Top 10 Travel Apps for Japan in 2025 | Must-Have Japan Apps

1. Google Maps

Still the gold standard for finding your way around Japan’s cities, train stations, and countryside.

Best for: Subway directions, walking routes, and platform info

Tip: Zoom in at stations to see exit numbers and platform details.

2. NAVITIME Japan Travel

A Japan-specific route planner with bullet train schedules, local trains, and walking time between transfers.

Best for: Trip planning with detailed train info

Bonus: Works offline with downloaded data.

3. Visit Japan Web

The official app for fast-track immigration and customs entry. Register before arrival to skip paperwork at the airport.

Best for: Immigration, customs, and quarantine clearance

Tip: Complete your forms before departure to speed up the process at the airport.

4. Google Translate

Use the camera to instantly translate Japanese menus, signs, and labels. Also handy for basic conversations.

Best for: Text, photo, and voice translation

Tip: Download Japanese offline for use without data.

5. Suica App

A reloadable IC card you can add to your smartphone for contactless travel and payments.

Best for: Trains, buses, vending machines, convenience stores

Bonus: Now supports top-up with foreign credit cards on many phones.

6. PayPay

Japan’s most widely used mobile payment app. Accepted at restaurants, drugstores, markets, and even taxis.

Best for: Quick and cashless payments

Tip: You may need a Japanese phone number to sign up — hotel staff can sometimes help.

7. Tabimori (Travel Guide App)

A compact app full of useful offline tools: currency converter, weather, phrases, and etiquette tips.

Best for: First-timers needing help without Wi-Fi

Pro: Designed for travellers by Narita Airport.

8. Tabelog

Japan’s most reliable restaurant review platform with local ratings, photos, and menus.

Best for: Finding quality places to eat

Tip: Use Google Translate to read user reviews in Japanese.

9. Japan Taxi or GO

These are Japan’s best taxi apps. Uber also works in Japan. Book cabs directly through the app and often pay by card.

Best for: Reliable taxi service in cities

Bonus: Drivers don’t expect tips, and the app calculates the fare automatically.

10. Japan Official Travel App (JNTO)

From the Japan National Tourism Organisation, this app offers travel alerts, disaster info, and regional guidance.

Best for: Safety updates, multilingual guides, and route planning

Final Thoughts

With these 10 powerful apps on your phone, you’ll breeze through everything from airport arrival and train travel to dinner reservations and daily payments. Japan is already easy to enjoy; these apps just make it effortless. Contact us to start planning your trip today.