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Which apps should I install for my Japan trip?
To make your life and visit in Japan easier I recommend to install the following apps:
I wrote down the most important apps for your trip to Japan. They will make your life in Japan easier and each recommendation is linked to the iOS and Android App Store so you can conveniently download the apps without the need to find them manually.
Hi there, it's me: Toni!
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Navigating around: Google maps is your best friend
Even though it is pretty common for shops and stores to not update their information on Google Maps – Google Maps still is the easiest option for non Japanese speakers to get from A to B 🙂
You can see bus and train schedules by clicking on the station and then selecting the line you want to see the schedule of.
Most Japanese speakers use Navi Time or Jourdan, but as for now, their interfaces are limited to Japanese. Japan Travel is a cooperation from Navi Time and the official Japanese tourism assotiation – they give really good directions for public transport. Especially in Tokyo the app is helpful as you can buy your metro ticket via the app.
Translations
Deepl is by far my most favorite translator. It is AI based and in my opinion definitely way more accurate and precise as other translators. It works perfectly when you have internet and want to translate text or voice.
I use Google Translate for picture translations (such as translating a written menu in the store). The big advantage over the picture translation from deepl is that Google Translate shows the translation as an overlay on the picture. So it is easy to point at the menu item you want to order 🙂
Accomodation bookings
I highly recommend searching for accommodation on each of the apps before making a decision. Often Booking and Agoda have specific deals for hotels so that the same hotel might be way cheaper in one of the apps. Especially if you book several accommodations over the app you will get higher in their bonus programs and might be eligible for a higher discount or special deal.
For hostels I found that hostelworld often is way cheaper than other apps, even when the hostel is listed in e.g. booking.
For taxis
As much as I love Uber, in Japan it is often not reliable (to even find a driver). Having an alternative like JapanTaxi is definitely important.
Many times you will be able to find taxis on the street and stop them. But you might also encounter that (depending on the area) many taxis will not stop for western looking people – as many times the taxi drivers are afraid to not understand you.
Helpful information for your stay in Japan
You can find helpful information about Japan in the Japan Travel and Japan Official Travel App. Both apps offer a lot of blog posts on very diverse topics, route planning options, finding nearby point of interests and general information.
If you want to date or find friends during your stay
Getting to know people can make traveling definitely more exciting. If it is for a date or to find friends Tinder and Bumble are probably the most used dating apps in Japan.
With Bumble you can switch your app to the “BFF” mode if you are just looking for a friend or someone to hangout with. On Bumble you will find more foreign people like expats and travelers. Tinder is only for dating (it does not have a friend mode) and you will find way more local people on Tinder.
Stay in contact with people you met
Even though Facebook and Instagram are quiet popular in Japan, the number one used messenger app is Line. So if you made Japanese friends, want to contact a business or even find nice deals: Line is the answer for all of this.
Many business offer chat contact via Line which for sure is a convenient way to contact Japanese business if you do not want to call. In the chat you can use deepl for translating to Japanese rather than trying to get information in English on the phone.
You got yourself all set up for your trip in Japan 🙂
Thanks for reading! See you soon, Toni! |
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