29 apps to travel to Japan
Find out which are the best apps to travel to Japan, and have all the information you need in your hands.
With the apps for traveling to Japan, you have all the information you need in your hands. You may want to know which are the best apps to locate yourself, make reservations, get to know the city, change money, get transportation, visit tourist places, translate, and even get internet.
To help you with this, we have prepared a list of the apps most used by travelers in this destination, so you can get to know them, explore them, and pick the ones that will be useful for your trip!
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Japan travel apps
Using travel apps to get to know the main cities and tourist destinations in Japan is an excellent alternative to improving your travel experience.
You can book plane tickets and accommodations, get tourist guides, find routes and different means of transport to move around the city, plan activities, and do plenty of other things that will make your life easier.
For these and other reasons, we invite you to read this list that we have prepared to help you plan your trips better and make them more comfortable and safe.
Google Maps app
The famous sGoogle Maps is one of the apps with the greatest demand worldwide for its utility for planning trips in real-time. It provides updated and even real-time traffic and public transport data, depending on your location.
It also lets you discover the city with recommendations to find and enjoy the best places and services for tourists in Japan.
This app is available for iOS and Android users.
MAPS.ME app
The MAPS.ME app is a free application designed to offer tourist guides and offline navigation maps. The latest version features real-time traffic alerts and the best route suggestions.
To use it in Japan, you must download the map of the place you are going to and thanks to GPS, you will know how to get around when you are offline.
Available for iOS and Android.
Japan’s Official Travel App
The Japan Official Travel app is very useful for travelers. It has a route finder that is compatible with all types of public transport (the Japan Rail Pass, the subway, flights, taxis, and ferries). It includes options to find places of interest and plans to enjoy in Japan, as well as real-time alerts on natural disasters and other emergencies.
Available for iOS and Android
Holafly eSIM App with unlimited data for Japan
With the Holafly App, you can manage your unlimited data plan in Japan with the best eSIM for Japan. It works on compatible cell phones and does not need a physical card.
With this app, you can install the eSIM directly on your cellphone and activate the data plan when you arrive at your destination. You can also know the available consumption of your plan and its expiration date to know when to make a new recharge (top-up).
You will also find installation and activation guides with very easy interactive videos and PDF documents in case you find yourself offline at the moment.
Available on iOS and Android
Apps for currency conversion and exchange
On international trips, it is always important to have cash, which is why currency exchange apps are a very good alternative to getting foreign currency for your trip.
You can carry an international card with you (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express), but you will not be able to use it for all your purchases.
XE Currency app
XE Currency & Money Transfers is an app designed to check the average exchange rates on the market; make bank transfers in more than 130 countries; and monitor currencies with detailed charts and real-time rate alerts.
The application is available on the App Store and Google Play.
Currency converter
With the Currency Converter App, you can follow the currency exchange rate in real time. Its design is quite similar to a calculator with basic functions. It stores 150 currencies around the world and to use it, you just have to choose the currency (in this case, euros and yen) and enter the amount of money you need to convert.
App available on iOS by oWorld Software and on Android by Mezhevikin Aleksei.
Exchange Rate – Converter
With this App, you can keep track of your favorite currencies, calculate prices in a foreign country (Japan), view changes based on history, or browse currencies from distant countries.
It is quite an intuitive tool, especially for trips abroad. It is automatically updated every 60 seconds with commercial data worldwide.
Available on Android.
Transportation apps in Japan
Being able to book a taxi in Japan is possible using transportation apps. Here we tell you some of them to improve your trips and move around the city without complications.
Uber app
Uber is available in more than 50 languages and it is designed to offer car rides in the world’s most popular cities. In Japan, it works in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Yokohama, and Fukuoka, to name a few examples.
To use this service, you must log in with your Google, Apple, or Facebook account and then enter your pick-up location and final destination.
Available on Android and iOS.
Japan Taxi App
The Japan Taxi is similar to Uber. With this transportation App, you can request a taxi from your location as soon as possible. It is quite intuitive and offers online payment and cash payment options. Also, you can use the interactive map to pinpoint the pickup location and destination.
The application is available on Android and iOS.
Navitime App
Navitime is an app that will help you find transportation on trains, subways, ferries, buses, and other means to get around Japan. It lets you see a map with information on free WiFi hotspots and hotels. Some of its features are only available in the Premium version.
Available on Android and iOS
Tokyo Metro Subway Map and Route
With this navigation app, you will have an interactive map of the Tokyo subway. It includes a travel planner and covers the Tokyo, Toei, and JR Yamanote lines. Also, it works without an internet connection.
Available on iOS and Android
Apps to translate languages
Unlike other languages, Japanese is made up of symbols that have no relation to the English language. So, if you have not learned this language, you can download one of the following apps to translate and communicate with local people during your trip.
Google Translator
Like Google Maps, the Google Translate app usually comes pre-installed on cell phones. It works with any mobile app you have installed on your cellphone and will help you translate Japanese from different sources (image, voice, and text) instantly.
Available on iOS App and Android App.
Microsoft Translator
This Microsoft Translator App works like Google Translator, although with some disadvantages in terms of translation quality. It has an interesting function for your trip to Japan: a translation guide so that you know the expressions in Japan correctly.
You can choose the place where you are so that the app shows you local expressions that you could use, for example, to order food, ask for an address, or request a service at the hotel.
Available on the App Store and Google Play
Apps to plan and book activities in Japan
If you’re already in Japan but don’t know what plans to make or where to start, you can download travel apps with information and tourist guides to fully enjoy this experience, discovering gastronomic, cultural, historical, architectural, and other interesting places.
Passporter App
If you need help organizing and planning your trip, we recommend you download the Passporter App, as it includes a planner that will help you at each stage of the trip. With it, you can book flights, accommodations, and activities in record time.
Available on Android and iOS
Civitatis App
This app can be an ideal complement to your trip. With this tourism App, you can book different activities, visits, and guided excursions in English. Each of these plans has been created by experts in Japanese culture, so you can download them to your mobile device to have a dynamic and unforgettable travel experience.
Available on iOS and Android.
Japan2Go!
The Japan2Go App offers you tourist information about Japan, including places, routes, and travel history. But the most interesting thing is that this app not only shows you the recommended routes on a map but also gives you alerts when you are close to these places, and when you arrive at these places, you can use your cellphone’s camera to get detailed tourist information.
Available on Android and iPhone.
Apps to get flights to Japan
The normal thing is to buy plane tickets to travel to Japan on the web. However, thanks to the apps, you can now easily get flights from your mobile.
You will find exclusive promotions and discounts using these tools, so it is worth checking them out for your trip to Japan.
Finnair App
The Finnair app is the official app of the largest airline in Finland. It lets you know the status of your flight, the departure time, information on delays, and important information about the requirements that you must meet when boarding the plane, for example, the luggage limit.
Available on iOS and Android.
Skyscanner App
This is a powerful app that lets you compare and choose flight alternatives between different agencies and airlines available for your trip to Japan. You can choose faster, cheaper, or recommended flights.
Also, you will be able to book hotels and rent cars. If you are not rushing to travel, you can receive alerts in case prices drop.
Available on iOS and Android.
Apps for eating in Japan
You can reserve typical Japanese meals or those that you eat daily in your country. You can even request your favorite dishes at home. And if you don’t know what to eat in Japan, you can see opinions from other users or recommendations so that you are informed before ordering.
Uber Eats App
Uber Eats remains the same, whether in Spain or Japan. So, you do not need to download a different app and you will not have problems with the language. It lets you search for and buy fast food to be delivered to your home. It relies on the cellphone’s GPS to know your location and find nearby restaurants.
Available on Android
Demae-Can / 出前館 App
This awesome app, Demae-Can is a Japanese app where you will find multiple fast food restaurants and you can request it from wherever you are. It offers you real-time information on the status of the products you can order.
You have payment methods such as Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, or a credit card. Some of the products you can order are Sushi, Pizza, McDonald’s, or Burger King products.
Regarding the language, it is only available in Japanese, so you need to translate it into your language with any of the translators that we have already mentioned above.
Available on Android
OpenTable App
If you like to socialize and prefer to eat outside, OpenTable can help you. It lets you make restaurant reservations for your trip to Japan. Keep in mind that most restaurants in Japan do not have a reservation service for low-priced purchases, so your purchase must exceed a threshold depending on each restaurant or you will have to wait in line.
Available on the App Store and Google Play
Applications to find accommodation in Japan
Knowing where you are going to sleep in Japan is essential when you travel. Many apps will help you find a hotel or rent a house for your stay in Japan. The best thing about these apps is that you can book at any time and you will be in contact with whoever provides the service.
Airbnb App
This well-known app offers accommodations shared by the same users who register in the App. You can choose to book houses, apartments, or rooms for people who live in Japan. Also, over time, it has evolved and includes the possibility of booking activities.
Available on iOS and Android
Booking App
The Booking app is widely known worldwide. It lets you book accommodation in hotels, glamping, country houses, and other options at very good prices and in record time. There are even special offers or discounts just for app users. It includes reviews of other travelers’ travel experiences and stays.
Available on iOS and Android
Applications to get travel insurance to Japan
Although you don’t need to take out travel insurance to go to Japan, it is advisable to do so. The insurance will help you in case you have an accident, get sick, or your health is affected by a change of country. Here we have listed some apps that will help you get and carry travel insurance for Japan.
My Journey IATI App
It will help you use the travel insurance that you have purchased to go to Japan. In an emergency, the app, thanks to GPS, finds your location and seeks help nearby. You will also have your travel policy on hand.
Heymondo App
It is another travel insurance company similar to IATI, from the app, you will have a chat with specialist doctors available 24 hours a day, the whole year. Another function that the App includes is free calls in case of emergency; for this, you must have unlimited Internet in Japan since the call is made through VoIP, similar to WhatsApp.
Available on iPhone and Android
Apps to travel and organize your trip to Japan
Being able to control every movement you are going through to make is valuable when traveling to Japan. Although you can take records using physical means such as papers or notebooks, you will not have the freedom that an application gives you to organize your trip. With them, you can locate on the map what you are going to do, control your expenses, and the estimated time for each activity.
Lambus App
This application lets you organize the documents for your trip, such as tickets or reservations and calculate expenses. It helps you organize in-group trips since you can upload all the information together with other people participating in the adventure in Japan. Also, it has a chat service for group communication.
Available on Android and iPhone
Wanderlog Itinerary & Trip Planner App
It works similarly to Lambus, it lets you upload travel or flight reservation documents, and forward your emails to the app. It has a calendar for you to add activities for each day, including the location.
In case you still don’t know what to do in Japan, it shows you companies dedicated to booking activities, where you can consult.
Available on Android and iPhone
Apps to get free WiFi in Japan
WiFi for public use is the easiest and most practical option to get free internet. The challenge is to find available connection hotspots in each destination. Fortunately, there are many apps specialized in finding free Wi-Fi networks in Japan, and we are going to tell you about some of them.
Before introducing you to these apps, we recommend that you use the free WiFi for very simple matters, such as sending a message on WhatsApp, ordering a taxi, or taking food home. Avoid using this connection for private matters where your personal information is involved for your own security.
Remember that there are multiple alternatives to getting internet in Japan safely; for example, with an International eSIM card, a Japan prepaid SIM card for local use, pocket WiFi, and even international roaming with your operator.
Before you travel, make sure your phone will work in Japan.
TRAVEL JAPAN Wi-Fi
With TRAVEL JAPAN WiFi you only have to activate your GPS location on your cellphone, and you will immediately be able to automatically access more than 200,000 free access points in Japan. Nonetheless, you should know that when you activate this option, you might incur in charges on your mobile phone account for 3G and LTE browsing, and it does not offer you any type of encryption to protect your information.
Available on iOS and Android
WiFi Map App
WiFi Map App offers you free internet connection in more than 200 countries around the world. It is a collaborative tool for users to add hotspots in their location area. You can use the WiFi Finder feature to find the closest hotspots.
Available on Android and iOS.
Frequent questions about apps to travel to Japan
Japan Official Travel App is the official app of Japan with tourist information, routes, maps, places, and recommended activities to discover and enjoy the main cities and tourist destinations in Japan.
To get unlimited internet, you can use the Holafly International eSIM App. You manage your data with all the information you need to know. If you are looking for free internet, use TRAVEL JAPAN WiFi.
You need Apps for travel, transport, internet, exchange and currency conversion, maps, reservations, and travel insurance.
The most used apps for transportation are Tokyo Subway Navigation, Google Maps, Navitime, Japantaxi, Uber, and others.