Useful Apps

1. Free Wi-Fi Areas

Japan Connected-free Wi-Fi is an app that lets you search for Wi-Fi areas and connect free of charge. A single registration allows you to connect to free Wi-Fi in over 150,000 areas all over Japan.

2. Train Timetables

Hyperdia is a wonderful app that lets you search train timetables all over Japan. You can choose the departure station, arrival station, and time. The results give you the name of the train, track number, total cost, duration of journey, total distance, and transfers.

If you are using a Rail Pass, you can filter out Nozomi and Mizuho trains (these are not included with the Rail Pass).

3. Offline Maps

Navitime is a popular app that offers an excellent GPS map showing where you are at all times.  The map includes detailed information such as shops and stores in relation to your location. You can also see local Wi-Fi spots, ATMs, tourist information centers, and nearby stations.

4. Sightseeing Information

DiGJAPAN! offers detailed travel information about popular sightseeing spots. You can look up destinations and get detailed information, such as the business hours, admission fees, website, and step-by-step directions.

5. Restaurant Finder

Gurunavi lets you see restaurants in the local area. You can make a selection based on type of food (i.e., curry, beer halls, izakaya, ramen, sushi, yakiniku) and budget; and use filters such as English speaking staff, menus in English, non-smoking seating, and credit cards accepted. Once you find a restaurant, you get detailed information with a map.

6. Weather

Tabimori is a great app offering weekly and hourly weather information for all the main cities in Japan. It also has general information about Japan, a currency converter, flight information, and sightseeing information.

7. Japanese Translator

Yomiwa is an app that allows you to read Japanese kanji and words. You can draw kanji characters on your phone and the app tells you what they mean. There is also a Japanese-English dictionary that shows the English translation for a Japanese word.

8. Voice Translator

VoiceTra is an app that translates your speech into another language. The app supports 31 languages, including Japanese and English. It works best with basic travel-related conversations, such as when dining, shopping, checking-in to a hotel, sightseeing, and traveling. It is not good for complex, long sentences.