19. Yurekuru

There are quite a few Japanese earthquake apps available but the one best app for Japan travel that you need to get before you are travelling to Japan is Yurekuru. 

Yurekuru is popular among the locals and visitors in Japan as the app alerts the users and provides accurate information regarding upcoming earthquakes, including:

• the location,
• magnitude and
• its epicentre. 

Note: The app is available in the English language. 

Download here: iOS | Android

Price: Free & Paid Subscription

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FAQs: Best Japan Travel Apps

Final Thoughts: Best Apps For Travel To Japan

So here you go—the 19 best apps for travel to Japan that you need to know and consider before embarking on your journey to Japan!

These best apps for Japanese travel can improve your travel experience in Japan by allowing you to immerse into the local culture and navigate the country easily without many struggles. 

Japan was my first solo trip destination, and being a non-Japanese speaker, downloading these Japan travel apps gave me the courage and independence to keep going and have fun throughout my trip! ❤️

Do you have any other best travel apps for Japan that you would like to share with me? I would really love to hear from you!

Remember to share this article with your friends and family members who are looking forward to spending their vacations in Japan stress-free!

Tanoshinde! (Have fun!)